Auriel Roe

Now, this is one fun ride down the dark, disturbing forest of the modern educational system, full of the seven deadly sins, gross incompetence, and scarred children.

In other words, it's funny as hell.

Roe took us into a public institution last time. This one is quite a bit more private. Her experience in the system comes out with wildly satirical flair. It's awfully oddball and sharp and full of great moments.

What makes this stand out is the PoV of the headmaster. It feels quite English, quite droll, but also as zany as you might expect. Birds and torture go quite nice with the seven sins pig. Does anyone want to stage a play?

I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who's in the mood for modern mainstream matriculation mania. :)

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This was a very fine read that follows a few friends through the years, beginning and remaining mostly at the Blindefellows school and ending on a very personal note at the end.

It's rather charming, through and through. :)

I frankly found the characters a hoot and the evolving nature of the private school, its history and how it changes through the years, a character in itself. It was great to see the students rebel in order to get heat and better food. :) I loved the problem of the sheep and the eventual solution. It's also one hell of a cool tale when it comes to drawing out the feel of the times and how it affected everything in the school, from allowing women to work or later to even attend, to how the school makes its money, to the blossoming of a wonderfully restored institution. :)

This is where the other characters really get their own say, too, fully intertwined and interlinked.

It's a light tale, and just as the title says, it's a Chronicle. A passage through time. Quite delightful, cleverly written, and just plain fun. :)

Thanks goes to the author for a copy of this fine and heartwarming novel.… (más)

Another gem by the author of A Blindfellows Chronicle, Auriel Roe. Former drama teacher Tristram Randolph is offered the position of headmaster at a new school in a former Soviet state now ruled by a despot. The job seems too good to be true and upon arrival, Randolph discovers it is.
During the course of the year, Randolph experiences staffing issues, a sisterly rivalry, the discovery of a long-lost relative, success on the stage, prison time and a coup. How he handles each crisis they arise (hint - - not very well) form the basis of the entertainment this novel provides.
Unlike A Blindfellows Chronicle, which featured a series of loosely connected episodes, Let the Swine Go Forth is a continuous narrative. It does, however, feature a cast of unique characters, each with his or her own comedic twist. Randolph can best be described as hapless. He is on way over his head from the start and constantly finds himself struggling to cope. I enjoyed his struggle very much.
I am looking forward to Roe's next offering.… (más)