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The Four

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The Four

By: Ellie Keel
Narrated by: Ell Potter
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Summary
 ‘An engrossing read' The Sunday Times

'Sharp, powerful, tragic, addictive' Chris Whitaker

‘Dark, compelling and beguiling’ Kate Mosse

‘Intensely gripping’ Karin Slaughter

‘Thrilling and deeply atmospheric’ Lucy Clarke

***

Rose is sixteen when she arrives at High Realms boarding school, excited for the beginning of the rest of her life.

By the time she leaves, she and the three other scholarship students will have made the choices that decide their future.

Each one as heartbreaking and tragic as the last.

***

Readers are RAVING about THE FOUR:

'A shockingly powerful debut… raw and unflinching, not for the faint of heart' ★★★★★

'Beautifully written and utterly brutal' ★★★★★

'Complex and heart wrenching and oh so gripping' ★★★★★

‘If you can handle true emotional pain in your fiction, then don't let this one pass you by’★★★★★

(P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers Coming of Age Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting
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Critic reviews

‘Haunting and tragic, a tale revealing the ugliness of adolescence – and humanity’ Cecelia Ahern
'A dark, stylish debut, it hooks you until the final denouement' Sunday Independent
‘Poignant and tragic, visceral and cruel, it’s about the best and the worst of what makes us human’ Emma Flint
'Dark academia fans rejoice: this should be on your to-be-read pile… At times bittersweet, at others extremely sad, this is a tragically beautiful tale that embraces everything that adolescence offers' Belfast Telegraph
‘Very stylishly done and chilling too’ Georgina Moore
‘The Four shakes up A Secret History with Mallory Towers to concoct a horrifically thrilling, emotionally gripping story of adolescent fear, pride, and loyalty’ Louisa Young
'This dark, intense novel is hugely addictive' Fabulous
'Immersive academic noir set in a boarding school dominated by a toxic ruling cadre, with four teens striving for survival in the baroque horror of that claustrophobic world' Harriet Tyce
‘The Four is a dark, thrilling and deeply atmospheric thriller. Impossible to put down!’ Lucy Clarke
'One of the best debuts I've read in a long time' Caroline Corcoran
'An enjoyable melodramatic romp' Gloss
'A spellbinding story' Glamour

All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book but unfortunately as the book went on I found it too wordy and it felt a little self indulgent. It's as though the author was adding content more to show her writing skills than to add to the story. In my opinion it went on far too long and I am afraid to say I found myself skipping forward to move the story along. I liked the character of Rose at the begging of the book but again as the book progressed she became self absorbed and annoying. Such a shame because I think with better editing the book could have been good.

I really wanted to love this book.

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The characters are 2 dimensional. It is way too long. I skipped entire chapters .... a waste of a credit. A version of Donna Tart's The Secret History, it most definitely ain't

More suited to young adults

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very well written and performed, but oh my goodness this was joyless.
covering themes of bullying, self harming and sexual violence at school this was a very hard listen.
whenever there was light at the end of the tunnel the author was quick to shoot it down with "but this was a false dawn" etc.
the fact I got to the end was testimony to good quality writing and performance but I am so glad it's over

Unremittingly bleak

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I really tried to view this book dispassionately, but it is a deeply depressing, relentless story.
over the years and books I have read with Audible, sadly I have to say it is the worst. I am sure there will be lots of readers who will enjoy the story. sadly not for me

Deeply depressing book

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This book is billed as like the secret history it’s more like a little life set in a school. The bullying is too much for me brutal, aggressive gratuitous. It’s about friendship and mental health, which are the only redeeming features.

Wow this book is traumatising

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