The Chandler Legacies

From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a revelatory novel about the enclosed world of privilege and silence at an elite boarding school and the unlikely group of friends who dare to challenge the status quo through their writing. Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Kathleen Glasgow, and Jandy Nelson, with crossover appeal for readers of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History and Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep.
Beth Kramer is a “townie” who returns to her sophomore year after having endured a year of tension with her roommate, Sarah.
But Sarah Brunson knows there’s more to that story.
Amanda Priya “Spence” Spencer is the privileged daughter of NYC elites, who is reeling from the realization that her family name shielded her from the same fate as Sarah.
Ramin Golafshar arrives at Chandler as a transfer student to escape the dangers of being gay in Iran, only to suffer brutal hazing under the guise of tradition in the boys’ dorms.
And Freddy Bello is the senior who’s no longer sure of his future but knows he has to stand up to his friends after what happened to Ramin.
At Chandler, the elite boarding school, these five teens are brought together in the Circle, a coveted writing group where life-changing friendships are born—and secrets are revealed. Their professor tells them to write their truths. But is the truth enough to change the long-standing culture of abuse at Chandler? And can their friendship survive the fallout?\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 9 Up-Nazemian's latest skillfully unpacks the skeletons in a fictional New England boarding school's closet. Alternating perspectives with each chapter, the majority third-person narration gives insight into the interconnected experiences of five members of an exclusive campus writing group, the Circle. Former roommates Beth and Sarah are forced to confront their unresolved conflict from the previous year. New student Ramin becomes a target of the prefects in his dorm-prefects who are supposed to be popular, attractive Freddy's friends. Then there's Spence, the star actress slowly starting to see her mentor's true face. Together, the quintet makes their school's motto their mission: veritas vos liberabit ("the truth will set you free"). The more they learn about the truth, however, the more they want to set things right for everyone. At what cost? Inspired by Nazemian's own boarding school experiences, this gripping story reads like an insider's exposé into abusive school cultures and trauma. Centering the victims' point of view, Nazemian tackles tough topics like hazing and sexual assault, and justly delivers consequences to abusers. The diverse cast of central characters includes multiple queer characters and a range of other identities including white, Indian American, Latino, and Iranian. Pop culture references scattered throughout the story expertly evoke the late-1990s setting. An epilogue gives necessary closure and a glimpse into characters' futures. VERDICT Haunting truths and compelling storytelling make for an unforgettable, important read. For all teen collections.-Alec Chunnα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.