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Troy High
Homer’s Iliad, the classic tale of love and revenge, is shrewdly retold for teens in Troy High.
Narrated by Cassie, a shy outsider who fears that an epic high school rivalry is about to go up in flames, the story follows the Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. After the beautiful Elena–who used to be the captain of the Spartan cheerleaders–transfers to Troy High and falls madly in love with Cassie’s brother Perry, the Spartans vow that the annual homecoming game will never be forgotten.
The Trojans and Spartans pull wicked pranks on each other as homecoming approaches. And the Spartans’ wildcard football star, Ackley, promises to take down the Trojans’ offensive line. But the stakes are raised when Cassie is forced to choose between the boy she loves (a Spartan) and loyalty to her family and school. Troy High will seduce readers with its incendiary cast of mythic proportions.
Narrated by Cassie, a shy outsider who fears that an epic high school rivalry is about to go up in flames, the story follows the Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. After the beautiful Elena–who used to be the captain of the Spartan cheerleaders–transfers to Troy High and falls madly in love with Cassie’s brother Perry, the Spartans vow that the annual homecoming game will never be forgotten.
The Trojans and Spartans pull wicked pranks on each other as homecoming approaches. And the Spartans’ wildcard football star, Ackley, promises to take down the Trojans’ offensive line. But the stakes are raised when Cassie is forced to choose between the boy she loves (a Spartan) and loyalty to her family and school. Troy High will seduce readers with its incendiary cast of mythic proportions.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
83 people are currently reading
2328 people want to read
About the author
Shana Norris
16 books318 followersI write young adult books from a tiny town in eastern North Carolina, where I live with my husband and our zoo of animals. I am the author of SOMETHING TO BLOG ABOUT and TROY HIGH, both available from Abrams/Amulet Books, and THE BOYFRIEND THIEF and SURFACING, both available in ebook format for all ereaders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
January 2, 2024
I own three copies of this book—the original novel, a used copy I bought for $4 and couldn’t resist, and the audiobook.
‘Troy High’ fell into my hands because my mother knows me even better than I do. I read it shortly after reading the Percy Jackson series—my mom thought I would enjoy it because it is a modern retelling of ‘The Iliad.’ Truth be told she gave me this book and I promptly did not read it. No, dear friend, I didn’t read it right away at all. I read this book only when I began to clean my room one night and I found it in my closet. So right there I sat in my deconstructed closet and read the whole damn thing; room forgotten.
Maybe my love for this book is so strong because I didn’t go looking for it. Either way, I am attached forever to ‘Troy High.’ This is definitely a YA book; it is as simple as it is cute—don’t go into it expecting anything other than a light, quick read. If I read it for the first time now rather than six years ago would I be so enamored? I do not know, and I simply do not care because it is in my heart forever. Cassie and Greg are simply too wonderful for my own good. My only negative is that I would have loved to read at least part of this from Greg’s perspective. My only dalliance with fanfiction was trying to rewrite this book from Greg’s POV—I lasted only one sentence but wow what a concept. While I didn’t get that I did get a short novella, ‘Overtime,’ that is told shortly after this one concludes! I think I cried when I realized it was available.
Anyhoo, here’s the first line that effortlessly convinced me to stop cleaning and start reading:
“It was a late Sunday afternoon when I kissed my best friend.”
‘Troy High’ fell into my hands because my mother knows me even better than I do. I read it shortly after reading the Percy Jackson series—my mom thought I would enjoy it because it is a modern retelling of ‘The Iliad.’ Truth be told she gave me this book and I promptly did not read it. No, dear friend, I didn’t read it right away at all. I read this book only when I began to clean my room one night and I found it in my closet. So right there I sat in my deconstructed closet and read the whole damn thing; room forgotten.
Maybe my love for this book is so strong because I didn’t go looking for it. Either way, I am attached forever to ‘Troy High.’ This is definitely a YA book; it is as simple as it is cute—don’t go into it expecting anything other than a light, quick read. If I read it for the first time now rather than six years ago would I be so enamored? I do not know, and I simply do not care because it is in my heart forever. Cassie and Greg are simply too wonderful for my own good. My only negative is that I would have loved to read at least part of this from Greg’s perspective. My only dalliance with fanfiction was trying to rewrite this book from Greg’s POV—I lasted only one sentence but wow what a concept. While I didn’t get that I did get a short novella, ‘Overtime,’ that is told shortly after this one concludes! I think I cried when I realized it was available.
Anyhoo, here’s the first line that effortlessly convinced me to stop cleaning and start reading:
“It was a late Sunday afternoon when I kissed my best friend.”
November 7, 2017
2.5
I feel like I would have given this a much higher rating had I read it 5 years ago. I did enjoy looking for the similarities between the original and this retelling though!
I feel like I would have given this a much higher rating had I read it 5 years ago. I did enjoy looking for the similarities between the original and this retelling though!
March 5, 2011
First of all -- this story of a "war" between rival high schools is a fine book for middle schoolers and younger high schoolers, though I'll be interested to see if they actually like it. There is no questionable content, it's super easy to read (I'd guess 3rd grade reading level? 4th?), and lessons and morals abound.
So, as a teacher, I would say this book is just fine for students to pick up for a summer novel.
As a human, though, a literate human being English major, this is the kind of book that gives YA fiction a bad name. It is poorly written, dull, predictable, straightforward in the worst sense of the word (i.e. NO nuance, NO complexity, NO surprise). The dialogue is laughable...literally, I found myself reading bits of it out loud to my sister and we could barely control ourselves. One football player actually says to another: "Need help rearranging your face?" Really?
It's purportedly based on the Trojan War, and for the first time in my life I wished I weren't such a classics geek (okay, maybe it wasn't the first time I wished that...being secretary of the Classical Club three years running doesn't exactly get you elected prom queen) so that I wouldn't recognize all the superficial allusions to Homer's epic poem. Pretty girl Elena transferred to TROY High = Helen. "Greg Mennon," brother of the football player spurned by Elena after she transfers = Agamemnon. It goes on. Don't worry, there's a Trojan Horse scene at the homecoming dance. This author definitely read the Wikipedia page on the Iliad.
I don't mean to sound so harsh; however, I do wish more authors saw YA as an opportunity to excite, inspire, and enrich teenagers' brains and lives (see: JOHN GREEN), rather than pander to them, or worse, condescend to or dumb down for them.
So, as a teacher, I would say this book is just fine for students to pick up for a summer novel.
As a human, though, a literate human being English major, this is the kind of book that gives YA fiction a bad name. It is poorly written, dull, predictable, straightforward in the worst sense of the word (i.e. NO nuance, NO complexity, NO surprise). The dialogue is laughable...literally, I found myself reading bits of it out loud to my sister and we could barely control ourselves. One football player actually says to another: "Need help rearranging your face?" Really?
It's purportedly based on the Trojan War, and for the first time in my life I wished I weren't such a classics geek (okay, maybe it wasn't the first time I wished that...being secretary of the Classical Club three years running doesn't exactly get you elected prom queen) so that I wouldn't recognize all the superficial allusions to Homer's epic poem. Pretty girl Elena transferred to TROY High = Helen. "Greg Mennon," brother of the football player spurned by Elena after she transfers = Agamemnon. It goes on. Don't worry, there's a Trojan Horse scene at the homecoming dance. This author definitely read the Wikipedia page on the Iliad.
I don't mean to sound so harsh; however, I do wish more authors saw YA as an opportunity to excite, inspire, and enrich teenagers' brains and lives (see: JOHN GREEN), rather than pander to them, or worse, condescend to or dumb down for them.
October 10, 2012
Really 1.5 stars.
To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...
Really, I didn't have that high hopes for this book. Troy retellings and anything that has to do with Troy at this point in my life is a bit of a sore subject for me (see Starcrossed review). However, I was hoping that Troy High would somehow defy the odds and make me love Homer's poem again (it didn't). I will go on the record by saying that this isn't a bad book and if I wasn't a cynical old law student, I might've enjoyed it better.
One of the best things about this book, besides it's concept was that it was an easy read. I do most of my fun reading while I'm commuting, so the fact that I was able to finish it in less than a week is saying something (either that or the traffic has gotten way worse).
That being said, I couldn't help but let out more than a few groans when I was reading it. To say the least, Troy High was cheesy. But I think even saying that's an understatement. I think I'll discuss what bothered me by breaking up the cheese into little pieces.
Let's start with the characters. For the most part they were pretty flat. I mean, Cassie was nice enough,but I really didn't like her. As I'll mention below the girl's a bit of a bitch, but not in a good way. She does some really stupid things and she really doesn't learn anything from her mistakes. It's all washed over in the end. I guess it doesn't help that the supporting characters are weak as well. I mean, everyone is gunning for everyone in this stupid rivalry that's going on it's this book with very little thought. I get that it's trying the book is trying to retell the Trojan War, but you have to put into context that this is the modern world and honestly most teens really don't feel that much pride for their high school.
And the whole forbidden love angle and for that matter the love interest in general. Really, the most flimsy plot point ever. He's not even that great of mind candy. I mean, the only description that we have of him is of his before look. And this is going to be shallow, but that before look wasn't even cute in the nerdy hottie sort of way. And yeah, I don't like excessive description but throw at least one abs description (please).
The plot as I alluded to earlier was weak. And I think it was in part because of the way Norris portrayed high school. Let's face it, high school is a complicated place. Not everyone is going to like you just like not everyone is going to hate you. There are various sects in the school. Some are more about school spirit than others. All the kids at Troy and Lacede they really had team spirit. That's the only reason/way I think Norris could sell the whole Troy plot but still it just didn't work.
And okay, now I'm going to be really nit picky. I honestly got annoyed with the way Norris portrayed other groups other than the football and cheerleading squad, a.k.a. the band. You know, I was in band all four years in high school. My relatives are band directors and let me tell you this, they don't just have a half time show for stupid homecoming. The band and for that matter drill team, perform at each and every halftime show. You might be getting your popcorn or soda while they're performing but the band is performing their show. A show that they will have competitions over. To just state that the band is there for a prop for the football team is insulting to those of us who did not like playing"Let's Go Coogs" in high school. An boy, did I hate that song...
Best Feature: Concept. This book has a pretty neat topic. A topic that I think was sort of washed down till it barely represented it's source material. But still Troy. Super cool and neat and all. And a retelling of Troy that should've meant that this instantly should've been epic. But it wasn't. And I know that loose retellings can work. Case in point, Meg Cabot's Avalon High. The book was loosely based off of the Arthurian myth and took place in a contemporary high school setting. But somehow it worked (at least until Disney ruined it). I think in Norris's case she took a too literal approach and it sort of slapped her back in the face. I mean, if you wanted to go literal with Troy you might as well introduce the fantasy elements and Norris didn't.
Worst Feature: Flatness. The characters and plot were just flat. And I think this was the big reason I couldn't identify with this book. Take our lead Cassie. She's very immature, suffers from self esteem issues, and honestly is a bit of a bitch. That equals flawed character which should equal awesome, right? Well, no. I just didn't like Cassie. She reminded me of one of those girls in high school you wanted to be nice to but just couldn't. Not because you couldn't sympathize with them because you totally could. But because she'd be turning her back on you as soon as popularity comes a calling. It also doesn't help that every relationship in this book for the most part is based on pure shallowness but it lacked the necessary descriptions necessary to make shallowness succeed. Honestly, I think if the book would've been in a different character's POV- say Elena's I might have liked it better.
Appropriateness: Aside for some jokes about bodily fluids and functions and some rather immature pranks, this is pretty tame. Really if anything, the book comes off as juvenile. It's like one of those bad PG movies your kids drag you too that have fart joke after fart joke. That should give you some level of it's maturity. It's not going to scar your kids, but it just might scar you.
To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...
Really, I didn't have that high hopes for this book. Troy retellings and anything that has to do with Troy at this point in my life is a bit of a sore subject for me (see Starcrossed review). However, I was hoping that Troy High would somehow defy the odds and make me love Homer's poem again (it didn't). I will go on the record by saying that this isn't a bad book and if I wasn't a cynical old law student, I might've enjoyed it better.
One of the best things about this book, besides it's concept was that it was an easy read. I do most of my fun reading while I'm commuting, so the fact that I was able to finish it in less than a week is saying something (either that or the traffic has gotten way worse).
That being said, I couldn't help but let out more than a few groans when I was reading it. To say the least, Troy High was cheesy. But I think even saying that's an understatement. I think I'll discuss what bothered me by breaking up the cheese into little pieces.
Let's start with the characters. For the most part they were pretty flat. I mean, Cassie was nice enough,but I really didn't like her. As I'll mention below the girl's a bit of a bitch, but not in a good way. She does some really stupid things and she really doesn't learn anything from her mistakes. It's all washed over in the end. I guess it doesn't help that the supporting characters are weak as well. I mean, everyone is gunning for everyone in this stupid rivalry that's going on it's this book with very little thought. I get that it's trying the book is trying to retell the Trojan War, but you have to put into context that this is the modern world and honestly most teens really don't feel that much pride for their high school.
And the whole forbidden love angle and for that matter the love interest in general. Really, the most flimsy plot point ever. He's not even that great of mind candy. I mean, the only description that we have of him is of his before look. And this is going to be shallow, but that before look wasn't even cute in the nerdy hottie sort of way. And yeah, I don't like excessive description but throw at least one abs description (please).
The plot as I alluded to earlier was weak. And I think it was in part because of the way Norris portrayed high school. Let's face it, high school is a complicated place. Not everyone is going to like you just like not everyone is going to hate you. There are various sects in the school. Some are more about school spirit than others. All the kids at Troy and Lacede they really had team spirit. That's the only reason/way I think Norris could sell the whole Troy plot but still it just didn't work.
And okay, now I'm going to be really nit picky. I honestly got annoyed with the way Norris portrayed other groups other than the football and cheerleading squad, a.k.a. the band. You know, I was in band all four years in high school. My relatives are band directors and let me tell you this, they don't just have a half time show for stupid homecoming. The band and for that matter drill team, perform at each and every halftime show. You might be getting your popcorn or soda while they're performing but the band is performing their show. A show that they will have competitions over. To just state that the band is there for a prop for the football team is insulting to those of us who did not like playing"Let's Go Coogs" in high school. An boy, did I hate that song...
Best Feature: Concept. This book has a pretty neat topic. A topic that I think was sort of washed down till it barely represented it's source material. But still Troy. Super cool and neat and all. And a retelling of Troy that should've meant that this instantly should've been epic. But it wasn't. And I know that loose retellings can work. Case in point, Meg Cabot's Avalon High. The book was loosely based off of the Arthurian myth and took place in a contemporary high school setting. But somehow it worked (at least until Disney ruined it). I think in Norris's case she took a too literal approach and it sort of slapped her back in the face. I mean, if you wanted to go literal with Troy you might as well introduce the fantasy elements and Norris didn't.
Worst Feature: Flatness. The characters and plot were just flat. And I think this was the big reason I couldn't identify with this book. Take our lead Cassie. She's very immature, suffers from self esteem issues, and honestly is a bit of a bitch. That equals flawed character which should equal awesome, right? Well, no. I just didn't like Cassie. She reminded me of one of those girls in high school you wanted to be nice to but just couldn't. Not because you couldn't sympathize with them because you totally could. But because she'd be turning her back on you as soon as popularity comes a calling. It also doesn't help that every relationship in this book for the most part is based on pure shallowness but it lacked the necessary descriptions necessary to make shallowness succeed. Honestly, I think if the book would've been in a different character's POV- say Elena's I might have liked it better.
Appropriateness: Aside for some jokes about bodily fluids and functions and some rather immature pranks, this is pretty tame. Really if anything, the book comes off as juvenile. It's like one of those bad PG movies your kids drag you too that have fart joke after fart joke. That should give you some level of it's maturity. It's not going to scar your kids, but it just might scar you.
July 17, 2024
Well…okay 😂 I could see myself liking this book in middle school
November 24, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
What would happen if you took the story of the Trojan War and set it in a modern-day high school? TROY HIGH does just that as it pits the Trojans against the Spartans starring typical teens in the lead roles of the great old story.
Cassie is a student at Troy High. She keeps herself pretty much out of the action and observes as her two brothers play football and act as big men on campus. Her main interests are playing flute in the band and playing video games with her best friend, Greg. They met two years ago when both their schools attended the same band camp.
There has always been a healthy rivalry between the Trojans at Troy High School and the Spartans from nearby Lacede. Things are different this year, however, because the geographical boundary line between the two school districts was changed, causing a shift in attendance requirements. Some of the Lacede Spartans are now required to attend Troy High. This change has disrupted the students and school loyalty is being tested.
Elena, formerly a Spartan, is now attending Troy. She already was acquainted with Cassie since she dated Greg's older brother. However, on her first day at her new high school, Elena discovers Cassie's brother, Perry. She immediately falls for him and decides to dump her Spartan boyfriend.
Cassie would like to steer clear of the romantic mess since she has some of her own to deal with, but Elena insists on turning their casual friendship into more of a best friend situation. At first, Cassie thinks it is because Elena likes her older brother, but Elena constantly assures her that she is seriously interested in becoming BFFs.
TROY HIGH is not just about romantic interests. The school rivalry heats up and students from both sides begin playing more and more dangerous and destructive pranks. The administrators are not happy with the escalating level of these pranks and threaten to suspend the involved students. The football season is also affected by the rivalry. Players are out not just to win, but to disable their opponents in order to end with a winning record.
Author Shana Norris explains in her author's note the amount of research necessary to make the famous Trojan War story come alive in this modern telling. She also lists the character parallels (Cassie/Cassandra, Greg/Agamemnon, Perry/Paris, Elena/Helen) just to name a few.
Fans of mythology will appreciate the comparisons, but anyone familiar with traditional high school rivalries will find things to like about TROY HIGH.
What would happen if you took the story of the Trojan War and set it in a modern-day high school? TROY HIGH does just that as it pits the Trojans against the Spartans starring typical teens in the lead roles of the great old story.
Cassie is a student at Troy High. She keeps herself pretty much out of the action and observes as her two brothers play football and act as big men on campus. Her main interests are playing flute in the band and playing video games with her best friend, Greg. They met two years ago when both their schools attended the same band camp.
There has always been a healthy rivalry between the Trojans at Troy High School and the Spartans from nearby Lacede. Things are different this year, however, because the geographical boundary line between the two school districts was changed, causing a shift in attendance requirements. Some of the Lacede Spartans are now required to attend Troy High. This change has disrupted the students and school loyalty is being tested.
Elena, formerly a Spartan, is now attending Troy. She already was acquainted with Cassie since she dated Greg's older brother. However, on her first day at her new high school, Elena discovers Cassie's brother, Perry. She immediately falls for him and decides to dump her Spartan boyfriend.
Cassie would like to steer clear of the romantic mess since she has some of her own to deal with, but Elena insists on turning their casual friendship into more of a best friend situation. At first, Cassie thinks it is because Elena likes her older brother, but Elena constantly assures her that she is seriously interested in becoming BFFs.
TROY HIGH is not just about romantic interests. The school rivalry heats up and students from both sides begin playing more and more dangerous and destructive pranks. The administrators are not happy with the escalating level of these pranks and threaten to suspend the involved students. The football season is also affected by the rivalry. Players are out not just to win, but to disable their opponents in order to end with a winning record.
Author Shana Norris explains in her author's note the amount of research necessary to make the famous Trojan War story come alive in this modern telling. She also lists the character parallels (Cassie/Cassandra, Greg/Agamemnon, Perry/Paris, Elena/Helen) just to name a few.
Fans of mythology will appreciate the comparisons, but anyone familiar with traditional high school rivalries will find things to like about TROY HIGH.
February 26, 2012
Lisa Campbell
Traditional Literature
Troy High is the retelling of the Iliad played out on the football fields and school halls of two rival High Schools. Cassie (Cassandra) goes to Troy High with her brothers, football stars, Hunter (Hector) and Perry (Paris). Elena (Helen) arrives at Troy High, falls for Perry and breaks up with her long time Spartan boyfriend, Lucas (Menelaus). The rivalry begins. The two schools begin a war of pranks that become increasingly alarming. It comes to a head as the two teams face off on the football field. Cassie keeps trying to tell everyone that if the animosity doesn’t stop something bad will happen but no one will listen. Cassie and her long time best friend and secret crush, Greg (Agamemnon) find the war is even causing them to question each other.
The book is a quick read and many teens, particularly girls, would enjoy the romance of the story. The book examines loyalty as a central theme and this is something many young adults understand. The story is an effective retelling of the Iliad with many of the central characters and themes represented. The author condenses some characters for clarity, but the major characters make an appearance including Achilles and Odysseus.
Traditional Literature
Troy High is the retelling of the Iliad played out on the football fields and school halls of two rival High Schools. Cassie (Cassandra) goes to Troy High with her brothers, football stars, Hunter (Hector) and Perry (Paris). Elena (Helen) arrives at Troy High, falls for Perry and breaks up with her long time Spartan boyfriend, Lucas (Menelaus). The rivalry begins. The two schools begin a war of pranks that become increasingly alarming. It comes to a head as the two teams face off on the football field. Cassie keeps trying to tell everyone that if the animosity doesn’t stop something bad will happen but no one will listen. Cassie and her long time best friend and secret crush, Greg (Agamemnon) find the war is even causing them to question each other.
The book is a quick read and many teens, particularly girls, would enjoy the romance of the story. The book examines loyalty as a central theme and this is something many young adults understand. The story is an effective retelling of the Iliad with many of the central characters and themes represented. The author condenses some characters for clarity, but the major characters make an appearance including Achilles and Odysseus.
August 16, 2009
Troy High is a hip re-vamping of a classic tale. It highlights the implications of high school rivalries as the Trojans take on the Spartans (both on and off the football field).
Cassie, the narrator, is sucked into a war she wants no part of and must determine where her loyalties lie: with her Spartan best friend, or her football-playing Trojan brothers.
Norris’s storytelling is witty and engaging, and readers will love the classic pranks played by both schools.
Though many parts are laugh out loud funny, Norris does an excellent job showing just how deep rivalries run, and the devastating effects they sometimes have.
Shana Norris (Something to Blog About, 2008) is a funny new voice in YA literature, and definitely an author to keep an eye on.
Cassie, the narrator, is sucked into a war she wants no part of and must determine where her loyalties lie: with her Spartan best friend, or her football-playing Trojan brothers.
Norris’s storytelling is witty and engaging, and readers will love the classic pranks played by both schools.
Though many parts are laugh out loud funny, Norris does an excellent job showing just how deep rivalries run, and the devastating effects they sometimes have.
Shana Norris (Something to Blog About, 2008) is a funny new voice in YA literature, and definitely an author to keep an eye on.
September 12, 2014
This book was GREAT!! I’m not big on reading and I don’t like to read much, but this was one book that was so hard to put down! I related with the main character a lot being that she had conflict in her love life. If you are big on young love and romance conflict, this would be a great book for you.
February 14, 2014
loooved it.
March 1, 2018
Troy High was a book that taught me about how life as an outcast is also how it is to have to choose close friends over family.
The main character Cassie Prince started off as a hermit; she had no friends but her best friend Greg -who went to Lacede and she also had a secret crush on- no one talked to her despite that her two older brother Hunter and Perry were star football players, that just made things worse for her. Because of zone changes former Lacede students (Troy High’s rivals) had to transfer to Troy which was the school Cassie and her brothers went to; Cassie quickly made friends with a transfer named Elena Argos who was a popular cheerleader at Lacede, this instantly boosted Cassie’s social status and she was loving it, all the attention, all the friends, everything. She loved it until her brother started dated Elena, which was Lucas’s (Lacede football player also Greg’s brother) ex/girlfriend; this made the rivalry very serious.
This war was fought by a series of pranks that destroyed school property, caused Troy’s students to get sick, but mainly it got to a point where Cassie had to choose if she was a Trojan or a Spartan and to prove she was a Trojan she had to embarrass her best friend, and this ruined their friendship. Eventually they made up because they weren’t going to let a “stupid rivalry” ruin their friendship.
Finally, it was the most important game of the year Troy vs. Lacede it was a long and harsh game; Hunter dislocated his shoulder, and a Lacede player got a concussion but unfortunately Lacede came up with the win. This was also the night of homecoming and Cassie and Greg were going together, this meant trouble. After Cassie got all dolled up she arrived at the dance and met Greg at the door. The dance was going great until a big explosion/ fire broke out. This ignited Cassie’s anger because it was another prank from Lacede and she knew Greg knew about it. He tried to calm her down by hugging her and sneaking a kiss, this angered her even more.
Weeks passed, and the pranks stopped but Cassie still suffered from the incident. Hunter noticed Cassie’s change in her mood, so he decided to fix it and bring her and Greg back together. He brought Greg to their house and his plan worked out as planned and instead of them becoming best friends they ended up being a couple.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2021
Hello everyone, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about teen romance and conflicts. It is not at a hard reading level so I say middle schoolers and underclassmen are the perfect population to read this book, but anyone is welcome to. It’s a really good one.
Troy High by Shana Norris is a story about a rivalry between two high schools that involves this teenage girl and a sophomore at Troy High, Cassie, who falls in love with her best friend,Greg, who is a student at Lacede High. But this love brings some conflicts into it by Cassie accidentally getting in the moment and kissing him while they were at his house. This story takes place in two towns, Troy & Lacede, (as you could’ve told when I explained the main characters of the story). These two schools have always had a big rivalry over football for thousands of years of who’s better than who. In the story, a part of Lacede’s students got transferred to Troy during Cassie’s sophomore year, which made it way worse for these two schools. Elena (ex-girlfriend of a student from Lacede and a transferred student from Lacede to Troy) started a romantic experience with Perry (Cassie’s older brother and student from Troy High), Both schools pull pranks on each other’s schools, and Lacede sabotaged Troy’s mascot and putting laxative in their school lunch, etc..
The author explores the theme of rivalry, making the point that fighting with each other won’t bring anything but bad news and hurting each other. This story reminds me of my school. We are a big part of the football culture and competing with schools around our county is a big part of our high school.
Troy High by Shana Norris is a story about a rivalry between two high schools that involves this teenage girl and a sophomore at Troy High, Cassie, who falls in love with her best friend,Greg, who is a student at Lacede High. But this love brings some conflicts into it by Cassie accidentally getting in the moment and kissing him while they were at his house. This story takes place in two towns, Troy & Lacede, (as you could’ve told when I explained the main characters of the story). These two schools have always had a big rivalry over football for thousands of years of who’s better than who. In the story, a part of Lacede’s students got transferred to Troy during Cassie’s sophomore year, which made it way worse for these two schools. Elena (ex-girlfriend of a student from Lacede and a transferred student from Lacede to Troy) started a romantic experience with Perry (Cassie’s older brother and student from Troy High), Both schools pull pranks on each other’s schools, and Lacede sabotaged Troy’s mascot and putting laxative in their school lunch, etc..
The author explores the theme of rivalry, making the point that fighting with each other won’t bring anything but bad news and hurting each other. This story reminds me of my school. We are a big part of the football culture and competing with schools around our county is a big part of our high school.
March 22, 2018
In this book there are many character. Cassie is the main character, but there is also, Greg, Hunter, Perry, Elena, and lots of others. The main problem in this book is that Troy High and Lacade High get in a huge prank war and start destroying each others schools. The settings in this book is the Princes house, Greg's house, Troy and Lacade Highs, and a couple other places.
There are many figurative devices in Troy High. First is similes: "Greg's lips were just calling me, but I couldn't risk the chance of losing my best friend."(157) Another simile from Troy High says, "I was as stuffed as a pig in a blanket."(203) Next is two examples of hyperbole are: "It had felt like forever since Greg and I had talked."(233) "This war had gone one for to long. It feels like it has gone one for the whole year!"(209) One other figurative device that is used is personification: "The mushroom covered pizza was calling me." (245)
I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of interesting parts on it though. Like someone kisses their best friend and stuff like that. Other than the somewhat weird parts, it was a pretty great book. The whole overview of the book would be two high schools getting into a fight. There is a lot of drama which I kind of liked. If you are looking for a dramatic book, look no further!
There are many figurative devices in Troy High. First is similes: "Greg's lips were just calling me, but I couldn't risk the chance of losing my best friend."(157) Another simile from Troy High says, "I was as stuffed as a pig in a blanket."(203) Next is two examples of hyperbole are: "It had felt like forever since Greg and I had talked."(233) "This war had gone one for to long. It feels like it has gone one for the whole year!"(209) One other figurative device that is used is personification: "The mushroom covered pizza was calling me." (245)
I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of interesting parts on it though. Like someone kisses their best friend and stuff like that. Other than the somewhat weird parts, it was a pretty great book. The whole overview of the book would be two high schools getting into a fight. There is a lot of drama which I kind of liked. If you are looking for a dramatic book, look no further!
July 11, 2024
3.5⭐️ I actually read this in high school and I remember being obsessed with it so when I found my hardcover of it, I read it again. It was good! Just a little cheesy but I did like the overall storyline and how the author portrayed all of the characters.
December 21, 2020
3.5 stars
A light, easy read. Would have loved a little more depth, but I still got absorbed in the story and wanted to know how it would end.
A light, easy read. Would have loved a little more depth, but I still got absorbed in the story and wanted to know how it would end.
September 26, 2023
Cute book. Loved this book when I was a middle schooler and came across it again and wanted to read it again as an adult!
August 16, 2016
I went into this novel thinking it would be a cute fun read to quickly get through. WRONG! It took me over a month to finish it. Actually, make that two months. Anyway, that doesn't matter. The fact that it wasn't likeable is, however. I hate writing bad reviews because I know writers put their heart and souls into writing novels, but I have to be quite honest here in saying I just didn't like it.
My first problem with it was Cassie and Greg's relationship. It was f**ked up, ok? They were 'best friends', yet they hardly talked when they saw each other in public because they were from rival schools. I just didn't understand it. Greg chose is brother and the rivalry multiple times, screwed up multiple times, apologized multiple times. Oh! but wait then he is forgiven and he does it all over again! He called Cassie annoying several times, and I'm sorry if this offends anyone but calling a girl annoying when you like her and she likes you back is unacceptable! I really hated him for that. He wasn't all bad and I completely understand that this isn't a romance novel. It's supposed to be a funny, fictional, myth in reality book, but I couldn't stand the way he treated Cassie.
Dear, dear cassie. Oh how I wanted to bang her head into a wall. She says that she wants peace between the two schools. She says that, yet she does absolutely nothing to fix it. At one point in the book her brother wakes her up and tells her that they are going to the rival school. She 'doesn't know what's going on'. How the heck can she not know what's going on. Cassie is a brillant girl so explain to me why she doesn't know what's going on? Anyway, on to her friendship with Elena. She knows Elena for a couple days when Elena wants Cassie to help her break up with her boyfriend to go out with Cassie's brother. She's using her and Cassie is fine with that you know. She only wants to be in the in-crowd so she does what Elena asks of her. Elena calls her a brat for saying she wants peace between the schools and Cassie agrees with her and is all like "yeah Elena I can be a brat sometimes. let me kiss your a**!!) It made me so mad because at the end of the page she said that she didn't want Elena to be mad at her. -_- only known the girl for a week or so but you hate when you think she's mad at you because you want to be in the popular crowd so much. Ok, i'm just going to let other people stew on that i'm done with Cassie.
The plot was pretty much like Troy I guess. I saw the movie, Troy, but haven't gotten a chance to read the Illiad yet. It was predictable, but this isn't the kind of book where you finish reading it and go, "oh my! What a surprising ending! It taught me a valuable lesson, and my life is forever altered because i read this novel." Tell you the truth half the books in the world are like that, so i'm picking on no one! Just saying.
Just don't. I'm sorry but just don't.
My first problem with it was Cassie and Greg's relationship. It was f**ked up, ok? They were 'best friends', yet they hardly talked when they saw each other in public because they were from rival schools. I just didn't understand it. Greg chose is brother and the rivalry multiple times, screwed up multiple times, apologized multiple times. Oh! but wait then he is forgiven and he does it all over again! He called Cassie annoying several times, and I'm sorry if this offends anyone but calling a girl annoying when you like her and she likes you back is unacceptable! I really hated him for that. He wasn't all bad and I completely understand that this isn't a romance novel. It's supposed to be a funny, fictional, myth in reality book, but I couldn't stand the way he treated Cassie.
Dear, dear cassie. Oh how I wanted to bang her head into a wall. She says that she wants peace between the two schools. She says that, yet she does absolutely nothing to fix it. At one point in the book her brother wakes her up and tells her that they are going to the rival school. She 'doesn't know what's going on'. How the heck can she not know what's going on. Cassie is a brillant girl so explain to me why she doesn't know what's going on? Anyway, on to her friendship with Elena. She knows Elena for a couple days when Elena wants Cassie to help her break up with her boyfriend to go out with Cassie's brother. She's using her and Cassie is fine with that you know. She only wants to be in the in-crowd so she does what Elena asks of her. Elena calls her a brat for saying she wants peace between the schools and Cassie agrees with her and is all like "yeah Elena I can be a brat sometimes. let me kiss your a**!!) It made me so mad because at the end of the page she said that she didn't want Elena to be mad at her. -_- only known the girl for a week or so but you hate when you think she's mad at you because you want to be in the popular crowd so much. Ok, i'm just going to let other people stew on that i'm done with Cassie.
The plot was pretty much like Troy I guess. I saw the movie, Troy, but haven't gotten a chance to read the Illiad yet. It was predictable, but this isn't the kind of book where you finish reading it and go, "oh my! What a surprising ending! It taught me a valuable lesson, and my life is forever altered because i read this novel." Tell you the truth half the books in the world are like that, so i'm picking on no one! Just saying.
Just don't. I'm sorry but just don't.
August 31, 2011
Troy High is based of a life of a high school teenager & the challenges she faces along the way, Cassie being the main character is invisible compared to her brothers Hunter & Perry who are the school star football players. Her life changes when the rivalry school Lacede high moves some of their students over to Troy, because of some district changes. Her best friend Greg goes to Lacede but unfortunately wasn't the few that was transferred. Elena however is a former Lacede cheerleader, but now that she is transferred to Troy things changed. Maybe not much because she is still popular & a cheerleader for Troy now, she & Cassie become friends. Perry notices Elena & immediately falls in love, which is a problem because Elena is Lucas's ex who is a student at Lacede.
Through out the story many pranks are pulled between both schools, Cassie isn't a big fan of it & tries to make peace. Her brother Hunter wants her to stay out of it so she won't get hurt. Her best friend Greg is involved in some of the pranks because his brother is Lucas so he doesn't really have a say in all this, same as Cassie. The pranks started out simple but then started getting more dangerous to the point where there was a fire in the school gym during homecoming dance. Greg knew about it but he didn't know there was going to be a fire. Cassie found out & got really upset with him causing her not to talk to him for a while. Meanwhile Hunter got hurt during the homecoming game by a player from Lacede he split his shoulder so hid football playing days are over until he is completely healed, meaning Troy lost & Lacede won the battle between both schools.
I think the author's main audience is teens in high school, it is dealing with what goes on in a typical high school. All the drama & fights that students get involved in. The book is called Troy high, by the name you can already tell it will be about a high school, it can be suitable for kids in middle school too. So they can know whats coming when they head to high school. So i say this book is for young teens, i think the author went though something like this when they were in high school, so they wanted to share it with us.
The author wants us to learn that high school isn't everything & being popular isn't everything. You will realize later on in life that there are more important things to think about then some rivalry. Also that friendship is important, you shouldn't abandon your friends just because you are popular. Just because you feel as though you are above them doesn't mean they don't mean anything to you anymore. There will come a day when you will need them the most & they won't be there, that's when you will see that you gave up something worth more than popularity.
Through out the story many pranks are pulled between both schools, Cassie isn't a big fan of it & tries to make peace. Her brother Hunter wants her to stay out of it so she won't get hurt. Her best friend Greg is involved in some of the pranks because his brother is Lucas so he doesn't really have a say in all this, same as Cassie. The pranks started out simple but then started getting more dangerous to the point where there was a fire in the school gym during homecoming dance. Greg knew about it but he didn't know there was going to be a fire. Cassie found out & got really upset with him causing her not to talk to him for a while. Meanwhile Hunter got hurt during the homecoming game by a player from Lacede he split his shoulder so hid football playing days are over until he is completely healed, meaning Troy lost & Lacede won the battle between both schools.
I think the author's main audience is teens in high school, it is dealing with what goes on in a typical high school. All the drama & fights that students get involved in. The book is called Troy high, by the name you can already tell it will be about a high school, it can be suitable for kids in middle school too. So they can know whats coming when they head to high school. So i say this book is for young teens, i think the author went though something like this when they were in high school, so they wanted to share it with us.
The author wants us to learn that high school isn't everything & being popular isn't everything. You will realize later on in life that there are more important things to think about then some rivalry. Also that friendship is important, you shouldn't abandon your friends just because you are popular. Just because you feel as though you are above them doesn't mean they don't mean anything to you anymore. There will come a day when you will need them the most & they won't be there, that's when you will see that you gave up something worth more than popularity.
Read
March 21, 2012I saw some parallels immediately: Elena Argos...instead of Helen of Sparta...then the two competing schools: Spartans and Trojans. Then Cassie/Cassandra and Hunter/Hector and Perry/Paris. That had to mean that Lucas is Menelaus...and then the fun was increasing.
The rivalry between Lacede and Troy High had always been strong, but because of redistricting, some of Lacede's students were forcibly transferred to Troy. Football is everything to both schools, and when Elena throws over her old boyfriend Lucas, uh Meleaus, for Perry...Paris, we, like Cassandra can predict trouble. Like Cassandra, no one will listen and things escalate out of control. Pranks get more and more intense and dangerous, and Cassie begins to have dreams about her big brother, Hunter, being badly injured on the football field at Homecoming.
Add to the mix Ackley/Achilles, a hair-trigger jerk who lives to hurt people, and Owen/Odysseus who devises a 'peace offering' at Homecoming -- a flower Trojan Horse, and more fun ensues.
At the center of this story is not Helen, whom I always found tiresome, but Cassie, in love with her best friend, Lucas's brother (Greg Mennon/Agememnon) who's the sophomore class president...at Lacede. Cassie and Greg find their friendship and whatever else may develop sorely challenged by the high jinks of their siblings...
ONLY the careful student of the Trojan War, and the Illiad, will get all the inside jokes, but even as a casual reader of YA romance fiction, we can enjoy this book...
Fun -- eager to share this with my girls. Deathless prose? Nah...but a great advertisement for why one must read the classics. Norris has created a great mash-up. One of my favorites!
The rivalry between Lacede and Troy High had always been strong, but because of redistricting, some of Lacede's students were forcibly transferred to Troy. Football is everything to both schools, and when Elena throws over her old boyfriend Lucas, uh Meleaus, for Perry...Paris, we, like Cassandra can predict trouble. Like Cassandra, no one will listen and things escalate out of control. Pranks get more and more intense and dangerous, and Cassie begins to have dreams about her big brother, Hunter, being badly injured on the football field at Homecoming.
Add to the mix Ackley/Achilles, a hair-trigger jerk who lives to hurt people, and Owen/Odysseus who devises a 'peace offering' at Homecoming -- a flower Trojan Horse, and more fun ensues.
At the center of this story is not Helen, whom I always found tiresome, but Cassie, in love with her best friend, Lucas's brother (Greg Mennon/Agememnon) who's the sophomore class president...at Lacede. Cassie and Greg find their friendship and whatever else may develop sorely challenged by the high jinks of their siblings...
ONLY the careful student of the Trojan War, and the Illiad, will get all the inside jokes, but even as a casual reader of YA romance fiction, we can enjoy this book...
Fun -- eager to share this with my girls. Deathless prose? Nah...but a great advertisement for why one must read the classics. Norris has created a great mash-up. One of my favorites!
February 26, 2014
Well, this book is pretty much a modern day Iliad story. There are two rival schools who have always been all for the nice rivalry every once in a while. Usually this happened on the football field. The main girl Cassie went to Troy High and her best friend,Greg, went to Lacede High. They always played video games and hungout as friends because they didnt really care about the whole rivalry thing. Both Cassie and Greg had older brothers that played football so of course they didn't like them hanging out but they still did. The school zone lines were changing and many people from Laced High had to come to Troy High. Of course, this would be difficult for everyone involved but it wasn't so hard for Elena Argos. She had gone to Lacede and had a boyfriend that still went there. Their relationship had been going great for so long until one day when Elena started to like Cassies brother Perry. So, Elena broke up with her other boyfriend for Perry and this made the rivalry much worse. Especially because they both played football. This fight over Elenas heart led to many pranks between the schools. Many of these pranks could have gotten them arrested but none of them stopped after being warned by teachers. Eventually, these pranks lead to the homecoming game against the schools and the dance. Troy High loses the homecoming game and has a prank pulled on them that ends the rivalry. Troy High loses the rivalry to Lacede High. This book has a very good story line turned into modern day language. I give this book 5 stars because it followed the story line while adding in modern components that we can understand.
December 1, 2012
I was looking for something silly and funny instead I all I got was something silly. Kidding!
Or am I?
My main problem is that I went into TROY HIGH expecting one of those high school rom coms, shenanigan filled and even more cutesy young love moments. A fat lot my expectation served me. Because I did get all I was wanting just not up to the quality I was wanting. And the shenanigans, there were plenty: with one high school set pranking the other one and hiking up the gravity with each thing done. They weren’t even creative pranks at that! So numero uno issue: Not as many laughs as I was hoping for.
For what it is ~a youngish romance with a girl making mountains out of mole hills~ it was OK. Just OK, though because Cassie wasn’t the only one acting like a drama queen. Perhaps because she’s the most level headed when considering there’s a whole school filled with mountain-from-mole-hill making people! No, make that two schools filled to the brim with such mountain makers! And it should have been funny, but it wasn’t.
I liked the whole bestie and ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ thing she had going for her mainly because things got so painfully awkward. But the other young love bit of ‘Oh! The popular cute jock boy is hot and squee… is he looking my way?’ that seemed to fill the minds of most others here was, oh god, cringe worthy if it was anything else.
I will say this: this was quick read… it could have been funnier, though.
2/5
Seriously though, I need something funny… ala Green’s Katherines.
Or am I?
My main problem is that I went into TROY HIGH expecting one of those high school rom coms, shenanigan filled and even more cutesy young love moments. A fat lot my expectation served me. Because I did get all I was wanting just not up to the quality I was wanting. And the shenanigans, there were plenty: with one high school set pranking the other one and hiking up the gravity with each thing done. They weren’t even creative pranks at that! So numero uno issue: Not as many laughs as I was hoping for.
For what it is ~a youngish romance with a girl making mountains out of mole hills~ it was OK. Just OK, though because Cassie wasn’t the only one acting like a drama queen. Perhaps because she’s the most level headed when considering there’s a whole school filled with mountain-from-mole-hill making people! No, make that two schools filled to the brim with such mountain makers! And it should have been funny, but it wasn’t.
I liked the whole bestie and ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ thing she had going for her mainly because things got so painfully awkward. But the other young love bit of ‘Oh! The popular cute jock boy is hot and squee… is he looking my way?’ that seemed to fill the minds of most others here was, oh god, cringe worthy if it was anything else.
I will say this: this was quick read… it could have been funnier, though.
2/5
Seriously though, I need something funny… ala Green’s Katherines.
October 10, 2010
I really liked this book, I have never read about a school rivalry before, but I guess there’s a first for everything! This character, Cassie had many tough decisions to make.
Cassie was the narrator and main character. She had tough decisions to make. One was that she was friends with Greg, from the enemy school so she had to choose with school she wanted to side with and be friends with Elena, her first real girlfriend or Greg who has been her friends with her for years now. What makes the decision even harder is that her brothers are the captains/ leaders of the school war.
Cassie continued to hang out with Greg which frustrated me because she was damaging her first real friendship with a girl and her relationship with her brothers. Why didn’t she just leave Greg, she had another friend, one who wasn’t obsessed with video games and went to the enemy school.
Then I started to hate Cassie because she was still friends with the enemy and she told Greg that the girls were planning an attack on the cheerleaders! What a traitor! She damaged her friendship and family relationship. She is sooooo lucky they forgave her because I definitely wouldn’t.
Overall, I liked the book a lot, I really liked the characters and their decisions because I felt different things toward them. I also liked how the author tried to recreate another book. So, I give this book five out of five stars!
Cassie was the narrator and main character. She had tough decisions to make. One was that she was friends with Greg, from the enemy school so she had to choose with school she wanted to side with and be friends with Elena, her first real girlfriend or Greg who has been her friends with her for years now. What makes the decision even harder is that her brothers are the captains/ leaders of the school war.
Cassie continued to hang out with Greg which frustrated me because she was damaging her first real friendship with a girl and her relationship with her brothers. Why didn’t she just leave Greg, she had another friend, one who wasn’t obsessed with video games and went to the enemy school.
Then I started to hate Cassie because she was still friends with the enemy and she told Greg that the girls were planning an attack on the cheerleaders! What a traitor! She damaged her friendship and family relationship. She is sooooo lucky they forgave her because I definitely wouldn’t.
Overall, I liked the book a lot, I really liked the characters and their decisions because I felt different things toward them. I also liked how the author tried to recreate another book. So, I give this book five out of five stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2013
This book title is Troy High by Shana norris. This book is not compared to any other novel. The challeges of this book was that the war going between the two school and also Elena Argos used to date Lucas the football player for the Lacede spartans but they broke up and now Elena goes to Troy high where she met Cassie's brother Perry Prince. This book is unique beacause it discribes modern time stuff and how some schools are like Spartans and Trojans, where they pull pranks on eachother. I like how Elena is freinds with Cassie, because Casssie is really shy to talk to anyone but Elena isn't. Cassie Prince, a shy outsider and a sophomore, has two brothers Hunter and Perry Prince, both very popular football player at Troy High.Elena Argos a beutiful cheerlearder was the captin of her old school Lacede cheerleard team, now dating Perry, and cheering for Troy High. The major events in this book when Trojans and Spartans meet at this local ice cream shop and Hunter Prince fights Lucas.This book has a connection to the world because some schools are like Troy high and Lacede, they always fightm and pull pranks on eachother. One speacial scene is when spartan cheerleaders mess up trojan cheersleaders locker room and write traitor on the wall with lipstick, for Elena because now she cheers for Troy high. I like this book because it discribes what can happen between two school if the teachers don't get involed in it. This book doesn't have any sequel.
January 10, 2014
This classic tale of revenge and love is beauty retold in "Troy high". Cassie, a shy,kept to herself type of girl is the sister of the two best football players at troy high school. She always feels like she is living in her brothers shadows and never has has her own life. The story follows the battling Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. Their rivalry against Lacede high school goes crazy as the football games become not enough for rivalry. Both school play unbelievable pranks that get both schools in trouble. will this war ever come to an end? Read "Troy high" to find out.
I enjoyed the suspense of knowing a prank was going to be pulled but not knowing when or how. Norris' writing was perfect and I felt like it was just right to understand and not hard at all. The authors writing strengths were that she laid everything out for you and you had had to pick up all the pieces and use your brain a little bit. I could tell Norris wanted the story to have some foreshadowing. I would recommend this book for girls from the ages ten to 14 who love some drama and romance at the same time. this book kept me sitting at the edge of my seat with all the foreshadowing and how it was laid out perfectly.
I enjoyed the suspense of knowing a prank was going to be pulled but not knowing when or how. Norris' writing was perfect and I felt like it was just right to understand and not hard at all. The authors writing strengths were that she laid everything out for you and you had had to pick up all the pieces and use your brain a little bit. I could tell Norris wanted the story to have some foreshadowing. I would recommend this book for girls from the ages ten to 14 who love some drama and romance at the same time. this book kept me sitting at the edge of my seat with all the foreshadowing and how it was laid out perfectly.
December 28, 2009
Taken from My Blog:
www.princessbookie.com
My Thoughts: I liked the whole concept of this one. We meet Cassie who goes to one school, her best friend and crush Greg who goes to another. Her brothers that go to her school, Greg's brothers that go to Greg's. Elena was dating Greg's brother but she is now dating Cassie's brother and has become friends with Cassie. The schools began a rivalry on and off the football field. I liked reading about all the pranks they played on each other and I liked Greg and Cassie together. I wanted them to get to the point of being more than friends. This book is a classic retelling of Helen of Troy. Does the rivalry stop between the teams stop? Do Cassie and Greg end up together? Does Elena keep dating Cassie's brother or does she get back together with Greg's? Read the book to find out!
Overall: I liked some parts more than others. But overall, I liked it. I didn't love love it but it was cute enough for a read. Its a fun quick fluffy read.
Cover: I think the cover is cute. I like the cheerleader angle. I would have rather seen Cassie though, I believe this is Elena.
www.princessbookie.com
My Thoughts: I liked the whole concept of this one. We meet Cassie who goes to one school, her best friend and crush Greg who goes to another. Her brothers that go to her school, Greg's brothers that go to Greg's. Elena was dating Greg's brother but she is now dating Cassie's brother and has become friends with Cassie. The schools began a rivalry on and off the football field. I liked reading about all the pranks they played on each other and I liked Greg and Cassie together. I wanted them to get to the point of being more than friends. This book is a classic retelling of Helen of Troy. Does the rivalry stop between the teams stop? Do Cassie and Greg end up together? Does Elena keep dating Cassie's brother or does she get back together with Greg's? Read the book to find out!
Overall: I liked some parts more than others. But overall, I liked it. I didn't love love it but it was cute enough for a read. Its a fun quick fluffy read.
Cover: I think the cover is cute. I like the cheerleader angle. I would have rather seen Cassie though, I believe this is Elena.
February 27, 2013
PCB Review
In the novel Troy High by Shana Norris, the main character Cassie wants to avoid the rivalry between the Trojans and Spartans, but she gets dragged in it by her two older super popular brothers, so she goes along with them and has some good and bad moments along the way. This book had many strengths and few weaknesses. The strengths that I thought the book had was how it kept me interested, how the characters were so well defined, and how fun the book was. I loved this book, I was always waiting for the next page to come up and surprise me with excitement. The characters were really well described, while reading this book I could picture all of the characters and their actions. I also thought that they had very neat personalities, they were all unique and interesting to read about. The one weakness of this book is how shy Cassie is. She is extremely shy and doesn’t have a cheerful personality. Even though she is the main character and the narrator I think she needs to be more outgoing and happy. Other than that the book was fantastic, I do suggest this book to people who really enjoy dramatic books.
In the novel Troy High by Shana Norris, the main character Cassie wants to avoid the rivalry between the Trojans and Spartans, but she gets dragged in it by her two older super popular brothers, so she goes along with them and has some good and bad moments along the way. This book had many strengths and few weaknesses. The strengths that I thought the book had was how it kept me interested, how the characters were so well defined, and how fun the book was. I loved this book, I was always waiting for the next page to come up and surprise me with excitement. The characters were really well described, while reading this book I could picture all of the characters and their actions. I also thought that they had very neat personalities, they were all unique and interesting to read about. The one weakness of this book is how shy Cassie is. She is extremely shy and doesn’t have a cheerful personality. Even though she is the main character and the narrator I think she needs to be more outgoing and happy. Other than that the book was fantastic, I do suggest this book to people who really enjoy dramatic books.
November 14, 2014
1 The book troy high, written by shana norris, the book has a lot of drama in it. With the main character a spartan who was made to go to the spartans because there is once a year people go from school to school. She was best friends with a from her old school the trojans starts to get a crush on him, but there is a rival between the schools. She is short and pretty. The best friend brandon, 5,5 and skinny didn’t know about the crush, until she asked him to go to the dance at the rival school. Her brother hunter and perry brother played football hunter the quarterback and perry on defence. Perry stoll brandons brothers girlfriend. Which got this rival thing out of hand. What will happen? The best friends start dating? will the rival stop?
Opinion:
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because it is a really good book with detail and I love books with drama in it. I would recommend it. The book has drama (just like our school) but I love reading about that stuff with the action in it of the fight. If you like rival stuff you should read this book Troy High
Opinion:
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because it is a really good book with detail and I love books with drama in it. I would recommend it. The book has drama (just like our school) but I love reading about that stuff with the action in it of the fight. If you like rival stuff you should read this book Troy High
May 3, 2015
Having not read Homer’s ‘Iliad’ I’m afraid my knowledge of the story of Troy is limited to the film starring Brad Pitt! Therefore I’m not going to be an expert on how good a retelling it is. What I can tell you though, is that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I connected to Cassie straight away and liked seeing the cast of characters through her eyes. The friendship and feelings she had for Greg felt real - meaning I was really rooting for them. I also really enjoyed her budding friendship with Elena and watching her relationship with her brother's change because of the rivalry. I found the whole rivalry between the schools really interesting to read – and although there was some fun in the pranks to begin with it was interesting to see how easy it is for them to turn into something more sinister.
Overall I found it really engaging. It felt really fresh – different from anything I’ve read recently and I found myself staying awake until one o'clock in the morning to finish it!
I connected to Cassie straight away and liked seeing the cast of characters through her eyes. The friendship and feelings she had for Greg felt real - meaning I was really rooting for them. I also really enjoyed her budding friendship with Elena and watching her relationship with her brother's change because of the rivalry. I found the whole rivalry between the schools really interesting to read – and although there was some fun in the pranks to begin with it was interesting to see how easy it is for them to turn into something more sinister.
Overall I found it really engaging. It felt really fresh – different from anything I’ve read recently and I found myself staying awake until one o'clock in the morning to finish it!
December 7, 2015
This book was loads of fun. I started this book on a two hour flight to Florida and I was done just as the pilot said it was time to start the landing procedures. The story of Helen of Troy has always been a fascinating one to me and it was very fun reading this retelling in a modern story.
I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed how fast the book moved.
Plus it was a very quick read which really made this book fun.
This is a great, fun, fast read and is for anyone who loves a cute retelling.
I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed how fast the book moved.
Plus it was a very quick read which really made this book fun.
This is a great, fun, fast read and is for anyone who loves a cute retelling.
September 16, 2009
I finally picked up a copy of this book last week - yay for Shana! :)
Troy High is a clever modern-day retelling of The Trojan War, but even if you know the classic story, this story is still fun to read - it kept me guessing how she was going to pull it all together right up to the end.
funny in parts, true-to-life in some parts, high school drama in a lot of parts -- a great second book from Shana!
Troy High is a clever modern-day retelling of The Trojan War, but even if you know the classic story, this story is still fun to read - it kept me guessing how she was going to pull it all together right up to the end.
funny in parts, true-to-life in some parts, high school drama in a lot of parts -- a great second book from Shana!
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