Fine Young People

A Novel

De: Anna Bruno

Narrado por: Imani Jade Powers

In this "smart, irreverent secret history" novel, a high-school senior investigates the death of a star hockey player at her elite Jesuit school, where she discovers the rot at the heart of the institution—and the truth about her own past along the way (Stewart O'Nan).

Frankie is a good daughter, a loyal best friend, and a model student, coasting through her final semester at an elite Catholic prep school in a wealthy Pittsburgh enclave. But acceptance to her dream college leaves her unmoored. When a classmate takes his life after posting a cryptic message about Woolf Whiting—a former student hockey player who died in a presumed suicide years earlier—Frankie and her best friend, Shiv, decide to investigate Woolf’s death as part of their journalism class project.

As the community mourns, a muffled conversation between Frankie's mom, who teaches history at the school, and the priest who teaches her philosophy class draws the girls further into unraveling the mysterious life and death of Woolf. Frankie speaks to his sister, now a high-powered lawyer in New York; his former girlfriend, who Woolf's mother is convinced knows more about his death than she has revealed; and his best friend. As she does, she discovers much more than she expected about the history of her supposed elite education—and the truth about her own past.

With a wry, send-up-the-patriarchy, wise-beyond-her-years narrator and a page-turning plot, Fine Young People is a cold-case mystery with a Hitchcockian twist and a portrait of a young woman searching for meaning in a world that values achievement above all else.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Anna Bruno’s smart, irreverent secret history of the posh St. Ignatius school is a smorgasbord for Pittsburghers. At once a cozy and a coming-of-age novel, Fine Young People plumbs the true mystery of the Steel City—the chasm between the privileged and everyone else."—Stewart O’Nan, author of Snow Angels and Emily, Alone

"A finely crafted meditation on family, community, class, wealth, insidious power, and the limits of religion."—Booklist

"An engrossing mystery about the perils of belonging, how joy and tragedy can irrevocably shape close-knit communities, and the all-consuming pursuit of the truth, Fine Young People grabbed me in the first few pages and never let me go. The sparkling prose, robust character work, and expert plotting make this novel perfect for readers of Liz Moore and Rebecca Makkai. An absolute gem."—Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters and Saltwater

Bruno uses the framework of a whodunit to drive at deeper questions of faith and family . . . A less assured writer might have failed to make it all coalesce, but Bruno pulls it off, thanks to her keen sense of what’s at stake for her teenage characters and Frankie’s indelible voice. It’s a winner."—Publishers Weekly

"Fine Young People is an exciting, thoughtful meditation on the importance of success, wealth, and despair, as well as a great addition to anyone’s summer reading list — especially those of us here in Southwestern Pennsylvania.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"A compelling blend of literary mystery and sharp social commentary, Fine Young People follows Frankie, a student at an elite prep school, as she confronts devastating truths about privilege, power, and the secrets that have shaped her world. Bruno masterfully performs psychological suspense and coming-of-age narrative, creating a propulsive story that examines the true cost of achievement culture. Heart-grabbing, page-turning, and unflinching, Bruno holds us in her grip. An unforgettable novel."—Chelsea Bieker, author of Madwoman and Godshot

"Anna Bruno has such a keen eye and ear for story. Fine Young People is a taut, gripping, and watchful novel--I didn't want to put it down." —Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had and Same As It Ever Was

Slow moving

I found the book to be slow moving and ultimately the mystery was disappointing. Towards the end, the narrative was maudlin and overly dramatic.