When We Were Monsters

By: Jennifer Niven

Narrated by: Elena Rey, Saskia Maarleveld, Briggon Snow

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places comes “a standout dark academia thriller” (e. lockhart, author of We Were Liars) about the monsters who walk among us—even in the glittering upper echelons of society.

A dead teacher at an elite boarding school. Four students who had every reason to want her gone. Who is the monster?

At an elite New England boarding school, eight students are selected for an exclusive storytelling workshop with the one and only Meredith Graffam—an enigmatic writer, director, and actress. For sixteen days, they will live in the isolated estate of the school’s founder, surrounded by snowy woods and a storm-tossed seas. Only one of the chosen will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams.

Everyone, including Graffam, has a compelling reason to be there—Effy, the orphan, Isaac, the legacy, Ness, the wallflower, Ramon, the outsider, and Arlo, whose unexpected arrival leaves Effy spiraling—but only the most ambitious will last the term. Graffam’s unorthodox methods push the students past the breaking point, revealing their darkest secrets, taking unthinkable risks, and slowly starting to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

Critic reviews

“Niven’s signature ingredients: deep sensitivity, romance, poetry, and misunderstood, passionate characters. Now add a gothic mansion, a dangerous cliffside and a charismatic genius, and she’s serving up a standout dark academia thriller.” —E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars

"A poignant story of young love, yearning, and the desire to live. Like the best gothic mysteries, this one is drenched in atmosphere and unease-—a taut, exquisitely executed novel from start to finish." —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Girl

"Fans of dark academia will enjoy this atmospheric story of art, lies, and redemption that features a lurking, slowly building sense of dread that grows throughout the novel. Leisurely and spine-tingling." —Kirkus Reviews

"[A] satisfying psychological thriller." —Publishers Weekly

"This homage to the works of Shirley Jackson and Lois Duncan is a sinister look at unchecked ambition and creativity pushed to the brink of madness." —Booklist

"An upsettingly immersive storytelling workshop in this eerie and suspenseful YA psychological thriller." —Shelf Awareness

Disappointing

I usually love Jennifer Niven books, but WHEN WE WERE MONSTERS didn’t cut it for me.
The two main characters were well-developed, imperfect, interesting and easy to champion. Niven’s word-building was beautiful and the strongest part of the story.

The ridiculous plot premise was a turn off. A boarding school would never allow a famous writer and actress to run a workshop without any school personnel present. The underwhelming story was slow-paced and held no tension. WHEN WE WERE MONSTERS lacked plot twists and surprises. The bad guy was evident from the beginning.