Review: The World Cannot Give

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An engaging dark academia, coming of age story set at an elite prep school in the Northeastern USA. The story centers around an exclusive clique of kids who are part of the school choir that sings in chapel. This is one of the historical aspects of the school and is controlled by a girl who is controlling of others and herself. The leader of the choir is Virginia, and she is untouchable. She holds herself to the highest standards and works ruthlessly to obtain her goals. A new girl, Laura, who is enamored with the founder, Webster, and all that he stood for, becomes entranced by the power of Virginia. She wants to be Virginia and since she cannot, she settles for the next best thing, and that is to become involved in all of the same activities and interests. She essentially becomes the righthand person to Virginia. This works out well in Laura's mind until it doesn't. Virginia is a complicated character and is figuring out what she stands for and who she is as a person, including her sexuality.
This is a story that gives a voice to how teens view their circumstances during those difficult years. As they tend to put an over-emphasis on every event as a life-changing one, it makes navigating this time difficult. The story has interesting relationships and some inevitable consequences.
This is a book for those that enjoy teenage angst and the boarding school setting.
#TheWorldCannotGive #Netgalley #Simon&Schuster

View all my reviews