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The Most Dangerous Place on Earth
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Publisher's Summary
An unforgettable cast of characters is unleashed into a realm known for its cruelty - the American high school - in this captivating debut novel for listeners of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You and Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep.
The wealthy enclaves north of San Francisco are not the paradise they appear to be, and nobody knows this better than the students of a local high school. Despite being raised with all the opportunities money can buy, these vulnerable kids are navigating a treacherous adolescence in which every action, every rumor, every feeling, is potentially postable, shareable, viral.
Lindsey Lee Johnson's kaleidoscopic narrative exposes at every turn the real human beings beneath the high school stereotypes. Abigail Cress is ticking off the boxes toward the Ivy League when she makes the first impulsive decision of her life: entering into an inappropriate relationship with a teacher. Dave Chu, who knows himself at heart to be a typical B student, takes desperate measures to live up to his parents' crushing expectations. Emma Fleed, a gifted dancer, balances rigorous rehearsals with wild weekends. Damon Flintov returns from a stint at rehab looking to prove that he's not an irredeemable screw-up. And Calista Broderick, once part of the popular crowd, chooses, for reasons of her own, to become a hippie outcast.
Into this complicated web, an idealistic young English teacher arrives from a poorer, scruffier part of California. Molly Nicoll strives to connect with her students - without understanding the middle school tragedy that played out online and has continued to reverberate in different ways for all of them.
Written with the rare talent capable of turning teenage drama into urgent, adult fiction, The Most Dangerous Place on Earth makes vivid a modern adolescence lived in the gleam of the virtual but rich with sorrow, passion, and humanity.
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Gwen B.
- 08-02-2017
Well Written Yet Heart-Wrenching Content
If you could sum up The Most Dangerous Place on Earth in three words, what would they be?
Fascinating. Unsettling. Mournful.
What other book might you compare The Most Dangerous Place on Earth to and why?
There are moments this reminded me of Rules of Attraction by Brett Easton Ellis, but these characters were far more redeemable. Their series of decisions were smaller, less regrettable, less intentional. More alive.
Any additional comments?
The first chapter of this book had me sobbing. Driving home from work, heading into a weekend and sobbing uncontrollably. This never happens, I assure you. I felt the hopelessness and abandonment of these characters. I knew what was coming and was powerless to stop it. I read each chapter to see their own views, their personal journeys and if they may be able to become entangled from the web of a shared experience. I read with so much hope for them all that this may be fixable. They all learn. They all grow and evolve. They all pay. Some of this is self inflicted and some of this is the product of the negligence or occasional yet fierce smothering around them. This is very well orchestrated, well coordinated and still an emotional tale. It's an interesting story where I somehow miss a character I never knew and can never comfort or guide. From that perspective alone, this book is extraordinary.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- N. Thomas
- 26-01-2017
Honestly?
I think every city has the same issues in high school. It is not just the rich over indulged children in Marin county. Where did the author get the story by the way..
I did enjoy reading a book written about the Bay Area. I am a resident of the area( not Marin ) the descriptions of redwood groves and weather were spot on.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tamara
- 11-11-2018
Mean Girls and More
What a bunch of spoiled mean creeps! Obnoxious kids hurting each other— that’s what this book is all about. A good portrait of bullying and its consequences. #ComingOfAge #IssueFiction #Depressing #tagsgiving #sweepstakes.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Debora from Oakland
- 16-05-2017
Thankful to have Just Enough without Excess
Just like prep schools where parents trust too much. Students do too little. No one required to give to others - only allowed to take from others.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Terri
- 26-02-2017
A book for every teenager, eye opener for parents
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
A wonderful book. I wish this was a required book for every middle school child.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- lolo610
- 17-02-2017
Loved it!
I couldn't understand why this book got negative reviews. I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives. It's a new favorite of mine.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- KB
- 16-01-2017
Over Hyped..an attempt to recreate a PG "Kids"
This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
YA readers..usually i enjoy narrators from different POVS, but this was not a cohesive story and had a very dull ending.
Has The Most Dangerous Place on Earth turned you off from other books in this genre?
slightly.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
monotone...no real variances between characters; be they male or female.
What character would you cut from The Most Dangerous Place on Earth?
Molly Nichols
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