I was hoping this would be an interesting flip on the typical American story of "white teacher goes to poor/bad (black) school and teaches them to be good people" but set in scotland. and it kinda was but it was just also still pretty bad. the author spends way too much time on the geography of Edinburgh and as someone who's never been there it's so confusing. we don't get much insight into any of the students (besides mel) which makes sense since Alex doesn't really get those insights. but we also get nothing about Alex except what she tells us but that isn't reflected in how she is telling the story. like there's some beautiful shit in there about grief and depression but we don't get any of that I. Alexa actions only in her telling us she was depressed and bereaved. Alex is a swimmer for like 20 pages and it's never brought up again.  we don't get a single name of any other student outside the older kids which is strange. the Greek tragedies classes really just work as a spark notes chapter. I would've loved to see more interaction between the plays and the kids but it really is just Alex asking leading questions and the kids given mostly half assed answers. it felt like I was in a boring Greek theatre therapy class. we don't really get how obsessed Mel was with Alex until way late in the book. which makes her a more compelling character and her actions  way more interesting.

ther epilogue was garbage. the last ~100 pages were really interesting and I feel like I got the most out of the characters at that point. 

I liked the parallels between fate and guilt and what is owed to victims and perpetrators. I think there is a good book that could be written after someone reads this books. 
it's ya a secret history.