Exploring Secrets and Scandals – Review of The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham #TheAcademy

The Academy is a compelling boarding school drama filled with secrets, scandals, and sensitive themes, told through multiple perspectives and brought to life with depth and intrigue.

Summary:

At Tiffin Academy, an elite New England boarding school suddenly vaulted to the number two spot in national rankings, the glossy surface of privilege and fun hides a darker undercurrent. While students revel in the excitement of move-in day, a mysterious new app called Zip Zap begins broadcasting scandalous bulletins that expose the secrets of everyone from queen bee influencer Davi Banerjee to new history teacher Simone Bergeron and outsider transfer Charley Hicks. As rumours spread and reputations crumble, friendships are tested, alliances shift, and the year ahead promises to unravel the carefully guarded facades of both students and staff.

My Thoughts:

Secrets, rumours, and dangerous liaisons—at Tiffin Academy, an elite New England boarding school, they’re part of everyday life. Move-in day brings the usual chaos of friends reuniting and parents unloading cars, but this year comes with a surprise: America Today has just ranked Tiffin number two in the country, an unbelievable seventeen-spot jump for a school better known for its social scene than its academics or athletics. Still, the campus is beautiful, class sizes are small, the dining hall is run by a New York chef, and the students certainly know how to have fun. But beneath the glossy surface, a new app called Zip Zap begins exposing scandalous secrets that threaten to upend the lives of both students and faculty alike.

I had been anxiously awaiting this book—the first of Hilderbrand’s novels not set in Nantucket, written in collaboration with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham. I’m happy to say the familiar style is still there: a large cast of characters, each given just enough depth to make their stories compelling. The Academy opens at the start of the academic year, one shadowed by the death of a student by suicide, and follows a mix of adolescents and faculty members navigating their own challenges, vulnerabilities, and secrets.

Told in Hilderbrand’s signature third-person, multi-perspective narration, the novel gives readers a sweeping view of campus life. I loved how it offered insight into both the teenage experience—complete with drinking, eating disorders, and peer pressure—and the struggles of the adults who are supposed to guide them. While there’s a lot happening in this book, including mental health challenges and complicated relationships, these issues are handled with sensitivity and respect.

The Narration:

I listened to the audiobook, once again narrated by Erin Bennett, who has firmly secured her place as one of my favourite narrators. Her ability to shift seamlessly between multiple characters, male and female, adds so much richness to the story.

Final Thoughts:

The Academy is a layered, engaging read that blends the intrigue of boarding school drama with the emotional depth I’ve come to expect from Hilderbrand. If you enjoy character-driven stories with a mix of scandal, heart, and realism, this one is well worth picking up.

Another Book I’ve Reviewed Written by Elin Hilderbrand:

Swan Song