Review: Morning Glories Vol. 1

For all fans of resourceful teens in dire circumstances (here's looking at you, Hunger Games peeps!) Morning Glories is high tension introduction to Image's hit ongoing series.  When punishments go from losing car privileges to losing your life, your only option is to make The Academy pay.

Casey, Jade, Jun, Ike, Zoe, and Hunter are all new recruits at the prestigious Morning Glory Academy for talented students.  They hail from diverse backgrounds, and each comes to the academy with their own secrets.    All but Casey, who's life was healthy, happy, and normal, fostered by two loving parents.  She's excited to be accepted into such a quality school, and for the others, Morning Glory is a second chance.  Or so they think.

It isn't long after arriving at Morning Glory that it becomes abundantly clear that not all is right.  First of all, none of their parents will speak to them - or even acknowledge their existence.  Then they begin to lose phone reception all together.  Put one toe out of line, and the consequences are...severe, to say the least.  Within a day, the instructors of Morning Glory Academy have made one thing clear: the students belong to them now.  But not if Casey has anything to say about it; she opts to fight, and she's taking the others with her.  But in order to survive Morning glory, you've got to play by their rules.  And the risks are deadly.

Within this volume, the reader is slowly introduced to the many mysteries surrounding Morning Glory: strange technology, seemingly supernatural torture, cultists, espionage, brainwashing, and more.  Who founded the Academy, and for what purpose?  What are the instructors looking for?  What role are the students to play?  there is plenty there for the reader to sink their teeth into.  Casey is a fantastic main character, the anti-dumb blonde.  Unfortunately, the first volume only covers the students' first few days(!) at  Morning Glory, so the story is just getting started.  

The interior art is sleek and well-done, but the cover art is what really shines.  Immaculate and practically glowing portraits of each student really lead your thoughts to what that character might reveal.  Art is not the focus of this work, but it is beautiful nonetheless.  

This is a fantastic read for teens, especially those interested in dystopian literature and conspiracy.  My recommendation?  Tune in for more!