Challenge Corner discussion

Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.

As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.

i am sorry i am late!

scene 1, act 2

(view spoiler)[OKAYYYY so far i am loving the dynamics between oliver and his classmates. i am not sure whether they all secretly hate each other or they love to tease each other (hide spoiler)]

38% done

(view spoiler)[Can Richard just perish already???? I really can’t stand him (hide spoiler)]

It's all good! I'm so behind on reading my physicals! I'm hoping to get all caught up tomorrow on them.

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RESTARTING JUNE 10TH, 2022

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Starting this now!

Act 1 : (view spoiler)[So far, it seems like we are still just getting to know the seven theatre students. I have no idea why Oliver was in prison or what happened among these people are we are almost a quarter done! It makes me wonder whether we'll get to know the mystery anytime soon. Also, NOT a fan of Shakespeare or any plays for that matter, so this book feels like a challenge (hide spoiler)]

Act 2 Scene 5!


(view spoiler)[Ewww Meredith is so weird. I cant believe she would do that! Richard is a bully and a dick and Meredith shouldn’t even be with him in the first place but what Meredith is doing is in no way justifiable as well. (hide spoiler)]

Act 2 : (view spoiler)[Damn Meredith and Oliver slept together...that ought to be problematic. But Richard - why did James say Oh God, He's still alive - Was he not supposed to?? Was this a murder? But Oliver was with Meredith and he's the one who's just got out of jail so? I am confused. (hide spoiler)]

Act 3 scene 1!

(view spoiler)[ WHAT? They just..let him die? I understand the resentment but I dont get why that justifies him dying? Not defending Richard at all, but still (hide spoiler)]

Act 3, Scene 9: (view spoiler)[I like James and Oliver together! They seem to bring out the good in each other but James still can be Richard's murderer and that's unsettling. Philippa is scared often and I wonder whether she knows something. (hide spoiler)]

Act 3, scene 8!

(view spoiler)[ Didn’t like Oliver’s parents belittling his career choice and wanting him to give up his degree for his sister but Oliver’s remark about her sister’s ED was so out of place! Honestly, I just want to know who killed Richard and be done with it 🥴 (hide spoiler)]

Act 3 scene 12!

(view spoiler)[ Things are getting back to normal in the university but it seems like everyone is hiding something. How did Richard even die? Most of them have a motive and no accountability for where they were between 3 and 6 apart from their own word. (hide spoiler)]

Act 3 Finished : (view spoiler)[WAIT WHAT? James loves Wren? Since when? Aaah I feel like I am losing my mind. I thought James liked Oliver. Meredith is in a different world it seems and why are there no details about the investigation going on!!! (hide spoiler)]

Act 4 Finished : (view spoiler)[I wish this was less play and more mystery, plays are just not my preferred reading! The mystery part of this book is truly intriguing and I can't wait to find out what exactly happened to Richard and why did Alexander OD. (hide spoiler)]

Act 4, Scene 4!

(view spoiler)[I still can't make sense of why Oliver was in jail because everything that has happened until now points to any of the other 5 being the culprit rather than him. Did they turn on him and implicated Oliver somehow? But Filippa can't be, he was genuinely glad to see her outside the prison. (hide spoiler)]

Act 5, Prologue!

(view spoiler)[I noticed James is nowhere in the present scenes and that makes me wonder if something happened to him and that is the real mystery for which Oliver was in jail! If this is the case, the whole book would be redeemed for me. (hide spoiler)]

Finished : (view spoiler)[Damn that ending blew my mind, glad I stuck with it and finished the book. It looks like Oliver drew the short stick in all of this and I feel really bad for him. Also, not liking James now, no matter how much guilt he felt, the truth is he let Oliver sacrifice everything for him. (hide spoiler)]

Kira wrote: "Finished : [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I was a bit disappointed by the ending because Oliver just took the fall for James, in my mind I plotted so ahead as to imagine that maybe Oliver killed James in a rage or something but it turned out to be completely different. James faking his own death was interesting though! (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING JUNE 19TH, 2023


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Act 1 - scene 8: (view spoiler)[Nothing much has happened yet. Richard seems the most dangerous, but I might be wrong! :P (hide spoiler)]

End of Act 2: (view spoiler)[Wow, Richard is the worst! And how is he still alive? Are they going to kill him? (hide spoiler)]

Act 4 - scene 8: (view spoiler)[That piece of fabric is going to bite Oliver in the ass. I still don't get how HE ends up in prison - everyone seemingly loves him? (hide spoiler)]

Ending: (view spoiler)[Is James alive? Is he dead? Which is it? :P The ending was very compelling, I really liked it. They were all super dramatic though! (hide spoiler)]