Turbulence

Riverview High is a modern high school with advanced teaching and mentoring program aimed to help grade nine students to create a strong sense of community and connection among and between students, staff and parents. Each grade nine student has a grade twelve student from their learning community who stays with them for full year. Looks like a fantastic program which became a role model to neighboring high schools. Excepts it's not! Under the surface, it is cruel, hostile place of hazing freshman. Boys and girls become a personal slave to their older mentors. Put in scary gladiator arena, they are pray tormented by predators. They are humiliated, abused, beaten, sexually assaulted and raped. Involuntarily being put in sort of hunger games these children are doing their best to survive ninth grade and jump up on a ladder of power, waiting their turn to become tormentors.

Daniel is fourteen. He is starting High school wondering how this cruel world exists in front oblivious authorities. Freshmen year will bring lot of changes in his life. He is going to suffer but he will start discovering himself too. He will find love, passion, loyalty, but betrayal, pain and disappointment too. He will fall many times, but he will stand up and go on. What is the most important, he will draw red lines and no matter how difficult it is, he will stick to his principles. Some friendships will be broken, but some new friendships will be established. Everyone will show their true face and when is difficult, some will confront treat and some will stay cowards. Starting ninth grade as a boy, Daniel will finish school year as a man.

This book is not an easy read. There are 25 rather extensive chapters (between 10.000 and 20.000 words) with multiple characters. Graphic scenes of violence may not be for everyone but still, this is such addictive and compelling story that it is so difficult to stop reading till the end. Opposite to violence, author wrote some of the best romantic and sensual love scenes. Some descriptions are beautifully erotic, some are hot. Inner struggles of the characters, their dilemmas, dreams and fights has been amazingly written. Although set in contemporary time, this story might be also seen in some dystopian future.

Written more than decade ago, hidden among old stories, this book deserves to be presented again, to be read by new members of GA. Turbulence is memorable experience that deserves your time and my recommendation.