The Truants by Kate Weinberg
People disappear when they most want to be seen
Jess Walker, middle child of a middle-class family, has perfected the art of vanishing in plain sight. But when she arrives at a concrete university campus under flat, grey, East Anglian skies, her world flares with colour.
Drawn into a tightly-knit group of rule breakers – led by their maverick teacher, Lorna Clay – Jess begins to experiment with a new version of herself. But the dynamic between the friends begins to darken as they share secrets, lovers and finally a tragedy. Soon Jess is thrown up against the question she fears most: what is the true cost of an extraordinary life?
“
‘As much a coming-of-age tale as a murder mystery, Kate Weinberg’s first novel explores the sweet spot of heightened possibility before things tip over and get ugly … An impressive debut’
The Times, Best New Crime Fiction”
Kate Weinberg was born and lives in London. She studied English at Oxford and creative writing in East Anglia. She has worked as a slush pile reader, a bookshop assistant, a journalist and a ghost writer. The Truants is her first novel.
Review
Kate Weinburg’s debut novel is just sublime. I first read this last year as my first ever buddy read and I adored it. As a huge Agatha Christie fan the homage to the master in ‘The Truants’ story was outstanding. But the clever bit was that this was acknowledged by the author by featuring Christie so much that she became an additional character. There is so much wrapped up in this book that I feel hard pressed to sing its praises to the level it needs. It’s a coming of age narrative, an obsessive thriller, a murder mystery, a character driven narrative, a level of manipulation that gives you mind f*cks and above all else an intricately weaved and plotted tale that keeps you guessing even after you have finished reading it.
There is one scene that has been burnt into my memory from this book and it happens very early on. Minor spoiler ahead! It’s when Jess is circumnavigating the lake near campus and happens upon a couple having sex in a hearse. We enjoy the voyeurism along with Jess - the excitement of seeing something so private, the shock of seeing it and then the longing that this brings. Was she seen? Did she want to be seen?! It’s also the randomness of the hearse.
The characters in ‘The Truants’ are the key to this book. Jess was given a copy of The Truants for Christmas which was written by Lorna and this was what encouraged Jess to apply to the University of East Anglia and to the course which Lorna teaches. She becomes involved with a group of fellow students and begins to interact with Lorna both academically but also socially. For me the main characters of Jess and Lorna drive the narrative, yes there is Georgie, Nate and Alec and they do provide areas of interest but they are supporting characters. Alec is probably the enigma of the group though. He lies and manipulates everyone and this is what drives the dark undertones of the novel.
It is definitely a book with distinct parts for me. The campus action, the time Jess is in London with Lorna and then when the action moves to Sicily. They also have distinct parts to Jess’s character. Anticipation of student life, the muddling reality of adulthood and then the realisation that people are multifaceted and the disappointment that this can bring.
A lot of reviews on Goodreads etc have mentioned how this book does not resemble a Christie novel as it’s too slow and delves more into characterisation than events. I disagree. Christie novels can follow this template as well. They are nothing if not character driven - look at Poirot and Miss Marple.
“‘The parallels between her story’s events and incidents in Christie’s books are ingenious’
Daily Telegraph”
Lorna see herself as a modern Christie and tries to become the main player in all aspects of her life and relationships. She manipulates those around her in the way that Christie manipulates her characters. There are a lot of parallels with what was discussed in Jess’s tutorial with Lorna and what takes place in the story. Parallels to Christie’s life. As I said above I think the inclusion of Christie as a ‘character’ highlights this strand of the narrative and makes it shine.
Overall I found ‘The Truants’ a captivating read and I urge you to read it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
