This story centers on a small, wealthy community in California, where new teacher Molly Nicoll has just joined the staff at the high school. Molly is intrigued by some of her students, and as she soon discovers, there is more to some of them than meets the eye.
The book is told through multiple viewpoints, so while you get Molly's view of things, you also see the viewpoints of several of the students. The book actually begins in middle school, where several students are involved in the bullying of a student which has tragic consequences. When Molly Nicoll meets these students, their relationships with each other have changed from middle school, although they have some connections. I found their stories compelling, even if I didn't necessarily like all of the characters. The author has an evocative writing style, so it was easy to imagine these teens, and what their lives were like. The author also does a great job of bringing their stories to life, and making it clear that for all of them, they live their lives in a balance between the real and the online world, where the smallest decisions can have large consequences.
I felt Calista was one of the most compelling characters. She is directly involved with the tragedy in middle school, and as a result of that event, changes drastically. She's introspective, which makes her perspectives in the story especially interesting. She's mature, and seems to observe many of her friends at a bit of a distance. Her viewpoint makes the story as a whole compelling, as she seems to take in a larger view of things than some of her classmates, who focus more on their immediate situations.
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