Review: All These Beautiful Strangers

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book, though I wasn’t sure exactly into which genre the author intended it be placed. On one hand, this is adolescent lit, as it tells the story of high school junior Charlotte (Charlie) Calloway as she comes of age in a prep school environment. On the other hand, however, I felt like much of the subject matter (suicide, murder, sex, drugs, etc.) were handled in a way that would demand a certain amount of maturity in order to appreciate.

The plot that drives the novel is actually two fold. First is the story of Charlie and her initiation into a secret prep school “club” known as the A’s. Second is the tale of Charlie’s mother, who disappeared years earlier under suspicious circumstances, though Charlie was always led to believe that her mother abandoned her and her sister in search of greener pastures. The story of the A’s and that of Charlie’s mother intersect, delivering a powerful message about the destructive nature of secrets and lies.

The writing here is sound, and the characters are exceptionally well developed. The point of view is first person, with alternating speakers from chapter to chapter. The author handled these transitions beautifully, with a separate and distinct voice for each of these characters as they offered facts and background critical to a full appreciation of the work.

I always consider a book to be a success when first, it sticks with me, and second, when I can become so wrapped up in the reading that the room around me “disappears”. This novel did both. I still find myself wondering where those characters would have landed had the author written a follow up.

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