Tradition does a masterful job of pointing out the dangers of privilege, most notably directed toward sexism, masculinity and rape culture. Jules' voice is strong and unwavering, but readers still feel the uphill nature of her battle against a deeply ingrained system that favors its wealthy, influential male students. She can speak out and fight every day, but will anyone listen? Jamie brings an element of classism to the table; they're eager to capitalize on his athletic prowess, but if this once in a lifetime chance comes at the cost of his scruples, is it worth it? It's extremely discomforting to see how intense pressure and skepticism cause Jules to begin to doubt herself at times, even though we as readers possess the full facts and know she's in the right. It's a harrowing depiction of victim silencing through both overt measures and mere indifference. Tradition cuts ruthlessly to the core of accepted inequality.

Tradition is one of those books that every teenager should read. I definitely need to warn people that this book is about sexual abuse.

Jules and Bax are the two narrators in Tradition. The book takes place in a private high school in New England. The majority of the kids that go there are extremely privalaged, their parents paying the $50,000 a year tuition without a problem. Bax (James Baxter, Buckeye) isn't one of those kids. He is there to play hockey. Bax was given a second chance after he crippled someone playing football the year before. Jules is super smart, but is tired of all the typical bullshit that goes on in a school like Fullbrook.

I actually liked both Jules and Bax. Jules was a feminist, trying to get kids to listen even when they just called her crazy. She used to be popular until she broke up with one of the most popular guys at school. The same guy who ended up dating her friend right after. Bax struggles with his studies and fitting in, but he is a loyal friend and not at all into the "traditions" at Fullbrook.

Javi is the gay best friend of Jules. They actually dated before he came out. I adored him and their friendship. Aileen is kind of an outcast who joins their group. The friendship these four develop is strong and pretty amazing.

One night at a party, Jules is assaulted by her ex. He blames her and says she wanted it to happen. When she goes to the school, nothing happens. It becomes apparent that the school would rather ignore the issue. In fact, they have these traditions that almost encourage it. Mainly, the dance where seniors are paired up as dates with the freshmen. They called it the Senior Send-Off. The boys also had graffiti all over about girls. The hockey players stacked pucks in their rooms to show how many girls they slept with.

Jules finally decides that enough is enough and finds a way to make a statement, even if it means getting kicked out of school.

This is a powerful book that exposes what we see too much of on campuses, whether high schools or colleges. So many boys get away with these assaults and so many schools cover it up. I hope that students will read this book and get inspired by Jules. That they will see that they aren't alone and they should stand up. I also hope that boys will read this and learn to respect girls and that no means no every time.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review for a blog tour. I gave this book 4 1/2 stars.

While it is a story that has been told before, Tradition is an important story for teens to read. The alternating perspectives help to bring the story to life.

Honestly, this book reads like the author read a couple #yesallmen and #metoo threads and then decided to write a book that attempts to make him seem super woke and edgy. Told from alternating viewpoints of teenage feminist activist who is super diehard and committed and a teenage white boy who is super edgy because he paralyzed a guy and used to date a black girl....*eyeroll* Honestly, after the first 30 pages I was surprised my eyes weren't stuck staring at the back of my head.

Brendan Kiely’s Tradition is an important novel about the patterns of abuse at an elite boarding school. Two of the high school students share the narrative POV in alternating chapters. Jules is a strong young woman who has historically spoken out on progressive issues she cares about, only to have them frequently pushed back in her face. Jamie is a fifth-year transfer student on a hockey scholarship who has escaped a rough history back home. Fullbrook Academy’s traditions promise to prep them for their studies and ultimately for their lives. But it’s the lessons of the hidden realities of life, the truths about bystanders and the privileged, that the characters are made to grasp over and over again.

Kiely’s account of the caustic nature of teenage life is replete with the adversities of social media, rumors, and innuendo. He deftly tackles the important and timely subject matter of sexuality, sexual assault, and consent. His characters are far from basic stereotypes of teenagers; they are sophisticated humans who yearn for the understanding of others.

Ultimately, Tradition is a book about the power of loyal friends and discovering that bravery can be found even during the worst of hardships. Yet it is also about how people continue to protect the status quo and surrender to the influential. I recommend and encourage all young adults to read this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Brendan Kiely for an advanced copy for review.