Synopsis:~

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.

My take:~

Mary Weber adds to her growing list of YA titles with the much anticipated, To Best the Boys. The title, cover, and premise intrigued me from the beginning and I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel having been enthralled by her Storm Siren series, which was complex, gritty, and engaging. While holding my interest, To Best the Boys didn’t have the punch I was hoping for, with a more simple plot than her previous stories, and very little that surprised me. I adored Rhen and Seleni’s friendship – particularly as Seleni’s doesn’t let her higher status prevent her from joining in Rhen’s more risky adventures, their loyalty and camaraderie is a joy to read. The story certainly champions young girls and their ability to mix it up with their male counterparts in the scientific and problem solving arena, but the antagonists lacked the substance of a true adversary, with their demise easily envisioned rather than a more intricate downfall. The romance will delight young readers without any cause for parental alarm, which is a refreshing change from many of the offerings in the YA market today. I would have no qualms in passing this book on to my teenage daughter and her friends, and despite wanting a bit more from this story, that makes it a winner for me.

With thanks to the publisher for my review copy

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Buy at Amazon: To Best the Boys or Koorong