Book Review
Title: A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Dark Academia
Rating: 4.25 Stars
I have read from Derek Milman before when I picked up Swipe Right for Murder which I adored despite the slow start. one thing to note before I get into my review is that I love how Milman’s characters are queer, but his books aren’t about their queerness, it is simply a part of the character themselves which was the case in Swipe Right and this book. While Swipe Right was more of a murder mystery, this falls more into dark academic which is something I really enjoy when it is done right.
Our protagonist, Cal Ware has been sent to Essex Academy as a punishment for things he has been getting up to prior to the beginning of the story. At the school he gets into all sorts of mischief and gets tied up in the school’s secret society and the mysterious Luke. Cal also has a disability as he only has one eye after he was the victim of an acid attack and because of this has a glass eye. While i can’t speak to the accuracy of the representation, I was glad that Milman was choosing to represent an issue that is ongoing in society and often happens for petty reasons such as a jealous lover or ex as was the case with Cal.
Cal was an interesting character because he goes from small town misfit to essentially a prep school boy but he doesn’t fit in because of his economic-social status compared to the other students. I adored how Milman expresses Cal’s struggles with identity in various forms and what it means to truly belong somewhere, making him a very relatable character since we have all struggled with things like this in our lives. In Milman’s classic style he crafts a narrative that is full of twists and turns, almost to the point you lose track of what is going on and with who, but he brings it to starling clarity in the end.
Another point for this book would be the atmosphere as it really captures that almost gothic feel of boarding school and secret societies and we see this from the very beginning to the thrilling climax of the book. The integration of the secret society into the fabric of the story felt seamless, adding layers of intrigue to an already captivating narrative. Despite this one issue I had was that the dialogue was sometimes a little off, feeling unrealistic and sometimes disjointed to the point it broke the immersion of the story for me.
Overall, A Darker Mischief was an intriguing and captivating story that sucks you in from the very first page. It pulls you into a world filled with secrets, lies, intrigue and so much more. if you’re a fan of dark academia and secret societies then definitely give this one a try, especially if you are a fan of authors who don’t take their stories too seriously.
Buy it here: Barnes & Noble IndieBound
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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