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The Faculty Club
At the world’s most exclusive law school, there’s a secret society rumored to catapult its members to fame and fortune. Everyone is dying to get in…
Jeremy Davis is the rising star of his first-year class. He’s got a plum job with the best professor on campus. He’s caught the eye of a dazzling Rhodes scholar named Daphne. But something dark is stirring behind the ivy. When a mysterious club promises success beyond his wildest dreams, Jeremy uncovers a macabre secret older than the university itself. In a race against time, Jeremy must stop an ancient ritual that will sacrifice the lives of those he loves most and blur the lines between good and evil.
In this extraordinary debut thriller, Danny Tobey offers a fascinating glimpse into the rarefied world of an elite New England school and the unthinkable dangers that lie within its gates. He deftly weaves a tale of primeval secrets and betrayal into an ingenious brain teaser that will keep readers up late into the night.
Packed with enigmatic professors, secret codes, hidden tunnels, and sinister villains, The Faculty Club establishes Danny Tobey as this season’s most thrilling new author.
Jeremy Davis is the rising star of his first-year class. He’s got a plum job with the best professor on campus. He’s caught the eye of a dazzling Rhodes scholar named Daphne. But something dark is stirring behind the ivy. When a mysterious club promises success beyond his wildest dreams, Jeremy uncovers a macabre secret older than the university itself. In a race against time, Jeremy must stop an ancient ritual that will sacrifice the lives of those he loves most and blur the lines between good and evil.
In this extraordinary debut thriller, Danny Tobey offers a fascinating glimpse into the rarefied world of an elite New England school and the unthinkable dangers that lie within its gates. He deftly weaves a tale of primeval secrets and betrayal into an ingenious brain teaser that will keep readers up late into the night.
Packed with enigmatic professors, secret codes, hidden tunnels, and sinister villains, The Faculty Club establishes Danny Tobey as this season’s most thrilling new author.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2010
21 people are currently reading
837 people want to read
About the author
Danny Tobey
8 books276 followersDanny Tobey is the author of THE GOD GAME, arriving January 7, 2020 from St. Martin's press. He is a fifth-generation Texan and a graduate of Harvard College, Yale Law School, and UT Southwestern medical school. Harvard gave Danny the Edward Eager prize "for the best creative writing." He wrote and edited the Harvard Lampoon and was anthologized in The Best of the Harvard Lampoon: 140 Years of American Humor. Danny's first novel, the sci-fi fantasy thriller The Faculty Club, came out from Simon & Schuster. Danny is a noted expert on Artificial Intelligence. In 2019, the Library of Congress gave Danny the Burton Award for his work on AI and the law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 7, 2011
Wow. This was awful. The beginning is great and you think you're in for a good read. Sadly, you are not. Any review you read of this book will tell you it's a "page turner" and this is true. The writing is engaging. About half way through, you realize that this book is about to take a completely, utterly ridiculous plot turn. Once it goes there, it's just so lame that you can't believe you're actually reading it. Several times I was thinking "Oh, my God, did he really go there?". It's a blatant copy of many well known prior books and movies including the Da Vinci Code but, oddly, the Skeleton Key is probably the most similar to this story. Take the Skeleton Key and stick Kate Hudson at Yale and you've got this book. This book was so bad, that if it were a movie, it might have a cult following due to how ridiculous it is.
March 24, 2011
If you want a good, entertaining, quick read for the beach, this would be a good book to pick up and take along. Reminiscent of the “Indiana Jones” movies, it is set in a stodgy ivy league New England law school. Jeremy Davis, the “hero” of the book, has been selected to attend the world’s most exclusive law school. He’s always been a good student, but he’s not quite sure why he’s there. One of th more prestigious law professor’s on campus takes him on to be his research assistant. Then invites him to a party. One where he hears rumors about a secret society that, if you get in, is your ticket to fame, fortune, and prestige. They only take on three students a year – and Jeremy is one of four invited.
Jeremy tries his best, but he just doesn’t quite make the cut. But then, he finds out what the “club” is really about and realizes that his exclusion is not a bad thing. There are dark and sinister happenings going on behind hidden doors and down secret passages.
Jeremy and his true friends are in a race against dark forces that threaten the lives of them all.
This is a fun book that is a quick read. It’s a great beach read that will keep you entertained. Like “Indiana Jones” or “National Treasure”, it’s full of hidden twists and turns, puzzles, and even a touch of romance. If you’re looking for some lightweight reading, pick up a copy of this one.
Jeremy tries his best, but he just doesn’t quite make the cut. But then, he finds out what the “club” is really about and realizes that his exclusion is not a bad thing. There are dark and sinister happenings going on behind hidden doors and down secret passages.
Jeremy and his true friends are in a race against dark forces that threaten the lives of them all.
This is a fun book that is a quick read. It’s a great beach read that will keep you entertained. Like “Indiana Jones” or “National Treasure”, it’s full of hidden twists and turns, puzzles, and even a touch of romance. If you’re looking for some lightweight reading, pick up a copy of this one.
June 16, 2010
I really enjoyed reading this novel! There were a lot of twists and turns, and the adrenaline just kept pumping! I read the entire book in one sitting; I just couldn't put it down. There is some mystical realism involved, which I thoroughly enjoy, and the characters were memorable. The ending leaves the reader wishing for more, but leaves much room for speculation, which many great novels do. For instance, what happened to Miles? Could he be part of the V&D... is that why he suddenly disappeared? Etc. Great read! I hope there are more books on the way!
April 26, 2010
I found The Faculty Club to be a fun, exciting thriller, with lots of plot twists and interesting, well-developed characters. The plot was engaging and the writing fresh. I think it will appeal to all types of readers, not just those who love thrillers.
May 4, 2020
An impressive first novel. A thought provoking journey through the secrets and pathways of society with opportunities to set things right. A mystery with multiple twists - definitely kept my interest.
I bought this book during the Borders Bookstore Liquidation Sale of 2011. Finally got around to reading The Faculty Club during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Favorite Passages:
I wondered how many people who looked perfect were secretly a mess on the inside.
_______
The thrill of discovery got me home and into bed, and then reality broke through. I tried to press away thoughts of hospital rooms and half-limp balloons. But her face kept coming back to me. Her strained, scratchy voice:
GET OUT.
I had terrible dreams. I saw a room filled with a thousand baby angels, plump and dreamy, the kind Raphael imagined. They had slow, doll-like movements. There were shafts of light from tall windows. The angels were eating. Their chubby little hands brought spoons up and down, up and down to their mouths. When I entered, all thousand of them looked up at once and started screaming.
_______
"If you did something bad, you make it right. You hear me?"
"Yes. Yes, sir."
"Then you decide who you want to be, and you be it."
________
It felt like a portal had opened up, from my present world to a world of husbands and wives, houses and children. I remembered the windows in her Delacroix painting, warm and orange.
________
"You're not safe," he said. "You need to see the dead man."
________
I heard him perform a complicated set of maneuvers: things being pulled and replaced, something large dragging across the floor. When I turned around, I found a door where a wall had been. He used another key, and we went through the door
________
"What if I told you I was better than the things I've done?"
________
I went to see Humpty Dumpty. I had no idea where he lived, but the last time I saw him, he could barely walk.
________
"We need a witch."
________
"At some point, every culture has to choose between the circle and the line. The circle seeks contentment: the seasons, the tides, sunrise and sunset, birth to death and maybe even death to birth, who knows?
"The line . . . the line seeks progress: acquisition, mastery, refinement of the world around you.
"Neither is intrinsically good or evil. That's the thing most people don't realize. It's the balance that matters . . . "
________
"I've seen patients with multiple personalities. People who smell colors and taste sounds. What I'm trying to say is, we don't know anything about the brain. Not really. All our technology, all our research, we're just scratching the surface. It's still basically a black box. So, yes, I think it's possible."
________
The wood painted stark white, with streaks of orange and purple around the eyes and mouth, like an eighty-year-old whore out for one last john.
The Puppet Man, I thought.
________
"The Ship of Theseus was getting worn out, right? But they kept it going by replacing planks. Take an old plank out, put a new one in. So the question is, when does it stop being the Ship of Theseus?"
"I don't get it."
"If you replace one plank, it it still the Ship of Theseus?"
"Of course."
"What if you replace half the planks? Is it still the Ship of Theseus?"
"Yes."
"What if you replace all the planks?"
"Sure."
"Okay, now say someone picks up all the discarded planks and builds a second boat. Which one is the Ship of Theseus?"
Sarah and I answered at the same time.
"The old one," I said.
"The new one," she said.
"Exactly." Miles rubbed his hands together. "It's not just about some boat. It's about what it means to be something." He pointed at the smashed wood on the floor. "Is that still a chair? Is that still a mirror? Are you the same person you were a year ago?"
________
I felt my world start to unravel. There was a gnawing sensation in my brain that made me want to start shaking my head like a wandering lunatic.
________
I felt a strange buzzing in my head. It was a giddy feeling. My body was pumping me full of joy, excuses, illusions, distractions.
________
. . . like he'd traveled back in time seven years. As if you could reach inside yourself and produce the person you used to be, just like that.
But when I saw his face, I knew.
________
It was a good plan, but it was filled with question marks. Our resumes weren't what they used to be. We weren't what we used to be. For the first time in our lives, nothing was sure anymore. I felt terrified.
I also felt happy
I bought this book during the Borders Bookstore Liquidation Sale of 2011. Finally got around to reading The Faculty Club during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Favorite Passages:
I wondered how many people who looked perfect were secretly a mess on the inside.
_______
The thrill of discovery got me home and into bed, and then reality broke through. I tried to press away thoughts of hospital rooms and half-limp balloons. But her face kept coming back to me. Her strained, scratchy voice:
GET OUT.
I had terrible dreams. I saw a room filled with a thousand baby angels, plump and dreamy, the kind Raphael imagined. They had slow, doll-like movements. There were shafts of light from tall windows. The angels were eating. Their chubby little hands brought spoons up and down, up and down to their mouths. When I entered, all thousand of them looked up at once and started screaming.
_______
"If you did something bad, you make it right. You hear me?"
"Yes. Yes, sir."
"Then you decide who you want to be, and you be it."
________
It felt like a portal had opened up, from my present world to a world of husbands and wives, houses and children. I remembered the windows in her Delacroix painting, warm and orange.
________
"You're not safe," he said. "You need to see the dead man."
________
I heard him perform a complicated set of maneuvers: things being pulled and replaced, something large dragging across the floor. When I turned around, I found a door where a wall had been. He used another key, and we went through the door
________
"What if I told you I was better than the things I've done?"
________
I went to see Humpty Dumpty. I had no idea where he lived, but the last time I saw him, he could barely walk.
________
"We need a witch."
________
"At some point, every culture has to choose between the circle and the line. The circle seeks contentment: the seasons, the tides, sunrise and sunset, birth to death and maybe even death to birth, who knows?
"The line . . . the line seeks progress: acquisition, mastery, refinement of the world around you.
"Neither is intrinsically good or evil. That's the thing most people don't realize. It's the balance that matters . . . "
________
"I've seen patients with multiple personalities. People who smell colors and taste sounds. What I'm trying to say is, we don't know anything about the brain. Not really. All our technology, all our research, we're just scratching the surface. It's still basically a black box. So, yes, I think it's possible."
________
The wood painted stark white, with streaks of orange and purple around the eyes and mouth, like an eighty-year-old whore out for one last john.
The Puppet Man, I thought.
________
"The Ship of Theseus was getting worn out, right? But they kept it going by replacing planks. Take an old plank out, put a new one in. So the question is, when does it stop being the Ship of Theseus?"
"I don't get it."
"If you replace one plank, it it still the Ship of Theseus?"
"Of course."
"What if you replace half the planks? Is it still the Ship of Theseus?"
"Yes."
"What if you replace all the planks?"
"Sure."
"Okay, now say someone picks up all the discarded planks and builds a second boat. Which one is the Ship of Theseus?"
Sarah and I answered at the same time.
"The old one," I said.
"The new one," she said.
"Exactly." Miles rubbed his hands together. "It's not just about some boat. It's about what it means to be something." He pointed at the smashed wood on the floor. "Is that still a chair? Is that still a mirror? Are you the same person you were a year ago?"
________
I felt my world start to unravel. There was a gnawing sensation in my brain that made me want to start shaking my head like a wandering lunatic.
________
I felt a strange buzzing in my head. It was a giddy feeling. My body was pumping me full of joy, excuses, illusions, distractions.
________
. . . like he'd traveled back in time seven years. As if you could reach inside yourself and produce the person you used to be, just like that.
But when I saw his face, I knew.
________
It was a good plan, but it was filled with question marks. Our resumes weren't what they used to be. We weren't what we used to be. For the first time in our lives, nothing was sure anymore. I felt terrified.
I also felt happy
August 9, 2010
Really interesting book. This sweeping story begins resembling a movie called "The Skulls", about a secret powerful society lurking in an Ivy League college. The plot then departs into more mystical and impossible terrain. Although you need to suspend your disbelief, the incredible, yet entertaining, occurrences serve to explore profound philosophical, especially ethical territory. Does the end justify the means? In morally ambiguous situations, what is the right thing to do? This book may stay with me for a long time.
January 28, 2021
what a strange book. at times it felt like there were two different writers, wrestling for control of a story that kept getting more and more convoluted and layered (and not in a good way). i imagine that danny tobey envisioned the book to have this grand message at the end, that gaining and utilizing knowledge was worth everything in the world, even if the most ambitious and youthful were forsaken because of it. hmmm. i don't know. maybe i'm just assigning some type of meaning to justify my time spent reading this. anyways, i didn't like it!
August 13, 2010
The Firm meets National Treasure. The writer pulls a lot from his life experience (Harvard, Yale, Law school, life in Texas) and some of the details are good - but it gets a bit tiresome to be so firmly NOT HARVARD where it pulls so much from Harvard. It's a summer beach read. The Romance Novel equal to a thriller. Not as good as Grisham, but fun. Has some nice quotes and also nice things pulled from legal lectures.
April 19, 2010
I found it to be an interesting take on a old concept.
July 16, 2010
This was a book that I picked up on a whim from the library's New Book shelf. The premise sounded interesting: A young man begins law school at a prestigious law school and hopes to
claim one of the coveted spots in the mysterious "Faculty Club". In his quest, he discovers why the club is so secretive and becomes a target of the members who are trying to protect their endevours. The problem with the book is that the author rushes the plot making the storyline seem impossible... I had trouble keeping up with the conclusions that the main character kept reaching and the almost calm manner that he had while trying to stay alive was unbelievable. Halfway through the book as I began to realize the crazy reason for the Faculty Club's existence I quit reading. It was just too ridiculous for me! Maybe I missed a good ending, but I don't feel too sad about it :)
claim one of the coveted spots in the mysterious "Faculty Club". In his quest, he discovers why the club is so secretive and becomes a target of the members who are trying to protect their endevours. The problem with the book is that the author rushes the plot making the storyline seem impossible... I had trouble keeping up with the conclusions that the main character kept reaching and the almost calm manner that he had while trying to stay alive was unbelievable. Halfway through the book as I began to realize the crazy reason for the Faculty Club's existence I quit reading. It was just too ridiculous for me! Maybe I missed a good ending, but I don't feel too sad about it :)
May 2, 2012
Picture James Grisham, Dan Brown, Steven King and Edgar Allen Poe collaborating on a book and this is what they might come up with. It starts all fresh faced law student getting a big break for a special law school; he makes friends; a secret society invites him; strange things start to happen; even stranger things happen; unsolvable riddles are posed; a lawyer, a philosopher and a neurosurgeon collaborate to solve the riddles(most implausibly); swinging pendulums threaten; Damn, even Humpty Dumpty makes an appearance.
Are you getting the picture?
I stayed to the end. Voodoo! Schmoodoo! What was I thinking?
Are you getting the picture?
I stayed to the end. Voodoo! Schmoodoo! What was I thinking?
December 10, 2016
This book started out with potential; it was a pretty good read at first even though there were a lot of little inconsistencies that I had to ignore. These started right away on page 2 when the law school is described as one that has "no tours, no interviews, no brochures". A couple paragraphs later on the same page the main character is on his way to his first class and he passes a tour guide giving a tour! The actions of the characters got less and less believable the further I got into the story. And the plot became so convoluted that it bordered on ridiculous. I ended up disappointed by the book and perplexed by all the great reviews of it.
August 10, 2021
This book started off really good. Reminiscent of Skull & Bones and the movie The Skulls with a secret society. Then in the middle or a little after it takes a really weird turn. No spoilers so I’ll just say really weird turn. Then it just ends. It is well written and the first 1/2 maybe even a little more it’s suspenseful, intriguing, & well written. Then it just goes off the deep end. Not a bad read but it could’ve just proceeded with the skull & bones without the supernatural twist..Not even sure if supernatural is the right term for where it went. I would add too that the beginning of the book was true to law school and some of the research things they do were correct.
March 13, 2011
This book started out so well with a first-year law student from Texas trying to get into an exclusive club at Harvard. But along the way, it slipped into lecture format about the origins and practice of voodoo and then completely fell into the abyss when trying to resolve the plot. Seriously, those puzzles in the locked room were completely unbelievable. So glad I got this one from the library instead of buying it.
December 11, 2010
This is the young author's first book, and hope he writes more. It was fast moving - lots of action and mystery and a touch of the supernatural, and twists and turns. And even some touches of humor in the most unexpected places.
April 27, 2010
This is one terrific novel. I simply could not put it down. Surprises, mystery, vivid portrayals....I kept trying to second guess what would happen next ... This could one heck of a thriller movie.
May 6, 2010
What distinguishes The Faculty Club from other thrillers is the depth of characterization and the philosophical questions. It challenges as it entertains.
June 15, 2010
Pretty good summer thriller. It starts out a little like the movie "Skulls" but then takes an unexpected u-turn into sci-fi that was interesting.
May 2, 2021
An amazing read—for the first half of the book. The second half is too difficult to get through.
January 18, 2022
The plot was inconsistent. The college gives no tours, he then passes a tour of the college 🤦🏻♀️. It just was a struggle and I skimmed the last part of the book.
February 17, 2021
Picking up the Faculty Club was oddly a no brainer - I must be in the right mood - right after reading The God Game, which I loved. In comparison, the Faculty Club isn't as good. That does not mean however that it it ISN'T good. If anything, it has that same tension, action, and thrill to the plot. Jeremy Davis has many characteristics to our do gooder Charlie in The God Game, but he's also very different. It does not make the Faculty Club any less likeable. If anything it makes Jeremy a relatable, nor the story any less interesting.
On the whole, this was a really interesting book. The plot has been compared to Dan Brown's Da Vinci code, however as I haven't actually read that yet, I had some elitist Indiana Jones feels, less in the wild hands on archaeologist, and more law student caught in an occultist elite Ivy League club plot.
A few minor points:
- Although I really enjoyed it, there was a slight dissonance between the first half and the second half. The writing is excellent and all the parts flow well together, but the dissonance is in the mere fact that I came to the Faculty Club with one expectation based on the first half of the book, only to end on an entirely different expectation at the end. It does work, just unexpected.
- I do like the cast of characters but the ending doesn't give us a lot of closure on some of the initial characters, which is a pity.
- In my own humble opinion, I liked The God Game more. The Faculty Club is good, but The God Game was better. The emotions were higher. There were a few aspects of The Faculty Club I didn't quite understand, but I put this down to the fact that it must be an American thing. (And they say books from other territories need to be translated to American despite already being written in English.) Nonetheless, it doesn't harm my enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I think I've found a new author I'd willingly seek out books. Danny Tobey has, across two books, a particular flair and style that is easily conveyed in his writing, that simply needs to be written. I am definitely curious to see what he writes.
On the whole, this was a really interesting book. The plot has been compared to Dan Brown's Da Vinci code, however as I haven't actually read that yet, I had some elitist Indiana Jones feels, less in the wild hands on archaeologist, and more law student caught in an occultist elite Ivy League club plot.
A few minor points:
- Although I really enjoyed it, there was a slight dissonance between the first half and the second half. The writing is excellent and all the parts flow well together, but the dissonance is in the mere fact that I came to the Faculty Club with one expectation based on the first half of the book, only to end on an entirely different expectation at the end. It does work, just unexpected.
- I do like the cast of characters but the ending doesn't give us a lot of closure on some of the initial characters, which is a pity.
- In my own humble opinion, I liked The God Game more. The Faculty Club is good, but The God Game was better. The emotions were higher. There were a few aspects of The Faculty Club I didn't quite understand, but I put this down to the fact that it must be an American thing. (And they say books from other territories need to be translated to American despite already being written in English.) Nonetheless, it doesn't harm my enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I think I've found a new author I'd willingly seek out books. Danny Tobey has, across two books, a particular flair and style that is easily conveyed in his writing, that simply needs to be written. I am definitely curious to see what he writes.
July 13, 2011
Just finished reading the copy I won on Goodreads!
I have to say, I'm torn. Dan Brown is one of my favorite authors of all time and this novel definitely had the Dan Brown feel to it. However, there were a few things about it that really irked me.. I refuse to give this book a negative review- it was very well thought out and the puzzles and history throughout fascinated me!
One major positive for me was that the author stressed the desperation Jeremy's peers had to get into the V&D. Daphne throwing herself at Jeremy sexually in order to secure his help winning the debate and Nigel's library breakdown were perfect examples of the lengths students would go to to secure a spot in this secret society. Words between characters can only go so far to express such things, but their actions spoke volumes.
Another thing that really struck me was word selection. In line 25 of page 214, the author writes: "Then his spindly arms unfolded like spider legs and bootstrapped his long body through." This sentence has and incredible amount of imagery for how short and sweet it is! I don't believe I have ever read "bootstrapped" anywhere else, but the action is spot-on for how this lanky man would look crawling out of a small tunnel. I even stopped reading to mark the page for future reference.
I very much enjoyed the Dan Brown feel of the novel. From the secret society and mind-bending riddles to the underground labyrinth of unknown dangers and crazy religious ceremonies- it's the perfect read for history buffs and conspiracy theorists everywhere. Tobey obviously did his research for this book and the effort shows. Some favorite instances of mine involve the Ship of Theseus, a homunculus, and a replica of the Capuchin Crypt.
Another point I'd like to bring up is the use of pictures on page 265. To be honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about them. When I first reached the page, I stopped and marked "Why start using pictures now??" in the margin. It makes sense to use them here, to give the reader the full experience of what the characters are looking at, but why not have them throughout the book? I find pictures and illustrations a wonderful change of pace in a novel, but having the only two pictures in the entire book on the same page feels very random to me.
The main problem I had while reading was the lack of names for the school Jeremy attends and several characters. I understand that the author may not be able to use the name of a real university for publicity reasons, and maybe even for copyright reasons, but there are multiple sentences that just sound awkward for the lack of a proper noun. By page 2, it has simply been referred to as "the greatest law school in the world"... Twice. I disliked the repetition, but soon got over it. Though it did come up a couple more times throughout the novel. When it comes to characters, if you're going to give them lines, they should have a name. Just my feeling on the subject. In the mock trial scene, the author only refers to the judges as "the former U.S. Attorney" and "the retired Supreme Court justice". I know they are very minor characters, but if the narrator recognizes them by their careers, he would understandably know and use their names. My last naming concern pertains to Arthur "Humpty Dumpty" Peabody. Yes- the man has a nickname. Yes- a college student would most certainly refer to him by said nickname at some point in time. But....all the time?! Jeremy doesn't even use his given name except while the man's bleeding out all over his desk. Even after that, you would think the characters would have a little more respect for the dead and stop referring to him as "Humpty Dumpty". I mean, Jeremy watched the man die! I know I'm nitpicking, but these are some things I think about when I'm reading.
What graduate students plan their lives around that of someone they've only known two weeks? I get the whole "been to hell and back together" thing could probably drive the two people together, but if I was in Sarah's place, I would be furious with Jeremy for much longer than the book even covered. Although he 'unburdened' her by telling her secret in front of all attending the mock trial, it still was not his secret to tell and I will stand by that belief until the end of time. Sarah tried to KILL HERSELF. She wanted to die because of the hell he thrust upon her, but the reader would never know she was ever that upset to the point of suicide. She never expressed any kind of anger towards him besides the command to "get out" of her hospital room. She recovered from his breach of confidence at a pace that makes it seem unreal.
The end nearly infuriated me. I was left with an immense sense of wonder. What happened to the newly initiated students? We followed the three from the beginning, and suddenly their situation means nothing to the protagonist. He showed so much compassion and caring towards Nigel and Daphne that he allowed them to use him to get to the top. But, once Sarah enters, they're completely forgotten? Even if Jeremy could care less the outcomes of Nigel, John, and Daphne, I'm sure other readers are like me and would've appreciated a little knowledge on that front.
Overall, I had to give this book three out of five stars. I liked it and would definitely recommend it to friends. However, it was a quick read and could have used a little more...something. The plot line flew by.
I have to say, I'm torn. Dan Brown is one of my favorite authors of all time and this novel definitely had the Dan Brown feel to it. However, there were a few things about it that really irked me.. I refuse to give this book a negative review- it was very well thought out and the puzzles and history throughout fascinated me!
One major positive for me was that the author stressed the desperation Jeremy's peers had to get into the V&D. Daphne throwing herself at Jeremy sexually in order to secure his help winning the debate and Nigel's library breakdown were perfect examples of the lengths students would go to to secure a spot in this secret society. Words between characters can only go so far to express such things, but their actions spoke volumes.
Another thing that really struck me was word selection. In line 25 of page 214, the author writes: "Then his spindly arms unfolded like spider legs and bootstrapped his long body through." This sentence has and incredible amount of imagery for how short and sweet it is! I don't believe I have ever read "bootstrapped" anywhere else, but the action is spot-on for how this lanky man would look crawling out of a small tunnel. I even stopped reading to mark the page for future reference.
I very much enjoyed the Dan Brown feel of the novel. From the secret society and mind-bending riddles to the underground labyrinth of unknown dangers and crazy religious ceremonies- it's the perfect read for history buffs and conspiracy theorists everywhere. Tobey obviously did his research for this book and the effort shows. Some favorite instances of mine involve the Ship of Theseus, a homunculus, and a replica of the Capuchin Crypt.
Another point I'd like to bring up is the use of pictures on page 265. To be honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about them. When I first reached the page, I stopped and marked "Why start using pictures now??" in the margin. It makes sense to use them here, to give the reader the full experience of what the characters are looking at, but why not have them throughout the book? I find pictures and illustrations a wonderful change of pace in a novel, but having the only two pictures in the entire book on the same page feels very random to me.
The main problem I had while reading was the lack of names for the school Jeremy attends and several characters. I understand that the author may not be able to use the name of a real university for publicity reasons, and maybe even for copyright reasons, but there are multiple sentences that just sound awkward for the lack of a proper noun. By page 2, it has simply been referred to as "the greatest law school in the world"... Twice. I disliked the repetition, but soon got over it. Though it did come up a couple more times throughout the novel. When it comes to characters, if you're going to give them lines, they should have a name. Just my feeling on the subject. In the mock trial scene, the author only refers to the judges as "the former U.S. Attorney" and "the retired Supreme Court justice". I know they are very minor characters, but if the narrator recognizes them by their careers, he would understandably know and use their names. My last naming concern pertains to Arthur "Humpty Dumpty" Peabody. Yes- the man has a nickname. Yes- a college student would most certainly refer to him by said nickname at some point in time. But....all the time?! Jeremy doesn't even use his given name except while the man's bleeding out all over his desk. Even after that, you would think the characters would have a little more respect for the dead and stop referring to him as "Humpty Dumpty". I mean, Jeremy watched the man die! I know I'm nitpicking, but these are some things I think about when I'm reading.
What graduate students plan their lives around that of someone they've only known two weeks? I get the whole "been to hell and back together" thing could probably drive the two people together, but if I was in Sarah's place, I would be furious with Jeremy for much longer than the book even covered. Although he 'unburdened' her by telling her secret in front of all attending the mock trial, it still was not his secret to tell and I will stand by that belief until the end of time. Sarah tried to KILL HERSELF. She wanted to die because of the hell he thrust upon her, but the reader would never know she was ever that upset to the point of suicide. She never expressed any kind of anger towards him besides the command to "get out" of her hospital room. She recovered from his breach of confidence at a pace that makes it seem unreal.
The end nearly infuriated me. I was left with an immense sense of wonder. What happened to the newly initiated students? We followed the three from the beginning, and suddenly their situation means nothing to the protagonist. He showed so much compassion and caring towards Nigel and Daphne that he allowed them to use him to get to the top. But, once Sarah enters, they're completely forgotten? Even if Jeremy could care less the outcomes of Nigel, John, and Daphne, I'm sure other readers are like me and would've appreciated a little knowledge on that front.
Overall, I had to give this book three out of five stars. I liked it and would definitely recommend it to friends. However, it was a quick read and could have used a little more...something. The plot line flew by.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
Reading this after Tobey’s newer “God Game.” Not as big of a fan, but still glad I read his older, more introductory work! Before reading this book, I read that this book is very similar to Kate Hudson’s “Skeleton Key.” Although the reader’s review was not intentionally meant to be a spoiler, that’s exactly what this is: prestigious secret society on a prestigious college campus meets Skeleton Key.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2024
This book started out great but got too weird and trippy for me. If you like voodoo and weird possession stories, this might be a good read for you, but even so it reads young. This took me about a half day to read; I don’t recommend it unless you’re looking to waste time. If so, I could suggest better books.
November 3, 2024
For someone who spent a lot of time in academics, this book truly does not reflect that. I was hoping for some dark academia vibes with a murder cult but this takes a hard turn away from school and suddenly we're in the Da Vinci Code.
Also, the characters have the emotional depth of a street puddle.
Also, the characters have the emotional depth of a street puddle.
September 4, 2017
Boo! I can't finish this. I guess I thought it was a faculty club story but it's really a secret society story where students get in and secret stuff happens. Just not into secret stuff and ppl feeling so compelled to belong. Never was like that.
April 11, 2022
Very interesting storyline. I love the cult style that was placed within a college and seeking to be free from it. I don't understand the bad ratings. This book held me and was hard to set down. I absolutely love it. 🙂
April 21, 2024
Not normally something I read. This book took a very big curve into some really strange things! Full of theory, philosophy and politics that are also not so hypothetical views on what people will do to achieve success.
October 21, 2025
An average book. Not the worst and not the best. It's a fairly predictable ending with a couple unexpected turns and I feel like the end was rushed a bit but still decent enough if you're wanting to read a quick secret society thriller.
November 27, 2019
I got about half way through this before I realized I'd already read it. That was pre-goodreads days. It was ok, but not great enough to go a second time.
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