Duncan Meade is a senior at Irving School, a prestigious, private high school that allows students to live on campus during their rigorous course studies. Not only is Duncan worried about the upcoming “Tragedy Paper” that his senior English teacher, Mr. Simon, has assigned, Duncan has to deal with the tragedy that happened at school last year.
When Duncan is assigned the same room that the infamous Tim Macbeth had last year, Duncan knows that his school year will be anything but ordinary. Tim has followed the “tradition” of leaving Duncan a gift in his room. Most students receive “survival kits”, books, or even alcohol. Tim has left Duncan with a stack of CD’s that he recorded before he left Irving. Duncan wants to forget his junior year, forget the tragedy that occurred, and forget Tim. Unfortunately, these CD’s devour Duncan and take over his senior year. He becomes enslaved to Tim’s voice and the story that explains it all.
When Duncan becomes distant from everyone around him, his social life and studies begin to suffer. Unable to stop listening to Tim’s story, Duncan realizes he must finish the CD collection before it ruins his senior year.
Elizabeth Laban introduces her novel, The Tragedy Paper, as her first novel. This story grabs the reader instantly with the developing plot, unique characters, and suspenseful twists that run throughout the novel. The Tragedy Paper is written from both Tim and Duncan’s perspectives which allows readers to hear Tim’s tragic tale from his own lips. This novel is highly entertaining and riveting for students in middle and high school. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy suspenseful, action, and mystery novels.
- Posted by Jacquie