The Four by Ellie Keel

 

Four bright students, Rose, Marta, Sami and Lloyd, join an exclusive boarding school as sixth-formers. As outsiders, they form a tight-knit group, united against everything the school throws at them. Their friendship is put to the test following a tragic event.

The Four by Ellie Keel is a dark and disturbing story. Rose is the narrator and from the very beginning, there are hints of sinister events to come. These hints reel you in instantly and have you hooked.

The setting is the type of place many of us with a love of reading have probably dreamed of since childhood, an exclusive boarding school. However, High Realms isn’t a modern-day version of Malory Towers or Hogwarts, it’s a pressure cooker full of teenage angst. The sixth form students are elitist, intimidating and mature beyond their years. Into this mix are dropped Rose, Marta, Sami and Lloyd, four exceptionally bright but naïve young people. The four have been given scholarships because of their academic prowess, it is hoped that they will raise the academic profile of the school. This immediately leads to friction.

The sixth-form students, led mainly by IT girl, Genevieve, take an instant dislike to the newcomers and make their lives unbearable. Marta is the main target for their cruel and evil treatment. You immediately side with the group of four as there is no reason for the persecution they suffer. None of the established sixth-formers seem to have any redeeming qualities. They see things as a game, an amusement, and don’t care about the impact their actions may have on others.

You can feel Rose’s conflict. She wants to make the best of the opportunities the school offers, however, she is also protective of the fledgling friendship she has with Marta. Any normal person would be protective of Marta; she’s tiny and cares only about learning. Added to this mix is the fact that she’s been home-schooled so is missing most of the social etiquette children acquire from mixing with others. Marta is also fierce, another reason the reader is supportive of her, she refuses to back down no matter what tortures she faces.

As the feud between Marta and Genevieve escalates events take a tragic turn and the loyalty of the friends is put to the test, especially when disturbing secrets are revealed. At this point in the story, I could feel the anger welling up inside me. We see how the school is only interested in its own reputation, it’s not interested in the students in its care. We also witness social inequality as the school sides more with the fee-paying students than those it has enticed by means of a scholarship.

It was at this point that my interest in the story started to wane. Things started to go around in circles, with no real progress being made in the storyline. I was also stunned by the sexual assaults and casual violence. The conclusion is heart-breaking and I can easily see how this novel will be huge, but I don’t think I’m the target audience.

The Four by Ellie Keel will be published on 11^th April 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Ellie Keel is an award-winning producer and campaigner. She is the Founder Director of The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, a literary prize and campaign for gender equality among writers for the stage in the UK and Ireland. In 2022 she was the youngest producer ever to be shortlisted for Producer of the Year in The Stage Awards. She is based in London.