ELLIS ACADEMY

Snowberry offers a YA boarding-school take on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

When 18-year-old Emma Bishop hears that Prescott Boys’ Academy, the sister school to her own Ellis Academy for Girls, has burned down, one of her first thoughts is a wish that “Benedict Quarington had died in the fire.” She doesn’t actually mean it, of course, but ever since they met at London’s Hyde Park10 years ago, trading insults over a stray ball, Emma and Ben have maintained a rivalry built on sharp wit and clever barbs. Now, Prescott’s destruction forces the integration of the two schools, and Emma and Ben find themselves unwillingly in close proximity as co–vice presidents of the combined student body. Complicating matters further is the blossoming relationship between their friends and fellow student-council members, Rachel Ellis and Fisher Locke. After the school’s Welcome Masquerade dance, Rachel and Fisher’s romance becomes official, shifting the group’s dynamics—and incorporating a lot more bad poetry. As the new couple and their friends begin spending more time together, Emma and Ben are frequently—and reluctantly—placed into each other’s orbit. Sensing what Emma and Ben can’t admit, their pals concoct a carefully staged scheme, designed to push the pair toward recognizing their true feelings. Before long, the line between antagonism and affection blurs. Readers will find the dynamic between Emma and Ben to be magnetic as their banter evolves quickly from spitefulness to flirtatiousness. Some aspects of the characters’ backgrounds feel underdeveloped, though, such as Emma’s deep fear of fire. Still, a standout element is the novel’s thoughtful inclusivity, particularly in its representation of asexuality. “Tiger” Moriarty, a nonbinary and aro/ace student, is a particular highlight, providing Dogberry-esque comic relief while serving as a grounding presence to the other characters and assisting them in their journeys to better understand themselves.

Misunderstandings abound in this electric and diverse retelling of a classic rom-com.