It has been a while since I finished a book and wrote a book review on the blog. This week I got to the end of ‘Different Class’ by Joanne Harris and I am keen to share my thoughts on it.
Having read the first book in the series, ‘Gentlemen and Players,’ I was really looking forward to get to find out what happened next. St Oswald’s Grammar School in North Yorkshire was once again the setting for a complex drama which revolved around Roy Straitley, the Latin teacher who was devoted to his job.
The Plot
The story jumps back and forth between 1981 and 2005. Back then some boys had got into some bother related to a missing lad and some drowned mice. Later on, one of those boys returned to St Oswald’s as the head teacher. His presence shakes Roy and begins a suspicious set of events that rock the whole town.
Straitley is soon under pressure to retire so that a fresh group of staff can come onboard. He smells trouble and finds himself in the middle of a confusing set of events. In the background, a disappearance, a staff reshuffle and some fairly offensive policies make St Oswald’s seem much less popular than before.
As usual, Harris can be relied upon to unravel a gripping storyline which soon engages you and sucks you right in. Twists and turns are written cleverly and help to keep you guessing. Each chapter is told by one of the key characters and the quality of writing is wonderful.
Summary
If you like a mystery drama then this novel is for you. Although it follows Gentlemen and Players, it also sits well as a story by itself. The characters are interesting and fully developed. Definitely download a sample of this narrative and I am sure you will find yourself wanting more.
I hope that you enjoyed my book review. For more of my bookish content, check out Books that are satisfying me . Please follow my blog and share a comment if you have read this or another of Joanne’s books.
