The Academy

A Novel

By: Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

From #1 bestselling author of The Perfect Couple, Elin Hilderbrand, and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, deliver the irresistible, deliciously scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump—was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn—and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology—everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough ... As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.

YA

Yery superficial, lack of character depth and storylines. Focus was on the least interesting characters without any background. Overall a disappointment.

The Academy

Hildebrand’s unmistakable style, the story although not on Nantucket was delightful and I couldn’t stop listening!

Good!

The 1st chapter was unnecessary. Why do we want a roster of characters up front? That made for a very slow start.
The story was otherwise enjoyable; great ensemble story with rich character depth. Although now a common trope, an underlying storyline added intrigue - in fact, lots of intrigue throughout. I think this book would make a great read for families to enjoy reading together; YA/mom, parents/grown children, mother/daughter book clubs, etc. A fun experience to share, especially since mother/daughter authors (maybe that’s the intention).

How school days dont change

Wonderful. A bit of gossip girl and mean girls. But what about the message to be read at graduation. Still waiting

Another great book by Elin Hildebrand!

Great story and likable characters make this story come alive. It’s a good read or listen.