The premise of The Four had me intrigued and excited to read it, yet the actual execution of the ideas set out in the blurb did not seem to be present within this novel.

I think this book had an excellent start. There was some great character work, the setting was daunting, and there were some good ideas set out that I could see potential in. However, when the action kicked in with the novel it all sort of went downhill from there. It was just one event after another, character work out of the window, and it left me baffled. I honestly sat there for some part of it and wondered when the other half of the plot was going to kick in / when the point was going to come out to play before I realised, oh, THIS IS IT. This is what the book has done and is sticking with. Disappointing.

Despite being fiction and having to suspend my belief, I just really found this one hard to find ‘believable’ and didn’t love what it did. The plot twists were predictable and not exciting.

Ultimately a miss for me.

This story of four scholarship pupils at an elite boarding school initially appealed to me, but I struggled with it after the inital few chapters. Though the four did share a bond of sorts, the general depiction of vicious bullying, and the coldness of the characters, including the teachers, made this a difficult read for me. There was too much nastiness and tragedy going on here, and not enough counter-balance of kindness and warmth. The narrative is well-paced and the prose is good, but the plot and the characters left me cold. Not one for me, I'm afraid.

It’s 1999 and four new pupils at the exclusive feepaying High Realms boarding school are wondering how they will ever learn all the rituals and structures of the School.
Rose, Marta, Sami and Lloyd, all aged 16, are there on scholarships and are known as the Millenium Scholars. They are soon informed by Major Gregory that they are all expected to be top of their class all the time. But as one older pupil informs them they are all seen as non paying guests. No pressure then.
And so they throw themselves into school life. They will be at High Realms for the next two years and it’s well known that Old High Realmsians run the world. But, from the start, Marta is marked out: her uniform is too big as ‘she will grow into it’ and she is soon top of the class But Rose, who narrates the story, sees the clear signs of self harm on Marta’s body. Something is wrong. There is also hostility from certain members of the Sixth Form, in particular Genevieve, Gerald and Sylvia. But it’s what happens on the traditional school event known as Bridge Night that starts everything off. And when Genevieve is badly injured in a fall at the School and is hospitalised, fingers point at Marta. The four come up with an audacious plan to keep her safe. A scheme which involves great secrecy and determination but will ultimately lead to one of the four’s destruction.
This is a book marketed as ‘dark academia’ which seems to be a thing at the moment. But it felt more like a YA novel or perhaps a bridge between a YA novel and more adult fare. The rituals and social hierarchies at High Realms are convincing and well described . This is the dark side of school stories such as the Malory Towers books. Rose narrates the story from an adult point of view and there were elements from ‘The Secret History’ which I loved. I wasn’t sure about the supposedly tight bond between the Four as they seemed to have been thrown together by chance. However, Rose manages to fit into the school much more than Marta who is destined to be forever the eccentric outsider.
I questioned the heaping of one awful event after the other on one character as it began to have a deadening effect. I thought to myself ‘And then the dog died’ as the next terrible thing happened. Then a romantic same sex relationship came out of nowhere which jarred with me as it seemed so unlikely.
I liked Marta as a character who had taken up her scholarship as an escape route from her overly possessive father and ended up in a school that didn’t know what to do with her except try to break her spirit. The others were more conventional and somehow found it easier to navigate their way. There were elements of the book that made me very uncomfortable and I wasn’t sure that there should have been such an emphasis on it.
The book had a great cover which attracted me but I wasn’t sure that it was strictly ‘dark academia’. Although it explored some of the darker themes very well, there were others that seemed to have been brought in from nowhere and weren’t really dealt with. I have read other novels in the genre and found them to be very engrossing which this wasn’t compared to them.
But a debut novel from a writer with definite talent. I’d be interested to see what she writes next.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

The Four is a novel that I’ve been very excited to read since first reading reviews last year. I do enjoy novels in the Dark Academia genre and I was intrigued by the synopsis of The Four. The four are scholarship students, Rose ( the narrator), Marta, Sami and Lloyd, outsiders who join High Realm exclusive boarding school.
The novel starts very slowly and definitely did not draw me in, there seemed to be too many characters, too much detail about school lessons and I found the bullying scenes quite chilling. The school setting is very well done and adds to the dark and atmospheric tensions in the novel. The author gives a good sense of how privilege and bullying is perpetuated by the powerful and this made me very angry. For me, the writing didn’t flow well and so I never became completely immersed in the novel which felt closer to a YA genre.
I found this to be a disappointing read but please do read other reviews as many people love this debut novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Drink, drugs and sex are not officially on the timetable at High Realms, a boarding school in Devon, but some days it seems like the only curriculum. The school’s students have always been drawn from the richest echelons of society, until 1999 when, as an experiment, Rose, Marta, Lloyd and Sami, four of the UK’s most intelligent pupils from the State school sector have been given scholarships for the sixth form. Academic, but totally naïve in most other aspects of society, the four become a tight friendship group, mutually protective against the snobbish aura projected by the normal students (and some of the staff). The school is highly regimented, but nevertheless the diversions mentioned above seem to be easily achievable outside of the classroom. Bullying, by what would be called prefects in other schools but are called Senior Patrol here, is endemic, especially against weak and diminutive Marta, which means that Rose, the narrator here, and, to a lesser extent the boys, must devote part of their time and energy to protect her. The scene is set for violent confrontation.
This book is basically a young adult, or new adult (the students are 16 – 18) story so I’m not really the right demographic. The characters are quite solid, and I’m sure relatable if you are in that band. Notwithstanding the modern mores of the characters, the story is not really different from all such stories going back at least to the 1950s – clashes of cultures, petty jealousies, staff versus students, personal relationships. Rose is relating the story from 2012, although this is not obvious for almost all of the book, and the ending is eventually quite neatly tied up – a change from the otherwise rather chaotic body of the story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

An enjoyable dark acadaemia novel with a diverse cast but a disappointing ending. Ellie Keel writes well but I think this was probably slightly overhyped

Not for me. I enjoyed the first papt focussing on the four coming to the boarding school and trying to settle in but once the bullying started I completely switched off and found the story of Marta very boring meaning I skimmed through the rest to see how it ended. Lots of trauma in the form of rape, abandonment, death, illness and coming of age sex made it too much and I didn’t enjoy it.

I enjoyed reading The Four.
The story was very engaging, so much so that I couldn't put down the book.
The plot might seem very usual, a boarding school in England, bullying but I can assure you that this is excellent writing with tension dripping through each sentence, and mysterious events that are revealed with every new chapter.
What I liked the most was that the characters - mostly teenagers - were given the possibility to shine, be educated, be smart, adventurous and make not always the smartest decisions.
The ending was a little surprise but still, it makes this book a great read and well spent time. I would recommend it to everyone.

Every so often I enjoy a good YA read and this didnt disappoint. Set in 1999, close to when I was still in school and when boundaries were not like they are now. The plot is very dark and uncomfortable however it was written very well. My only gripe about this book is I feel it was longer than needed however it still kept me engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Harper Collins UK audio for my ARC of this book.

Follow The Four scholarship students(Marta, Sammie, Rose and Lloyd) as they navigate the toxic environment of High Realms boarding school. The Fours friendship is tested to the limits when one of them is accused of a horrific crime.

I would describe this one more as a young adult read. It is however very dark as it does not shy away from some very graphic bullying scenes. At times it is very harrowing but the author really skilfully develops the characters. We see the intricacies of the “Fours” friendship and what so tightly binds them together.

I’d seen this book all over the internet and it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. However I feel it fell a little short of my expectations as unfortunately at times it felt quite slow and I felt that it may have benefitted from being told from multiple perspectives rather than just the one perspective. It definitely hasn’t put me off reading more of the authors books in the future though.

I both read and listened to the audiobook of this one. The narrator did a fantastic job of encompassing the characters.

Wow! What a brilliantly dark, powerful and raw debut. I absolutely loved #TheFour by @Ellieclarekeel
It’s beautifully written, complex, gripping and heart wrenching. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s about four students who win a scholarship to study at a prestigious school-High Realms. The four are Rose, Marta, Sami and Lloyd. Its told through the perspective of Rose, as she tells the story of what happened and everything they had to endure during their time at High Realms. It’s about love, friendships, loyalty, power, prestige, violence and so much more.
I liked the authors style of writing. It’s easy to read and flows really well as the tension builds with each page turned. It’s just brilliant. The descriptions of the school are so vivid and the dark atmosphere keeps you engrossed as you have no idea what is going to happen next. It has so many twists and turns. I was totally hooked.
The characters are all well written. Some you love, some you hate. I enjoyed their complicated relationships. The storyline is exciting and unpredictable, and is full of secrets, lies and mystery.
Overall, a brilliant thrilling intriguing mystery. If you like reading dark academia then you’ll love this. Highly recommend. I look forward to reading what @Ellieclarekeel writes next.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HQ @HQStories for an arc of #TheFour in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 11 April 2024.

For a debut novel this was a remarkably captivating read. Imagine a dark, moody Malory Towers with all the atmosphere thrown at it and you might have an inkling of an idea of what this book is about...

The Four—Rose, Marta, Lloyd, and Sami—are social misfits who have all been awarded scholarships to attend High Realms, an exclusive boarding school, where the novel is set. To the umbrage of the long-term, resident, high-fee paying students, the scholarship programme was created to help improve the school's falling exam grades.
Being ostracised and bullied by the wealthy kids, the newcomers immediately bond and form a close knit friendship, looking out for one another, protecting each other by any means necessary.
At High Realms, the four friends endure horrendous physical and psychological torment; there's a reason this novel has been dubbed a Dark Academia Thriller. You do indeed travel to some pretty dark places with it!

I wouldn't want to claim that I "enjoyed" this book because of some of the triggering issues it discussed, but it was still a compelling read.

#𝗔𝗗/#𝗣𝗥: Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories for a #gifted eARC in exchange for my review.

Gripping first novel by an author to look out for. You as the reader have to make up your own mind as to why the events happened and who was responsible for them Four college students share a dark secret. The academic world is well described and the story is compelling and dark.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book for review.

I enjoyed the book enough that I read it in one sitting but I frequently found myself angry and frustrated with the characters and the plot points, but it was entertaining enough to read in one go. This book was a wild ride and not at all what I was expecting, it just all seemed a bit ridiculous and toyed too much with the ridiculousness of it all, it’s fun and entertaining but I struggled to picture what was happening.

The characters were very interesting but I have to admit if I’m on the fence on if I liked them, or if they were well written. I think liking them is kind of irrelevant, and.I feel like in most dark academia novels the characters do tend to get on my nerves a bit but that’s part of what makes them dark academia characters. I also felt like that I didn’t know them well enough outside of the parts that had an immediate impact on the story line, which I guess isn’t a problem but I wanted more. They felt a bit like caricature of the characters you’d expect in this kind of novel. They were confusing and frustrating to spend time with.

I’m sorry if this review feels a bit chaotic but I think the whole book was a a ride. I liked the parts of the book that took place in lessons and part of me hoped that we’d get a bit more of it. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about it.

**Listened to the audiobook as well as reading an electronic text**

This book started well for me - I love a thriller set in a school. However, the more the book went on, the less it felt like a dark academia thriller, but a YA school drama! It felt VERY YA! (Not sure if it's categorised as that?)
I think this book was far too long too - i think it would definitely benefit from having 100 or so pages cut from this.

Overall this book was just OK - it's not one that will stay with me, and not one that I would necessarily recommend. However I enjoyed the reading experience at the time. Just not one to rave about!

This was so immersive and gripping, I was anxious every time I had to turn the page because I wasn’t sure I could take any more surprises.

The story is told from the perspective of Rose, as an adult, who is guiding us through her recollection of events that took place in 1999. As a result, we don’t always get the full picture and at times the events of the story seem bit chaotic and muddled - but I believe that’s on purpose (see below) which is incredibly clever of the author.

The setting is incredibly atmospheric and you can’t help but imagine what it would be like to live alongside the characters in such an unwelcoming and pressurised place.

The first sentence immediately sets the tone and we are instantly thrown into the toxic societal hierarchy of a private school and from the first chapter it’s evident that not only do you have to be careful who you trust, but that trust is a precious commodity.

I did enjoy the writing style. It’s written in a way that means the underlying tension and threat of danger is unrelenting so my nerves were stretched tight the entire time I was reading this which is exactly what I would expect from this type of novel.

Due to the nature of their admission at the school, the Four were always going to be at a disadvantage. The academic expectations of them are incredibly high (and often unreasonable) compared to their peers and they soon become the target of the school bullies as well as teachers. This inevitably means the Four form a close friendship group and as the book progresses, the bonds of that friendship are tested to the extreme. This is further complicated when parts of the Four’s pasts are revealed which adds another layer of complication to the Four’s already messy decision making processes.

This was written incredibly well and whilst there were times when the actions of specific characters felt unusual or didn’t make any sense, I think this is completely deliberate (another very clever aspect). Yes, the Four are incredibly bright, but they’re still just teenagers, some of whom have experienced trauma and are still processing their grief. Most of the students behaved in a way that is indicative of how teenagers, especially ones who have experienced trauma and are in a highly emotional and threatened state, behave - they don’t always think and react logically. They live in a highly competitive environment and have been conditioned to succeed, whatever the cost. Even some of the adults seem to have ulterior motives and revel in abusing their status which is incredibly frustrating to read. However, 1999 was a completely different time back then and that kind of abuse of power would likely have been ignored, especially in such a highly regarded institution. Don’t forget we are relying on Rose as the narrator so at times it does feel very sporadic and it’s likely we aren’t being given all the information. This is something the reader should bear in mind if they read this and don’t understand why some of the characters behave in a certain way!


For a few days now I've been thinking about how, at the end, Rose refers to Lloyd, Sami, Sylvia and herself as The Four. This has me wondering if the title of the book is really based on Lloyd, Sami, Marta and Rose or is actually based on the story of Lloyd, Sami, Sylvia and Rose!!!

This longwinded tale, set in 1999, is about four gifted 16year olds who win free scholarships to a posh private boarding school. From day one, they are victims of abhorrent bullying, verbal abuse and physical violence. The implausible plot encompasses rape, incest, sexual abuse, self-harm, abortion and suicide, some of these described in sordid detail. Definitely sparks no joy at all.

High Realms is an exclusive fee paying school. The prospectus offers instant friendships, and a tantalising hint of the roles that the elumni/alumnae have fulfilled, after attending only the very best universities, naturally. The realities for four Millennium Scholars, Rose, Marta, Sami and Lloyd have been far from the promised educational idyll.

Being different from their peers, is all that is required to make their lives hell, at the hands of their entitled, moneyed counterparts. The four 16 year olds are pushed to the end of their physical limits and mental resources, by the abuse suffered.

This is not a pleasant book. While it is not a work of horror, it is horrifying, in a number of ways. It had the feel of a YA book for me.

This is one of those books that gripped me, because I had to find out what the end game was, but I can’t say I enjoyed it to be honest. There was a feeling of inevitability running through the pages. I did find myself shaking my head more or less continuously, dumbfounded by virtually everyone’s behaviour. I found the toxic behaviour that is rife through the book, stretched plausibility.

Just 3.5⭐️ for me, rounded down.

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

Though a captivating debut, The Four struggles to strike a balance between its carefree appeal and a deeper exploration of themes, leaving me yearning for more substance.

The plot undeniably hooks the reader from the start with the tantalizing mention of an accident by narrator Rose, fueling suspense and curiosity about its cause. The tension is built well as Rose and her fellow scholarship students navigate the perilous waters of High Realms.

The pervasive bullying, especially towards Marta, raises questions about its believability. While exclusive private schools may indeed foster such behavior, the extent depicted feels somewhat exaggerated. You would expect something of an intervention from staff members, or a least more so than there was. I’m not sure, something just didn’t particularly work for me on this aspect.

The melodramatic tone extends beyond the bullying to plot developments and the author's prose, creating an entertaining yet somewhat shallow reading experience. While marketed as dark academia, the novel to me felt more YA, incorporating recognizable tropes of the genre but lacking the maturity expected. The relentless misfortune heaped upon certain characters, while addressing serious issues, borders on the comical due to its excessive nature.

Character development takes a backseat to the school experience, but the diverse cast remains intriguing, keeping the reader engaged throughout. While it is undoubtedly entertaining, its inclination towards young adult themes may not resonate with all readers seeking a darker academia narrative. So for me personally, this one didn’t quite hit the mark.

What a fantastic debut novel. A story based around an elite boarding school and four of the pupils who attend. A very deep story and one that had me hooked from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.