From the author of School of Breaking: Emile is a guileless and naive girl ripped from her idyllic seaside life when her family relocates from the coast of France to Prague so that she can attend the prestigious Alvarus Academy. But when the time comes, her train takes her to the Skola Lom instead, where she falls into the world of their capricious, chaotic headmaster, Godfrey, and his inscrutable band of teachers. Donning his jester's hat, Godfrey teaches Foolishness rather than math and lectures from his favorite bar. While her fellow students excel in the arts of Stealing, Sensuality, and Drinking, the out-of-place Emile searches for a mysterious friend who holds the answers to why she is there.

First Impressions: School of Breaking gave me fairy tale vibes as soon as I started reading it! It is highly imaginative and multi-layered. I could definitely enjoy reading it a second time. I confess I didn’t feel grounded in the story initially, but this didn’t discourage me from reading; in fact, it made me curious about what was going to happen next!

Cover and Setting: The cover is charming. It has a weird, distorted feeling about it, but at the same time, the warm colors make it inviting. Although School of Breaking references real places, most of the story takes place outside reality in a fantastical setting that seems accessible to only some of the characters. The school was creepy and mysterious, full of secrets waiting to be discovered! I loved its eerie atmosphere. The bar was probably the most interesting setting. I actually wondered if it was a product of Emile’s imagination at first, but as the story progressed, I realized it was much more than that. Finally, I enjoyed Emile’s love for Locronan, the town where she grew up—but her nostalgia definitely held her back at first! School of Breaking shows the perils of hanging onto precious memories too tightly.

Plot: The plot is far more complex than meets the eye. At first, I expected the story to be a light-hearted tale about Emile learning how to be a troublemaker, but her struggles to fit in with her peers and her feelings of inadequacy were surprisingly relatable. Another thing I especially enjoyed was how Emile’s experiences affected her opinions of herself. Over time, as her frame of reference changed, she began to see the world differently.

Characters: The main character, Emile, is conflicted from the moment she arrives at the school. I liked her stoic acceptance of incomprehensible things and her simple desire to do well in school. I sensed she wasn’t being honest with herself at first, though, and it was interesting to watch her evolve throughout the story. Dorian was my other favorite character. At first, I thought he was merely funny, but when I learned more about him, I appreciated him more. His interactions with Emile were enjoyable to read. Godfrey was a fascinating character, and I was torn between feeling sorry for him and despising him for being so unreasonable! His enigmatic personality and unpredictable behavior kept me guessing right up until the end!

Final Thoughts: School of Breaking is a fascinating book. It is a story of warped morality and unreasonable expectations. Emile’s education may not have been conventional, but she certainly learned many important lessons along the way!

FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book reviewed above.

Alina Grigorovitch is the author of The Invisible Forest, related art and stories, and other books. All projects, links, and most texts can be seen on theinvisibleforest.com.

Website: theinvisibleforest.com
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