Dramatic and suspenseful, set in the elite works of a prestigious boy's private school. When Matthias is first brought to the school as a young teen, he feels abandoned by his parents. Through the next four years he will become acclimated, make a very good friend, and be accepted into college. In his last year, after a confession and argument his friend disappears. Ten years later, after a stalled writing career, broken relationship, he returns to the school as a temporary teacher. He vows to find out what happened to his friend, unfinished business. There are secrets, on top of secrets, both at the school and in the disappearance of his friend.

The insular world of a boarding school as always intrigues, much fertile ground is found within this environment. This is a literary and smart rendering of a young mans search for his lost self, a coming together of youth and man. I found it to be a page turner, the atmosphere at the school was written vividly, could picture myself there, totally immersive. The book moves swiftly, we watch as Matthias changes, grows more confident, both as a youth and a man. Some stereotypes are found within, but I found a to be novel personalities, with interesting back stories.

The resolution, when it comes was partly expected, but the reason behind it totally out of my range of thought. A first novel and a very good start. ( )

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Matthias' best friend and roommate, Fritz, disappeared during their senior year at boarding school, and Matthias has always blamed himself.

Now, after one highly successful novel and complete writer's block since, Matthias finds himself back teaching at his former school. The memories that surround him make him determined to solve the mystery of what truly happened to Fritz.

Swann has a really nice writing style. He has a lot to say, and says it really beautifully. I felt emotionally drawn into the book and wanting to know more. There's a real sense of suspense to this read, with a lot of effective flashbacks.

Plus, I always love a book set in a school.

This book kind of fell apart for me about halfway through. Swann had too much he was trying to do, and it all started to feel forced. The ending really felt like too much, and didn't end up feeling real or even making a lot of sense.

I really wanted to love this book, especially with its comparison to The Secret History, one of my all-time favorite books. And this was definitely a suspenseful read-I found myself having to keep turning pages until I got to the end. But Swann just tried to cram way too much in for my tastes, and the ending left me confused and dissatisfied. ( )

Some early reviews and blurbs:

"Swann’s deft mastery of language and his sense for academia come through the novel strongly. Shadow of the Lions is believable, tense, and rich. Blackburne’s insular community is the perfect stage for this literary thriller, which earns positive comparisons to Dead Poets Society and The Marriage Plot…Witty, fast paced, and satisfying, Shadow of the Lions is a perfect literary thriller for back-to-school season." --Foreword Reviews

"Suspense, mystery and the risks of homecoming figure prominently in Swann’s absorbing debut, a literary thriller and coming-of-age story set at an elite Virginia boarding school." --Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"A wonderful coming-of-age story, a taut emotional rollercoaster, and a hell of a debut. Christopher Swann hits the sweet spot with a novel that has a gripping plot, beautifully rendered characters, and an accomplished style. I loved it." --David Liss, author of The Day of Atonement

"If you were to throw A Separate Peace, Dead Poets Society, and The Secret History into a literary blender, you might get something like Christopher Swann’s Shadow of the Lions, a novel which manages at once to be both a poignant coming-of-age tale and a suspenseful mystery. Set in the persistently alluring environs of an elite prep school, where the idealistic image of striving achievement is always in conflict with the dark realities that trouble even the most privileged of lives, Shadow of the Lions illuminates the complexities of friendship, love, loyalty, and duty with remarkable wisdom and compassion." --Ed Tarkington, author of Only Love Can Break Your Heart

"Christopher Swann is a gifted storyteller, a master at the twisty tale. Swann’s must-read debut, Shadow of the Lions, is written with depth and mystery, transporting the reader through the gates of an elite private school and into the heart of an unsolved student’s disappearance: a novel that gives us the privilege of walking through the world with Matthias and his astute observations—the childhood ache of loneliness at a boarding school; a first love; a best friend’s disappearance; a career that should be more than it is, and eventually toward a shocking reckoning of who he is meant to be. Under Swann’s deft hand, ultimately, Shadow of the Lions explores the timeless complexity of deep friendship—how it shapes us, destroys us and sometimes remakes us." --Patti Callahan Henry, author of The Bookshop at Water's End

"A twisty tale that surprises at every turn, Shadow of the Lions will keep you turning pages compulsively into the wee hours, cursing Christopher Swann for the inconvenience." --Jonathan Evison, author of This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! ( )