First published 1997
Jerry Renault stares at the assignment sheet posted in his locker at Trinity, a Catholic boys school. The annual chocolate sale has begun, and every student is expected to participate. But when Jerry quietly says "No" to selling the chocolates, he sets off a chain reaction that will consume the entire school. His refusal catches the attention of the Vigils, a secret student society that controls Trinity through intimidation and psychological warfare. Led by the calculating Archie Costello, the Vigils initially encourage Jerry's rebellion as part of their own power games. But when Jerry continues to refuse even after the Vigils expect him to fall in line, he becomes a threat to their authority. Brother Leon, the acting headmaster, desperately needs the chocolate sale to succeed and begins using the Vigils to pressure Jerry. As the school divides into factions, Jerry finds himself increasingly isolated and targeted. His simple act of defiance exposes the brutal machinery of institutional power and peer pressure.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, adolescence, academic
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, underdog
Setting: Trinity, Catholic School
Period: 20th Century
253 pages · Hardcover · Knopf Books for Young Readers