No Accident

No matter how you try to hide it, the truth will always come out . . .

When a small plane crash ends with a group of seven teens washed up on a deserted island, their first thought is survival. With supplies dwindling and the fear of being stranded forever becoming more of a reality, they quickly discover that being the most popular kid in high school doesn't help when you're fighting to stay alive.

And when strange and terrifying accidents start to occur all around them, the group realizes that they are being targeted by someone who was on the plane, and that the island isn't their only danger. A terrible secret from a party the night before the flight has followed them ashore―and it's clear that someone is looking for justice. Now survival depends on facing the truth about that party: who was hurt that night, and who let it happen?

"Laura Bates is one of the most important feminist voices we have and The Trial is engaging and clever, thought-provoking and thrilling. I inhaled it in one sitting." ― Louise O'Neill, author of Asking For It

Praise for THE BURNING:

"A haunting rallying cry against sexism and bullying" ― Kirkus Reviews

"Emotionally charged...powerful." ― Booklist

"A painfully realistic, spellbinding novel." ― Shelf Awareness

Gr 9 Up-Hayley knew something was seriously wrong, and that was before a plane crash stranded members of her high school's touring basketball team and cheerleading squad on a deserted island. Teenage social hierarchy falls apart when a battle for survival takes precedence, and Hayley watches with interest as her peers' personalities and relationships change on the island. When a series of incidents hurts and frightens members of their group, the teens question whether someone else is on the island or if they are being targeted by one of their own. Hayley believes the attacks are connected to an end-of-tour party that happened the night before the plane crash, and she orchestrates a trial for the whole group to learn the truth. A lyrically descriptive narrative paired with a simmering plot creates a riveting work of suspense. What starts as a tale of survival quickly morphs into a thriller, and then into an examination of gender, sexuality, and consent. While some of the issues come across a bit heavy-handed, the debates that take place in the final act are thought-provoking and morally complex. Five of the seven teens present as white, one girl is Japanese American, and another girl is Black. Some characters seem designed to fit certain stereotypes, but others are given real depth. This novel would provide a nice contrast when paired with classics like Lord of the Flies and And Then There Were None. VERDICT An exciting tale of desert island survival becomes a shrewd commentary on women's survival in a patriarchal society. A riveting choice for most collections.-Elizabeth Lovsinα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.