The Academy is a scandalous exploration of one drama-filled year at Tiffin Academy, an elite New England boarding school, co-written by bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham. The story begins on move-in day when Tiffin Academy receives shocking news: America Today has ranked them the number two boarding school in the country, a seventeen-spot jump. However, chaos ensues when a new app called ZipZap begins releasing scandalous blind items about students, teachers, and staff, exposing everyone’s darkest secrets.
The novel follows a diverse ensemble cast through an entire academic year, capturing the essence of modern boarding school life where social media, identity, secrets, and ambition collide in a pressure-cooker environment.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Genre | Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Drama |
| Publication Date | September 16, 2025 |
| Setting | Tiffin Academy, an elite New England boarding school |
| Narrative Style | Multi-perspective ensemble cast following one academic year |
| Tone | Gossip Girl meets modern boarding school drama |
| Content Warnings | Eating disorders, mentions of suicide, substance abuse |
| Unique Element | Co-written by mother-daughter duo with authentic teen perspective |
Book Structure
The Academy is structured around the traditional academic calendar, taking readers through:
- Move-In Day & Fall Semester: Introduction to characters, establishment of the ZipZap threat, and initial scandals
- Winter Term: Deepening relationships, escalating secrets, and mounting pressure
- Spring Semester & Conclusion: Revelations, resolutions, and character transformations
The narrative employs multiple point-of-view chapters, allowing readers intimate access to students, faculty, and administrators alike. This structure creates a comprehensive portrait of boarding school life from every angle.
About the Authors
Elin Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, and The Academy is her thirty-first novel. She’s best known for her Nantucket-based summer beach reads and is the #1 bestselling author of The Perfect Couple. Hilderbrand is co-host of the podcast “Books, Beach and Beyond” and is a grateful ten-year breast cancer survivor raising four young adult children.
Shelby Cunningham is a 2024 graduate who was born and raised on Nantucket Island. As a recent high school graduate, she brings an authentic contemporary teen perspective to the narrative, making the student experiences feel genuine and current.
This marks the first collaboration between mother and daughter, combining Elin’s masterful storytelling with Shelby’s fresh voice and recent firsthand experience with modern adolescence.
Why This Book Resonates
A Fresh Direction for Hilderbrand: After decades of Nantucket summer romances, Hilderbrand ventures into new territory with a year-round boarding school setting, demonstrating her versatility as a storyteller.
Authentic Teen Voice: Shelby Cunningham’s involvement ensures the teen characters sound genuinely contemporary, using current slang, navigating modern technology, and dealing with issues relevant to today’s adolescents.
Timely Social Commentary: The novel explores performed identity versus authentic self, feeling particularly relevant in our current cultural moment, yet the underlying themes of belonging and acceptance remain timeless.
Multi-Generational Appeal: By balancing storylines between students and adults, the book appeals to both young adult and adult fiction readers, offering something for everyone.
Gossip Girl Nostalgia: The ZipZap app plotline evokes Gossip Girl vibes, tapping into readers’ love of juicy secrets and dramatic reveals while updating the premise for the social media age.
Ideal Audience
This book is perfect for:
- Fans of Elin Hilderbrand looking for something different from her typical beach reads
- Gossip Girl enthusiasts craving similar drama and scandal
- Boarding school story lovers who enjoy institutional settings with complex social hierarchies
- Adult readers who appreciate YA crossover fiction with mature themes
- Book clubs seeking discussion-worthy topics about identity, privilege, and modern adolescence
- Parents and educators interested in understanding contemporary teen experiences
- Anyone nostalgic for the intensity and drama of high school years
Memorable Quote
“Everyone has something to hide.”
This simple yet powerful statement encapsulates the entire premise of The Academy. In an environment where status, reputation, and image reign supreme, the ZipZap app becomes the great equalizer, reminding everyone that beneath the polished exteriors lie vulnerabilities, mistakes, and secrets that bind the community together in uncomfortable ways.
Central Themes
| Theme | Exploration in the Book |
|---|---|
| Identity & Authenticity | Characters struggle between who they present to the world and who they truly are, especially under the microscope of social media and an elite institution |
| Secrets & Privacy | The ZipZap app raises questions about privacy, the consequences of exposed secrets, and whether anyone can truly escape their past |
| Privilege & Class | The boarding school setting naturally explores wealth, access, and the different ways privilege manifests and protects (or fails to protect) |
| Mental Health | The book addresses eating disorders, suicide mentions, and various characters’ personal struggles, showing the pressure-cooker effect of elite institutions |
| Belonging & Fitting In | Transfer students, new teachers, and even established members all grapple with finding their place in a rigid social hierarchy |
| Technology & Connection | Examines how apps and social media both connect and isolate, spread information and misinformation, build and destroy reputations |
| Power Dynamics | Explores who holds power in institutional settings and how that power can be wielded, abused, or redistributed |
| Coming of Age | Traditional adolescent struggles of self-discovery, first loves, and identity formation play out against heightened circumstances |
Key Characters Spotlight
The novel features memorable characters including Davi Banerjee (international influencer and queen bee), Simone Bergeron (the surprisingly young new history teacher), Charley Hicks (a transfer student determined not to fit in), Cordelia Spooner (Admissions Director), Andrew “East” Eastman, and Audre Robinson, each battling personal demons while navigating the social minefield of Tiffin Academy.
FAQ
Q: Is this a young adult or adult novel? A: It’s a crossover appeal novel. While it features teenage characters and school settings, it also includes adult perspectives (teachers, administrators, parents) and mature themes, making it suitable for older teens and adults.
Q: Do I need to have read other Elin Hilderbrand books first? A: Not at all. This is a standalone novel and represents a departure from her Nantucket beach read series. It’s a perfect entry point for new readers.
Q: Is it appropriate for teenagers? A: Parents should note the content warnings: the book contains depictions of eating disorders, mentions of suicide, and substance abuse. It’s best suited for mature teens and adults.
Q: Will there be a sequel? A: While the book follows one complete academic year, readers have expressed interest in returning to Tiffin Academy, though no sequel has been officially announced at this time.
Q: How much did Shelby Cunningham contribute? A: As co-author, Shelby played a significant role in shaping the teenage characters’ voices, dialogue, and experiences, bringing authenticity that comes from recently living through modern high school herself.
Q: Is it similar to Gossip Girl? A: Many readers draw comparisons due to the anonymous gossip app and elite school setting, but The Academy offers a more ensemble approach with deeper character development and explores contemporary issues like social media’s impact on mental health.
Final Thoughts
The Academy represents an exciting evolution for Elin Hilderbrand while showcasing the promise of emerging writer Shelby Cunningham. This mother-daughter collaboration succeeds in creating a compulsively readable drama that captures both the timeless aspects of adolescence and the unique pressures of modern life lived online.
The novel excels at balancing multiple storylines without losing momentum, giving each character depth and dimension beyond their initial archetypes. While the ZipZap app provides the thriller-like tension that keeps pages turning, the real heart of the story lies in the characters’ journeys toward self-acceptance and authenticity.
The nice balance between faculty, parent, and student storylines creates realistic, memorable characters all battling their own personal demons. Whether you’re drawn to the scandalous reveals, the romantic entanglements, or the deeper exploration of identity and belonging, The Academy delivers a satisfying reading experience that lingers long after the final page.
For readers who’ve followed Hilderbrand through countless Nantucket summers, this book proves she’s more than capable of crafting compelling drama in any setting. For new readers, it’s an accessible, engaging introduction to a masterful storyteller at the top of her game.
Rating: Perfect for fans of character-driven drama, boarding school settings, and anyone who enjoys watching secrets unravel in a high-stakes environment.
