First in an apparently popular series that I'd not heard of before - boarding school stories set in the 70s (which gives them a very different tone to the much earlier ones). Short, engaging, without being urgently compelling or transformative - though no doubt it would be much more interesting to young teens.With her parents off to work in Saudi Arabia, Rebecca is off to a boarding school for the first time ever, starting in the second year (of high school) after all the others in her year have had a chance to already get to know each other. Rebecca is a literate girl with a desire to scribble poetry.There are familiar notes - the early friend who is not, the desire to not seem pushing or overeager, the retreat into solitude after mildly mucking up in the friend department, and the dramatic and compelling injustice. Digby doesn't milk the compelling injustice, not giving Rebecca a chance to be a complete social pariah, and issues are cleared up relatively quickly. On the whole I think I prefer that to chapters of angst. Nice, light, and entertaining.Will continue the series for at least another book.
