Tradition by Brendan Kiely is a powerful and timely young adult novel that tackles the deeply entrenched issues of privilege, toxic masculinity, and rape culture within the context of an elite boarding school. Kiely, known for his work in social justice-themed literature, delivers a thought-provoking narrative that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the societal norms that perpetuate inequality and silence victims.

The story is set at Fullbrook Academy, a prestigious New England prep school with a long history of upholding traditions that, on the surface, seem to foster excellence and camaraderie but, in reality, often conceal darker, more harmful practices. The novel follows the perspectives of two students: Jules Devereux, a fiercely intelligent and outspoken senior who feels suffocated by the sexist culture at Fullbrook, and James "Bash" Bosket, a star hockey player with a troubled past who is new to the school and struggling to find his place.

Jules is determined to expose the hypocrisy and sexism that permeate Fullbrook's traditions, especially after a traumatic incident that underscores just how deeply these issues run. Bash, on the other hand, is trying to escape his past and make a fresh start, but he quickly realizes that the very system he's trying to fit into is built on a foundation of privilege and exploitation. As their paths cross, both Jules and Bash are forced to confront the harsh realities of their environment and decide whether they will stand up against the oppressive systems at play or remain silent.

Kiely’s characters are richly developed, with Jules and Bash serving as compelling voices for the novel’s exploration of gender dynamics and the impact of toxic traditions. Jules is a standout protagonist, her anger and frustration with the school's culture of silence and victim-blaming driving much of the narrative. Her character is a rallying cry for young women who are often told to stay quiet in the face of injustice, and her journey from disillusionment to activism is both inspiring and heartbreaking.

Bash's storyline provides a complementary perspective, offering insight into the pressures placed on young men to conform to harmful standards of masculinity. Kiely does an excellent job of depicting Bash's internal struggle as he grapples with his complicity in a system that has long benefited him but at great cost to others. His evolving friendship with Jules is one of the novel's strengths, showing how mutual respect and understanding can bridge divides and foster change.

The setting of Fullbrook Academy is almost a character in itself, with its hallowed halls and traditions serving as a backdrop to the novel’s central conflict. Kiely skillfully uses the school’s environment to highlight the ways in which institutions can perpetuate harmful behaviors by clinging to outdated ideals and refusing to adapt to the changing world. The contrast between the school’s prestigious reputation and the toxic culture it harbors underscores the novel’s critique of institutions that prioritize image over the well-being of their students.

Tradition does not shy away from difficult topics, and Kiely handles them with sensitivity and care. The novel’s exploration of sexual assault, consent, and the ways in which society often fails survivors is unflinchingly honest. Kiely challenges readers to question their own assumptions about tradition and the costs of maintaining the status quo, making the novel a powerful tool for sparking conversations about these critical issues.

The writing is accessible yet impactful, with a pace that keeps the reader engaged while allowing for moments of reflection. Kiely’s use of alternating perspectives between Jules and Bash adds depth to the narrative, providing a well-rounded view of the issues at hand and emphasizing the importance of both male and female voices in the fight against inequality.

Tradition is more than just a novel; it’s a call to action. Brendan Kiely has crafted a story that is both timely and necessary, offering a searing critique of the ways in which privilege and power can be used to silence and oppress. This book is a must-read for young adults and educators alike, serving as both a mirror and a challenge to the societal norms that allow harmful traditions to persist. Tradition is a story of courage, resilience, and the power of speaking out, and it is sure to leave a lasting impact on its readers.

This is a powerful and important story, told from two perspectives and is absolutely enthralling. Moving and emotionally charged, you will experience a huge range of emotions and ultimately as a reader I was left deeply moved and keen to share with everyone I know!

The epub file on my kindle was corrupted and unrecoverable so as a result I'm unable to give feedback :(

I have previously read and reviewed this book on my YouTube and Goodreads. I thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title

Thank you for the opportunities to read this book. I have attempted it on a number of occasions but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get into it.

This tale is set in the prestigious world of Fulbrook Academy. This school turns out the men (and sometimes women!) who are the movers and shakers of this world. Most of the pupils have a sense of entitlement. They are the elite and the world dances to their tune -or at least to the tune of their parents' money!

I swapped my kindle back in 2018 and am unable to recover this title. I appreciate the opportunity that was given for review but sadly can't complete it for this title. Many thanks.

I loved reading this book and seeing how Jamie and Jules' lives intertwined and what that meant for both of them. Some places have traditions that they hold up no matter how toxic these things are for the people doing them/ carrying them out.

This book was so enthralling. I finished this book in one day due to the fact once I'd picked it up, I could not put it down. Read. This. Book.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I really like campus novels. I like having a sneaky peak into a world that I may be unaware of. I like it when those novels tackle difficult issues and Tradition definitely tackles a difficult issue. Kiely looks at the privilege that is shown to sports stars within private schools and how that privilege can manifest itself in insidious sexual attacks that are brushed under the carpet.

With a dual narrative, we see what life at Fullbook is like from Jules perspective – she was once part of the privileged group but now abhors it. We also see it from Jamie’s perspective who has landed smack bang into that world and doesn’t fit in.

The toxicity of this environment drips from every page and makes you genuinely uncomfortable. It is a book that should be read and shared as much as possible.

Tradition by Brendan Kiely is available now.

For more information regarding Brendan Kiely (@KielyBrendan) please visit www.bendankiely.com.

For more information regarding Penguin Random House (@penguinrandom) please visit www.penguinrandomhouse.com.

Heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, real look at high school and 'he said, she said culture' from the point of view from both boy and girl. Made me sad, wished for a happy ending, although this is probably truthful, there very rarely is.

Thank you for providing a copy of this book for review however I was unable to open the file for this document unfortunately! Apologies.

This split-perspective story sheds light on the “traditions” of elite prep school Fullbrook Academy. With a darker edge underlying this YA school story, Kiel’s tackles important YA issues in a way that is refreshing to its audience.

I haven't read anything by Brendan Kiely so I went into this book without much expectations. And was yet disappointed.

I don't know if Kiely's usual description of women is good ... but it wasn't very good in this one.
Now the idea behind the story is great only the execution lacked. One of our main characters is Jules, a feminist. A good thing right? Well no. Because to her, her attitude matters more than the actual cause. She has all the right motives but is so in your face you can't really relate.
I didn't get warm with the other characters either. But that might just be me.

I'm sure there will be some readers who will enjoy this book.

Books set in university or in boarding schools are always an autobuy for me, so tradition sounded right up my street. It took me a while to get into as the style wasn't quite for me, and I didn't like how the author wrote women. It felt a bit clunky at times, and very obvious that the author wasn't female. For a book about such heavy and relevant topics, it missed the mark for me - it lacked the necessary emotion

I was unable to finish the book.
I enjoyed what I read, but there was technical issues with my ARC which made it impossible to read. I will probably end up picking it up from my local bookshop as I did really enjoy what I read.

“Tradition” centres around Fullbrook, an elite boarding school where parents pay $50,000 a year to ensure the younger generation are just as steeped in entitlement and privilege as their elders, and its senior class.

Jules Devereux, formerly one of the in-crowd, has become increasingly disillusioned with - and ready to challenge - the toxic traditions and casually misogynistic attitudes she sees around her. As we’d have said back in ye olden days, she’s had her consciousness raised.

James Baxter, an enormous goalkeeper just arrived at Fullbrook on a hockey scholarship but from a much less privileged background, is bound to be an outsider, though his sports prowess gives him an “in” with the other guys. But does he really want to be a part of their crowd?

Fullbrook is an institution soaked in tradition, many of them outdated, many which should never have existed in the first place, all rarely if ever challenged. This reaches its height, or depth, in the ghastly concept of the Winter Ball and *shudder* the Senior Send-Off. (At least I assume that’s what it was - unfortunately the formatting of the ARC I read removed all incidences of “ff”, “fl” and “fi”, rendering it as Senior Send-O).

I’ve never been to a school like Fullbrook, so I don’t know how accurate the portrayal is, but it seemed unfortunately believable (although, can there really be schools where girls wear cocktail dresses to class every day??) and several scenes will be painfully familiar to many. Jules being repeatedly characterised as “crazy” because she speaks up is a phenomenon which can and unfortunately does happen everywhere.

Tradition undoubtedly has its heart in the right place and is a good read, but can feel heavy handed at times.

I never really felt that I “got” Jules, or even her friend Aileen, as a character. Whether that’s down to a male writer, I don’t know. They often felt like vehicles for certain attitudes and experiences rather than real people. To be fair, that’s true of some of the male characters, too. That said, I did like the relationships between Jules, James, Aileen and (Jules’s gay friend) Javi. There were some nice moments between James and Javi in particular.

There’s a telling moment when James, playing in a hockey game, hears his own supporters chanting at the less-privileged opposition school (“That’s all right. That’s okay. You’re gonna work for us someday”) and it really brings it home to him who and what he’s now representing. The story is very strong on the entitled arrogance of the young men and also clearly shows how young women can often be complicit in perpetuating their behaviour and stifling dissent. Perhaps this could have been explored more, but I’m not sure there was room for this.

It’s sad that James, whose basic decency (and underpinning if unstated assumption that women/girls are people too) should be the norm, feels so unusual - though the story does point out that when it comes right down to it, there are other boys who support him.... well, one or two of them.

A good read, well written and thoughtful and, as I said, with its heart firmly in the right place, but did feel heavy handed and thinly characterised at times.

So happy to be given a whole budget to replenish our senior shelves in the school library. The books in there are far from appealing at the moment and I have been delighted to find books here that will intrigue, captivate and engross my senior students.

This is a fantastic read with characters they will be able to connect with, a pacy narrative and an ending that will provide plenty to talk about. I loved it and feel that this is not only a compelling read, but an important one.

It's great to read a book that does not feel formulaic and gives some credit to their reader's intelligence too. Young people are very fussy about the books they choose to read and in this time-precious day and age it really has to be something above and beyond the ordinary to get them to put down their devices and get their noses stuck in a book.

I think this is one book that will capture their imagination and keep them turning the pages until the end. This is definitely going onto my 'must-buy' list and I really look forward to seeing what the young people themselves think of this timely, clever and powerful novel.

A prestigious preparatory school steeped in history and toxic outdated views, Tradition follows the stories of Jules and Jamie. One here on a hockey scholarship and one desperate to stay unnoticed, both of them desperate to survive the academy and expose its dirty secrets for all to see.

Tradition feels very much like a ‘now’ novel. At its heart it’s a story about the concept of tradition and hurtful masculinity in a close knit environment and it’s links to rape culture. It’s the stifling inability to control what you’ve already been through, and the idea that it really is still a ‘man’s world. I applaud the author for tackling such a subject. It’s often hard to broach a subject like this in a sensitive way, and I think for the most part the author achieves this. It’s told via a dual POV, which helps give a broader sense of opinion and perspective while also allowing for a greater degree of storytelling.

However, it was very slow pace wise. Nothing really happens for at least half of the novel, and by this point I was rapidly loosing interest. I also wasn’t that taken with the characters. There’s no depth to them, no subtlety. They’re really lacking in emotional development, which in this kind of story is really important so the reader can bond with them. As such, I personally wasn’t invested in the characters or what happened to them. I felt at times that even though they had separate POVs, it was hard to differentiate between them. The voices were too similar.

It also suffers from a lack of originality. In the wake of the #metoo movement we’ve seen an influx of these novels, and unfortunately the story suffers because of this. It’s been told before, and often with a higher degree of individuality.

An ok attempt, that perhaps could have been elevated with my colourful characters.

An honest and powerful read.

This novel which is designed for young readers leaves such an important message of speaking out and questioning the ‘tradition’. Tradition follows the story of Jules’ and Bax’s experience during their first college years at Fullbrook, a prestigious school.

Kiely explores controversial and unspoken topics of sexism and rape culture, which is extremely prevalent in the current media campaign of ‘Me Too’. As well as this, it explores the issues within ‘lad culture’, in which we see the way Bax is peer-pressured to engage in some of the ‘traditions’ and how this results in him being pushed to the outskirts of the hockey team.

I would really recommend this book to anyone as it’s both thought-provoking and an engaging novel; particularly through the character and relationship development between Jules, Bax and their friends Aileen and Javi.

Lucy

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.