The Divines: A Novel

An accident that occurred 14 years ago continues to haunt one former student of the exclusive private school, St. John the Divine. Sephine returns to the now-closed academy while on her honeymoon and reluctantly shares scant details with her new husband. An odd encounter sparks memories of her time there, and the remainder of The Divines by Ellie Eaton is devoted to flashes forward and back to those days. Sephine does not fondly recall her teen years spent as a “Divine.” She struggles to reconcile the selfishness, privilege and entitlement that she experienced while attending, and questions her own morality and behavior as a spoiled member of that class. Her skewed perspective and opinionated narrative is the only guide the reader has to sort out the details of the incident and the events leading up to that day. Sephine (known as Joe in her school days) as a teen was a pitiable mixture of self-absorption and low confidence, predictably shallow and always striving for acceptance. When she befriends a “Townie,” she simultaneously fears exile from her peers and revels in her “slumming” adventure. The people of the town also have a deep resentment of the school, which is understandable given the student’s treatment of them and their reliance upon it as a singular source of employment. The girls from the school wreak havoc and are not held accountable for their misdeeds outside its gates. The tragic accident that launches the book results from a tradition gone awry and highlights the feral nature that can emerge when there are no consequences. As an adult, Sephine has difficulty with relationships and attachments to others. She blames her awkwardness on the school’s negative influence and the traumatizing events that took place so long ago. As she obsesses over the past and grips her distorted memories more tightly, she loses her stability and happiness in the present. Eaton presents a narrator that is realistic and deeply flawed, and she captures her teenage angst with skill. The Divines is a quick, fun read, and would likely appeal to young adult readers and fans of “Pretty Little Liars” and “Gossip Girl.” Thanks to the author and William Morrow/HarperCollins for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.