What We Hide

What We Hide follows a group of students at an English boarding school in 1970 during the Vietnam War era. Jenny, an American student whose brother is dodging the draft back home, arrives for a semester abroad and becomes entangled in the private lives of her classmates. Each chapter is narrated by a different character, revealing their secrets, lies, and hidden relationships within the closed world of Illington Hall. The multiple perspectives show how the students present different versions of themselves to their peers while concealing their true thoughts and circumstances. Through its shifting viewpoints and interlinked storylines, the novel explores themes of identity, deception, and the gap between public and private selves in a time of social upheaval. The boarding school setting becomes a microcosm where personal and political pressures force characters to confront what they choose to reveal or keep hidden.

Readers note the book's multiple viewpoints and interconnected stories set at a British boarding school effectively capture teen social dynamics and relationships. The Vietnam War backdrop adds historical context that many found compelling. Positive feedback focuses on: - Complex character development - Authentic portrayal of teen experiences - Integration of 1960s cultural details - Short chapters that maintain pacing Common criticisms include: - Too many narrators making it hard to track characters - Some plotlines feel unresolved - The ending leaves questions unanswered Average ratings: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (30+ reviews) "The rotating perspectives kept me invested in each character's story," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. An Amazon reader noted: "The large cast made it difficult to emotionally connect with anyone." The consensus indicates an engaging YA historical novel that sometimes struggles with its ambitious multi-character structure.

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🔸 Author Marthe Jocelyn attended an English boarding school in 1970, similar to the setting of her novel, giving her firsthand experience of the environment she writes about. 🔸 The book employs multiple narrative perspectives, with fourteen different characters taking turns telling the story through their unique viewpoints. 🔸 Set in 1970 during the Vietnam War, the novel incorporates historical elements like draft dodging and the growing anti-war movement that influenced many young people's lives. 🔸 The author weaves themes of sexuality and gender roles that were particularly relevant during the sexual revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s. 🔸 Despite being a work of fiction, Jocelyn incorporated details from real boarding school traditions and practices that existed in English schools during that era.