3.5 Stars. It was quite a slow burn but I loved the ending! ( )

teen realistic fiction (sexual assault and slut-shaming at fancy college prep high school)
I usually like Brendan Kiely's books a lot, but this one I had trouble getting into. Not a whole lot had happened by page 62, where I stopped, but the character development seemed promising enough. ( )

While the subject matter of this book is timely and necessary, I think that Tradition could have been a much stronger book. The characters were just not believable as authentic teenagers. I cannot picture Jules and Ethan as a couple and so that undermined part of the story line. Jules was a strong, intelligent feminist and Ethan comes across as a stereotypical wealthy, spoiled jock. The plot would have worked even without a prior relationship. I am not sure why the author made them a couple without providing any context for why Jules dated him. Jules' reaction to the sexual assault was also hard to fathom. She had a hard time talking about it and she never seemed at loss for words. I can understand the initial shock, but her inability to discuss the matter at later points of the book didn't ring true. She had talked to her mother at some point, but that is referenced later as almost an aside.
Jules should have received some counseling. I cannot believe that wasn't an option at a wealthy prep school.

James went from being a guy who seriously injured a player on his own team to an enlightened jock. Why did the author make it a player on his own team and not on another team? The violence of what James did was over the top for a scrimmage and it didn't make sense even given what players were encouraged to do. James's growth was not believable to me. Nor did Jules' and James' decision at the end to sacrifice everything for a symbolic act that would seriously compromise their futures make sense to me. Maybe Jules would have a future since her family clearly had money, but James had a lot to lose. The ending did not feel true to me at all. I came away from the book really disappointed. This book was loosely based on a real life event and it should have been a really powerful read. ( )

The most important thing to say about Brendan Kiely’s Tradition is that he tackles difficult and relevant issues for young women (and men!) navigating the hormonally charged teen years. Consent can be a complicated issue Kiely handles deftly from both the female and male viewpoint. Different characters face different challenges, and I like that he didn’t lump them all into one drama, but instead focused on multiple aspects of consent.
With that said, I often find male writers fall short trying to capture the voices of women, and they become caricatures instead of authentic multifaceted personalities. This was the case for me with Tradition; the female characters felt forced and merely players in his narratives instead of fleshed out people. The rest of my issues with Tradition lie with the portrayal of boarding schools, the teachers and culture. Yes, boarding schools are strange places with odd, time honored traditions and sometimes old fashioned ideals, but the picture painted by Kiely was a little over the top and one dimensional. Most schools have worked hard to change the culture, and although there is definitely still work to do I think this portrayal is unfair.

I really enjoyed Brendan Kiely’s TRADITION. The story takes place at Fullbrook Academy; this prestigious boarding school, screams money. It has a tradition of being a boy’s club. There are horrible things that happen that are overlooked. People that challenge the system are frowned upon.

One of these challengers is Jules Devereux. Having stirred things up one too many times, Jules is counting the days until graduation.

After a tragedy at his prior high school, Jamie Baxter, is given a second chance at Fullbrook Academy. He is on a full hockey scholarship and feels like an outsider.

Jules and Jamie form a friendship. Both are frustrated at the injustices that are swept under the rug and want to do something about it. I really liked Jules and Jamie. A lot of the things that happen in this story are unfair but realistic.

The ending was believable and convincing. I would love to see a follow novel to find out what happens to the main characters. This is the first book that I have read by Brendan Kiely. I enjoyed his writing style. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. ( )