Invitation to a Bonfire by Adrienne Celt

Adrienne Celt’s Invitation to a Bonfire tells the story of Zoya Andropova’s travels from the Soviet Union as a young girl to an all-girls private school on the East Coast of the United States during the 1920s. She struggles through the last years of her schooling trying to learn English and make friends. The novel is uniquely told through a series of diary entries, letters, and newspapers articles.
The setting of a private boarding school, the experience of the outsider, and plotting of an eventual affair will hold many reader’s interest. I enjoyed the history of the Soviet Union and hearing the story from Zoya’s point of view, but felt some of the other voices were not as authentic.

3 out of 5 stars

Comes out on June 5th, 2018.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and Adrienna Celt for the opportunity to read an advanced copy for review.