The Traitor Game

August 1, 2008
Gr 9 Up-Michael, 15, was bullied unmercifully in his old school and expects the same treatment in his new one. Unable to voice his fears, he retreats into an imaginary medieval world called Evgard, which he has created down to the last meticulous detail. When he meets fellow student Francis, he can't believe the boy is equally fascinated by Evgard and wants to participate in the fantasy game. But when Michael thinks that Francis has betrayed him and exposed their secret world to ridicule, he retaliates with catastrophic results. Unaware of the truth of his accusation, Michael accuses Francis of being gay to the worst of the school bullies. Echoes of Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" (Random, 1974) resonate throughout the novel as the Evgard narrative mimics the powerful themes of friendships gone awry, betrayal, and treachery, and characters in both the real and imaginary worlds are faced with impossible moral choices. While the book contains many Briticisms, the pace of the story keeps the pages turning, and the detailsespecially of the carefully constructed Evgardare brilliant. The horrors of bullying in a British public school are emphasized by the acts of the sadistic Duke in the Evgard story. The device of parallel narratives that only intertwine symbolically is intriguing. The language is raw and events are painfully graphic in parts. A grim but ultimately satisfying novel for an older audience."Quinby Frank, Green Acres School, Rockville, MD"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2008
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Collins debut novel is a compelling psychological drama about friendship and betrayal. The insecure and frightened Michael, horribly bullied in the past, makes a new friend in Francis. Michael shares his most important secret with FrancisEvgard, the fantasy world he createdand together they develop the world in remarkable detail. But when Michael receives a note proving that someone else knows about Evgard, he fears that Francis has betrayed him. Rather than confronting Francis, he decides to play the cruel game he believes Francis is playing, but Michaels wounded paranoia blinds him to the truth. Reality is echoed in Evgard by the tentative friendship between Argent, a young rebel turned slave, and Columen, the son of the twisted Duke. The Evgard storyline stands on its own, as engrossing as the high-school story, with a heartbreaking conclusion that is well earned. Meanwhile, the misunderstanding that almost destroys Michael and Francis relationship is portrayed with honesty and sensitivityFrancis is keeping a secret, but its not the secret Michael thinks, making Michaels actions all the more agonizing. Although painful at times, their story has a hopeful conclusion, with each boy better understanding the other and becoming stronger.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)