The Oath

The Oath can be a bit of a hard read, especially around its subject matters, which I felt are most relevant to today’s society, especially to those of school age. This is a book that centres around a group of boys who are subjected to slavery and bullying. Bullying is where I meant it is relevant to today’s society and at times, I had to remind myself I was reading a book. It just felt vivid, like it came to life before my eyes. This is a book I wouldn’t normally have picked up but I’m glad I did because I go a lot from it. I stepped outside my comfort zone and would urge others to do the same. It really is a recommended read.

The Oath is such an Exciting, Dark and Thrilling Read, once I started reading I was hooked. I really liked how Lewis built up the dark and sinister atmosphere of Blackleigh School. The emotional and panicked journey to the school, who to steer clear from, the Ethos and Ethics clearly marked out showing hierarchy between students with brutal initiations, violence, bullying and abuse. All added to the richly atmospheric plot. The Oath is a thrilling, character-driven, page turner about friendships, secrets and survival. It will get under your skin as you prey the boys survive the school year. The characters are superbly written and believable, not all likable by any means but that’s what makes the book so great. I’m not really sure where this book fits into in terms of genre as there is a little bit of everything… Thriller, YA Fiction, Drama. So if you’re looking for a gritty, dark, pacy, enthralling read that will keep you on your toes, then you need to pick up a copy of The Oath!

At times this is a very uncomfortable story to read because the bullying is constantly cruel and sadistic. The author’s portrayals of the boy’s fear were terrifyingly realistic. The tension builds as all the players are skilfully maneuvered into position for the final inevitable confrontation. It is a brutal, intense, believable emotionally charged story that plays with the reader’s emotions and has you rooting for the young heroes and dreading any interactions with the bullies.

I thought that this was a really well-written story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I read the book over a couple of nights and I loved the twists and turns that the author added to the plot and I found myself becoming addicted by the storyline, he really brought what it would have been like back in the 1950s to life. This period was quite a bit before my time but he made it feel realistic and that really helped my enjoyment. I thought that the pace for the book was good and I liked the different elements that he added into the mix. I thought that the author had clearly done a fair bit of planning to execute the book so well too. I liked that the book contained plenty of detail on the different characters too so you got to get an around feel for them. I found the author’s writing style to fit really well with the book and I think it helped add to the intrigue of it all.

I thought the genius of this book lies in the understanding of the ins and outs of boarding school. It’s a really intense book with a range of characters that were difficult to keep track of at times but kept your attention from the first page to the last.