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Knightley Academy

(Knightley Academy #1)

Violet Haberdasher (Goodreads Author)

3.91 · Rating details · 1,974 ratings · 226 reviews

Henry Grim is a servant boy at the Midsummer School—until he passes the elite Knightley Academy exam and suddenly finds himself one of the first commoners at the Academy, studying alongside the cleverest and bravest—and most arrogant—young aristocrats in the country. They thwart Henry’s efforts to become a full-fledged Knight of the Realm, but he and two commoner classmate ...more

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Hardcover, 468 pages

Published March 9th 2010 by Aladdin (first published February 14th 2010)

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2010 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature)

288 books — 2,067 voters

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Best YA to Appeal to Boys

532 books — 419 voters

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Apr 21, 2010 Sheila Beaumont rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kids-middle-grade, historical, school-stories, mysteries-suspense-thrillers, action-and-adventure

I really liked this tale of mystery and adventure set in an alternate-history Victorian England, just before 1900. It's Harry Potter-like in the best ways. There's an appealing orphan boy (named Henry Grim) who unexpectedly finds himself accepted into an elite school; on the train he meets a couple of likable boys who become his friends; and at the school he encounters bullies and hostility, plus an unpleasant, Snape-like professor.

But author Violet Haberdasher (a pseudonym for Robyn Schneider, ...more

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May 02, 2010 Arminzerella rated it liked it

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, alternative-history, knighthood, boarding-school, harry-potter-readalikes, young-adult-fiction, books-for-boys, gutsy-girls, borrowed-from-the-library

Henry Grim, 14, was a servant at the exclusive Midsummer School up until recently. When one of the Midsummer professors caught him borrowing textbooks, he decided to tutor him instead of reporting him to school administrators for theft. Henry Grim then became one of the most promising students Midsummer School never had the privilege of teaching! Encouraged by his tutor to take the entrance exams for Knightley Academy, Henry became the first commoner ever to be accepted as a student. His accepta Henry Grim, 14, was a servant at the exclusive Midsummer School up until recently. When one of the Midsummer professors caught him borrowing textbooks, he decided to tutor him instead of reporting him to school administrators for theft. Henry Grim then became one of the most promising students Midsummer School never had the privilege of teaching! Encouraged by his tutor to take the entrance exams for Knightley Academy, Henry became the first commoner ever to be accepted as a student. His acceptance paves the way for 2 other unique first years – Adam (who is Jewish), and Rohan (who is of East Indian descent) – who become his roommates and best friends. While the boys study chivalry, military history, medicine, fencing, languages and other disciplines related to knighthood, they must put up with their classmates ridicule and scorn. As the pranks played on them become more serious, however, the boys begin to suspect that someone else is behind them – someone who will do anything (even committing murder) to get them out of Knightley. Will Henry be able to survive the year without landing in an early grave?

This was reminiscent of Harry Potter – but, without the magic.* It’s set in modern times in a world that’s similar to ours (there are different countries/cities, but races and religions are the same). Modern knights are more like police, or detectives, or doctors (depending on their specialties). The characters will easily win readers’ hearts, and a sequel is almost certainly in the works (war with the Nordlands is inevitable). I’m quite looking forward to more from Violet Haberdasher.

* Harry Potter parallels:
Henry = Harry Potter
Adam = Ron Weasley
Rohan & Frankie = Hermione (Rohan doesn’t like to break rules, but will if there’s a good cause, and Frankie is ‘the girl’ – she’s fearless, but more of a tomboy than Hermione)
Lord Havelock = Professor Snape (hates the commoner students and wants them gone)
Valmont = Draco Malfoy (also from Midsummer School – failed the exam, but is Lord Havelock’s nephew and is somehow accepted at Knightley anyway – hates Henry with a misguided passion, but they gradually begin to understand one another, which is possibly a bit more realistic than Harry/Malfoy’s relationship)
Knightley Academy = Hogwarts (both boarding schools)
Professor Stratford = Hagrid/Dumbledore (Professor Stratford is the one who looks out for Henry and wants the best for him)

The big evil they all face is the Nordlands, which may be key in bringing the Knightley students together. ...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Micah rated it liked it

This is a hard one to review because so many of the reviews are very eager to do all the Harry Potter comparisons (not without good reason), but that doesn't entirely do the book justice. So I guess I'll get the Harry Potter stuff out of the way first and quickly. This book totally has a Draco Malfroy as well as a Snape. It also has a trio of friends that go on their adventures.
Okay, so what this book really is is an interesting alternate history story where all of Britain is at peace with itse ...more

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Dec 16, 2014 Kayla Edwards rated it really liked it

Shelves: junior-novels

This was a fun read with a really neat idea. I was expecting something more medieval - I mean, we are talking about a training school for knights - but it was actually much more modern. We've fast-forwarded a few centuries to a time when chivalry is dying in the general public. However, the few young noblemen able to pass the entrance exams can still earn their knighthood at Knightley Academy. But this year, a loophole is created so that commoners may attempt the exam. Henry, a young servant boy ...more

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Mar 06, 2010 Alex Bennett rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, signed

All hail Violet Haberdasher! Seriously guys, this book is freaking amazing. I loved loved loved it. Even though I was obsessed before I began, I still would have given this book 5 stars!

The writing is flawless and beautiful. You can see everything so clearly without the book going into too much detail. The dialogue between the characters is so realistic and sometimes laugh out funny that it appears that you are talking to the characters yourself.

The characters themselves are so likeable and fun ...more

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Mar 17, 2011 Creativity's Corner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, historical-fiction, fantasy, young-adult

[from the my blog, Creativity's Corner] When I first saw this book on someone else's blog, I didn't know what to think. The post was a guest post from the author, explaining what "Harry Potter Inspired Novel" meant as the term had been used in describing the book. Basically, she explained, Knightley Academy was what came from having practically grown up reading Harry Potter, and desperately wanting something similar to read next. No wands, no magic, none of that stuff, but still Harry Potter ins [from the my blog, Creativity's Corner] When I first saw this book on someone else's blog, I didn't know what to think. The post was a guest post from the author, explaining what "Harry Potter Inspired Novel" meant as the term had been used in describing the book. Basically, she explained, Knightley Academy was what came from having practically grown up reading Harry Potter, and desperately wanting something similar to read next. No wands, no magic, none of that stuff, but still Harry Potter inspired. This explanation made me a little worried. How could anyone even try to compare to Harry Potter? I mean, I read fanfics and all, but I didn't know what to expect from a novel that wasn't really fanfic at all. That didn't stop me from checking it out, of course. The chance that it really was just as great as Harry Potter was too much to pass up.

I shouldn't have worried. From the time I picked up the book, I could hardly put it down. For the first few pages I spent a lot of time just finding the similarities, but before long I was so busy following the story that I didn't even notice! In fact, by the end of the book, the thing that stood out to me the most was how unlike Harry Potter it was - and yet how I felt so much like I did when I finished a Harry Potter novel. Books always give me a certain feeling, depending on the type of book, and this one was like reading Harry Potter all over again. It was so wonderful to experience that feeling again! It made me wonder why we haven't seen more of these "Harry Potter Inspired Novels." There's plenty of Twilight inspired type novels after all.

But possibly the best thing about this novel is that it addresses a very serious issue; prejudice. Henry and the other two "common" boys are accepted to a school that is normally reserved for the rich and important and they are bullied because of it. They aren't the only case of prejudice either: The neighboring country is trying to liberate themselves from class prejudice, but they aren't going about it the right way. It certainly makes you think really hard about our belief systems and why we govern ourselves the way we do.

In short, this isn't just a book that is inspired by Harry Potter, it's a book that is in the best tradition of the Harry Potter story. It is a wonderfully entertaining tale that nods towards its predecessor, but stands on its own two feet with a message that makes you think. Definitely give this one a shot! ...more

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Jun 24, 2016 Lorien Rhys ~ Live for tomorrow rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, 1st-in-a-series

I know that some of you might be a bit hesitant to read this book because it has knights in it and stuff like that. This book does but retells it in a better way. The writing is superb and the characters are just plain awesome (especially Frankie who I like a lot). Some people might say that this is a similarity to Harry Potter. In some ways yes it is, such as the main character being bullied because he works as a servant in a school but is secretly educated by a professor at the school.
This bo ...more

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May 25, 2011 Bonnie (A Backwards Story) added it

Shelves: fantasy, fabulous-books

Bookworms, I’ll tell you upfront: I’m going to have a lot of trouble reviewing KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY for you. I’m not sure how to describe the magical way the story snuck beneath my skin and consumed me. I feel like if I describe it one way, I’ll pigeon-hole it and you’ll think it’s a book that it isn’t. Even though it’s similar to other works in some ways, it’s also unlike anything I’ve read, in a class of its own. Unputdownable. A perfect blend of reality and fantasy for children, teens, and adult Bookworms, I’ll tell you upfront: I’m going to have a lot of trouble reviewing KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY for you. I’m not sure how to describe the magical way the story snuck beneath my skin and consumed me. I feel like if I describe it one way, I’ll pigeon-hole it and you’ll think it’s a book that it isn’t. Even though it’s similar to other works in some ways, it’s also unlike anything I’ve read, in a class of its own. Unputdownable. A perfect blend of reality and fantasy for children, teens, and adults alike.

Ignore the title of this book: If KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY brings up images of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress, you’re WRONG. You’re also not alone: That’s the type of novel I thought I was getting, too. I thought this novel was going to be about a school that taught students how to be a knight. I was hoping for the next RANGER’S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan or SONG OF THE LIONESS (or PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL) series by Tamora Pierce. While this novel IS about knights, it’s not about *knights.* When I first started reading and saw the word “car,” I thought, “What…? Dashing knights in our world?” And then I kept reading. It takes place at the turn of the century, when electricity is still new and cars are used only by a select few. I grew even more confused. But then I realized how brilliant author Violet Haberdasher (nom de plume) is. Because this world is our world, but it’s *not* our world. At one point, there were real knights of old. Eventually, the various countries signed The Longsword Treaty with one another, creating peace and eliminating the need for combat and true knights. Instead, Knights of the Realm now train to be detective knights, police knights, and secret service knights. They might also work in prestigious office positions or for famous families.

KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY also holds a vague similarity to HARRY POTTER, albeit without the use of any magic. The novel centers around an orphaned boy named Henry Grim who has dreamed of one day attending Knightley Academy. Alas, without a proper status or position in life, he has no chance of getting in...until the entrance exams allow all residents at the school where he works to apply. There are a couple of characters reminiscent of beloved members of the POTTER family, as well as a few nuances here and there. Haberdasher wrote a particularly lovely guest post earlier this year on Bookalicio.us about her goals in creating KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY. She wanted a series to fill in the hole left when the POTTER series concluded for fans such as herself who grew up with the novels, something with a similar texture to them. But she didn’t want the magic, or a boy who knew nothing about the school he was about to attend, and resolutions that never occurred in the best-selling series. In the guest post, she states, “The hero is the cleverest scholar in his year, hopeless at sports and destined for nothing. And yet…there is something undeniably Potterish about my storytelling.” The result is a series with a similar flavor, but different enough that the two truly can’t be compared to one another.

In KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY, danger lurks on the horizon. The newspapers all buzz about how the Nordlands are doing medical experiments on their citizens, and talk about how women are refused education to the extent that people who break the law are prosecuted. But if these rumors are true, then London is about to go to war for the first time since The Longsword Treaty was set in motion...and knights are no longer trained for combat. It’s a dangerous time to be a young man. London is changing as well: For the first time, Knightley Academy is admitting commoners to its elite knight program due to the discovery of a brilliant young servant named Henry Grim. In addition to accepting Henry into training, the school opens two more spots and admits Adam Beckerman and Rohan Mehta. The three students become roommates and are ostracized by their peers, Henry because he was a servant, Adam because he’s Jewish, and Rohan due to his dark skin. This is hardest on Rohan, who, while orphaned early on, was adopted by a wealthy family and feels equal to the other boys at school despite his appearance. The first year students are too afraid to reach out to the three “common” students due to two students who delight in tormenting them, the pompous Theobold Archer IV and his lackey, Fergus Valmont, with whom Henry is previously acquainted (and not in a pleasant way). The boys must suffer through school, making friends only with Francesca “Frankie” Winter, the Headmaster’s teenage daughter. Soon, terrifying accidents start to occur, and it becomes clear that either someone wants to remove the three common boys from Knightley and restore the school to its superior roots or something more sinister is at play.

KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY is full of adventure, mystery, and intrigue. I had a lot of trouble putting it down and delved right into book two, THE SECRET PRINCE (launching June 28, 2011). The books are currently set to be a trilogy, but they don’t have cliffhanger endings. Rather, they hit the end of term the way the POTTER books due, with the first novel ending as winter break approaches and the second one starting off with second term. Unless the series is extended, the books won’t follow Henry and his friends throughout their years at Knightley, for reasons that will become apparent in book two. KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY was fantastic, and THE SECRET PRINCE is even better. I’ll post a review tomorrow. If you’re looking for a new series that hits your sweet spot and doesn’t leave you frustrated for several years, this is a series you don’t want to miss.

...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Experiment BL626 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, middle-grade, reviewed, fantasy

Characters were complete cliché. You had your Cinderella character in Henry, your new money character in Adam, your token person of color character in Rohan, and your tomboy girl in Frankie. If you were rich, aristocratic, white, and male, you were a bad guy and hated Henry and his friends because they dared to be different and strayed from their social status. Sure, not all were bad guys, but they were few and far between, aberrations basically. The one bad guy who was not one-dimensional was t Characters were complete cliché. You had your Cinderella character in Henry, your new money character in Adam, your token person of color character in Rohan, and your tomboy girl in Frankie. If you were rich, aristocratic, white, and male, you were a bad guy and hated Henry and his friends because they dared to be different and strayed from their social status. Sure, not all were bad guys, but they were few and far between, aberrations basically. The one bad guy who was not one-dimensional was the evil mastermind. What did he was wrong, but I totally understood why he turned into an extremist. Barring that villain, character development was not deep.

The world building oversimplified and exaggerated the turn of the century setting and its social changes. The pointing out of how people back then were awfully bigoted could not have been more shoved in the readers’ face. I would have minded this less if the pointing out did not feel kind of meaningless and worked against the complexity the book tried to build.

However, while these things were problematic, they did not frustrate me. What frustrated me was the plot, the unaddressed issue of bullying, and the naive politicians.

+ the issues

Despite their attempts, Henry and his friends never successfully wrestled control of the situation and beat the bad guys like I hoped. The plot threw one setback after another at our heroes like there was no tomorrow which made for a steadily depressing read. When they finally discovered the identity of the evil mastermind at the climax — disappointingly by a convenient accident as opposed to an investigation — they were backed into a corner. Only by the grace of fortune and oily mercy of another villain did our adolescent heroes prevail.

On the second issue, characters never confronted the issue of bullying like they should have, especially when they regularly made a big deal about of the Code of Chivalry, Knightley Academy's code of conduct, where disobedience meant expulsion. Valmont and Theobold, the bullies, never faced the consequences like I wanted. I did not like the lack of challenge to the insinuation, however unintended, that keeping silent about bullying was more important than speaking out about bullying, that speaking out was equated as the dishonorable act of tattle-telling.

Oddly enough, the plot and the unaddressed issue of bullying brought the book to a high level of realism. In other words, if this happened in real life, it would have all too believable because kids don’t go around fighting evil masterminds and issues of bullying are rarely addressed, let alone resolved. However, I would have preferred things to be less realistic in lieu for an entertaining book.

Plus, I didn’t think the book intended to be so realistic given how cliché the characters were and how some of them acted inherently paradoxically of their role. To elaborate, the elderly aristocratic politicians who served as members of Knightley Academy’s school board were unbelievably naive. I could not believe these men needed heavy persuasion that Northlands, their rival nation, might dare to defy the peace treaty and reignite the old war. Politicians, naive — WTF? If anything, their first reaction should have been the very opposite, i.e. a quick belief in the treachery of their enemies.

In Conclusion

I rate Knightley Academy 2-stars for it was okay. The book was not entertaining as it could have been. The book played the heroes like a cat to a mouse. While the book is a couple steps above a decent read, I still do not recommend it because the trilogy seems to be on an indefinite hiatus. Book 3 should have been released already a few years ago. ...more

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Oct 23, 2017 Staara rated it it was ok

Okay, well as other's have said, this is copied off of, or even a rip-off of Harry Potter.

I've read a few other books that have been considered a rip-off of Harry Potter, but none of them come as close as this.

First I'd say that there is very little character building and world building.
The characters are all two dimensional, and not very convincing.
This could have been a promising book, with a promising story, if the plot had not stuck so much with ideas stolen off of Harry Potter.

Here are the ...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Rhiannon Ryder rated it liked it

Alrighty. So generally, after reading a book by an author I'm unfamiliar with, I jump online and have a look-see. This is when astounding things like sequels, come to my attention, or in this case... that an author isn't a real person but a pseudonym.

Here I was, thinking Knightley Academy was a debut authors first novel. And I suppose, in a way it is, since Violet Haberdasher only started to exist when this book went to print.
Weird right?
I mean outside of Lemony Snicket how many Middle School au Alrighty. So generally, after reading a book by an author I'm unfamiliar with, I jump online and have a look-see. This is when astounding things like sequels, come to my attention, or in this case... that an author isn't a real person but a pseudonym.

Here I was, thinking Knightley Academy was a debut authors first novel. And I suppose, in a way it is, since Violet Haberdasher only started to exist when this book went to print.
Weird right?
I mean outside of Lemony Snicket how many Middle School authors hide behind a pseudonym? Anywho, after beating around trying to find a Violet Haberdasher website I finally came to the realization that Violet Haberdasher (I guess it's kind of a weird name, come to think of it) is really Robyn Schneider. I also discovered Simon and Schuster (or Robyn Schneider) really aught to update the Knightley Academy site; seriously, I can't pre-order a published book and the extras page says access forbidden until March 9 2010....uh? isn't it August 2010??

Outside of these oddities I can tell you two things, this book is an entertaining read, and although it's not commented on anywhere that I can find it is surely a series, likely 4 books long.

Henry Grim is an orphan working as a servant in an upper class school, studying on the sly, when he is suddenly given the chance of a lifetime. The prestigious Knightley Academy, for the first time ever, is letting commoners test for entry, and Henry is the first to gain admission. Along with his three new commoner roommates and the daughter of the Headmaster, Henry spends an exciting yet stressful first year at Knightley. Can he come out on top? Or will his first year prove to be his last?

Strikingly similar story arc to Harry Potter (orphan Henry, admission to a school he would never dream of attending, a teacher who seems to be plotting against him, a fellow group of outsiders to befriend, a lurking greater threat outside of school), the Knightley Academy is original while being totally unoriginal. Which is to say I liked it, but there was a familiarity to it that I found disconcerting. Henry's group of friends are fun, especially Frankie the Headmaster's daughter, and the action is largely enjoyable. What I would truly like to see in the next books is for Violet/Robyn to pull away from the Harry Potter story arc and build her own non-referencing world. Honestly, no story which mimics Harry Potter will end up coming out well in the comparison so I wouldn't recommend it.

Since I can't find any further information on her site or the Knightley site about a second book we'll just have to wait and see if I stumble into it down the road. This has the potential to become a really good story, but I have to say the Harry Potter leanings will have to end to be so.
...more

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May 28, 2011 Verena rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Verena by: Bonnie (A Backwards Story)

Shelves: ya, adventure, fantasy, children, youth

I really enjoyed this book.

I picked it up because it was recommended to Harry Potter lovers, but I actually don't think that it has that much in common with Harry Potter.

Yes, the lead character is named Henry, who is an orphan and who has had a rather difficult life so far, and the setting is a boarding school, but that is as far as it goes. There is no magic, no personal vendettas, just school yard bullying, lessons, mean and nice teachers, pranks and rule-breaking which is common in all boardi I really enjoyed this book.

I picked it up because it was recommended to Harry Potter lovers, but I actually don't think that it has that much in common with Harry Potter.

Yes, the lead character is named Henry, who is an orphan and who has had a rather difficult life so far, and the setting is a boarding school, but that is as far as it goes. There is no magic, no personal vendettas, just school yard bullying, lessons, mean and nice teachers, pranks and rule-breaking which is common in all boarding school books (I was at some points reminded of Enid Blyton's St. Clare’s).

On the other hand it still has a fantastic feel because it is "knights". I love knight stories. The Song of the Lioness and The Protector of the Small quartets by Tamora Pierce are my favourites, but this one is quite different because of the setting. You have the feeling that, if history had developed a little differently, this could really have happened in the 1930s(?).

The writing style is nice, too, it was easy to read. In the beginning the author uses an 'omniscious narrator' (which I thought quite weird and I distinctly remember thinking: "If this keeps up I'll have a hard time reading this"), but it ended quite abruptly and gave way to the "third person" style I prefer. The omniscious narrator didn't make an reappearance at the end, though, which I would have expected to give the book a more 'rounded' feel (also, that would have been a nice way to include some foreshadowing)

The story itself is interesting, the characters are well developed and unique, but there is a sad lack of girls , which kinda is to be expected at an all-boys-school, I know. :)(I remember 1 making a regular appearance next to Frankie in the later part of the book)

There are only 2 (and a half) things I don't like about this book, but it has nothing to do with the story. First of all I think the print is way too big. When I picked the book up it looked so big and I expected a very long story, but the print relativated it. I know this book is more geared towards younger readers, but seriously? One or two sizes down would have been nice.

I'm also not a fan of the cover. It is not really ugly, but I don't think it is pretty either. It looks gloomy and foreboding and doesn't really fit with the story.

Lastly, and this is just a personal thing, I really don't like book jackets. They slip and get banged up very easily and I don't want to take them off either because then the book looks boring. I would have preferred a book cover á la Harry Potter :)

I pre-ordered the next one and can't wait to read it.
...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Elizabeth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens-books

Before reading the first sentence of this novel, I had heard quite a bit about this novel. I heard it was good, I heard it was alright, I heard it was like Harry Potter, etc. Even when I had heard all of this, I hadn't fully grasped what this book was truly about and what it entailed. (also, I found this book in the Children's section at Books-a-million.)

Knightley Academy is about this school that decides to open their entrance exam to commoners this year. The three main characters come from ve Before reading the first sentence of this novel, I had heard quite a bit about this novel. I heard it was good, I heard it was alright, I heard it was like Harry Potter, etc. Even when I had heard all of this, I hadn't fully grasped what this book was truly about and what it entailed. (also, I found this book in the Children's section at Books-a-million.)

Knightley Academy is about this school that decides to open their entrance exam to commoners this year. The three main characters come from very humble backgrounds and are lucky to even survive their stay at Knightley Academy. Someone is after them, out to get them expelled. This novel follows Henry Grim on his journey to solve this mystery and to bring things back to normal. Even for a little while.

I thought the writing was fantastic. Not only was the grammar perfect, but so was the content. Violet introduces these political ideas without it reading like some ploy to brainwash the reader. She talks about class and war and other such important things in the novel with grace and logic. I feel like she accurately described how people at the time were being treated. The scenes were written quite well. I felt like I was in the Knightley Academy, walking around with the students, walking into the Headmaster's house, the offices, the armory.

The storyline was quite original, with the mysterious plot to get Henry and his friends kicked out and all of the crazy things that kept happening to them.

The characters were pretty good. Some of them, like Lord Havelock, surprised me by being so nice in the end. I liked Henry, Rohan, and Adam all the way through. I'm glad to say I was never really annoyed with any of the characters. I thought Frankie was a nice addition and gave a lot of good outside perspective to her friendship with the three boys.

This was quite an enjoyable novel. It wasn't too crazy with how the mystery played out, but it played out realistically. At least what I think would be realistically in a Victorian-era knight academy. I don't think I was on the edge of my seat as much as I thought I would be, but it lead up to the climax very well and resolved in a nice place. ...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Patrice Sartor rated it did not like it

Shelves: community-society, fantasy, friendship, school, tween, read-to-trevor

1.5 stars. This is the longest book (460ish pages) that I never wanted to finish. I read it as a bedtime story to my sons (13 and 10), and although two of us wanted to quit it early on, the 10-year old insisted on continuing the reading. So we did, and boy was I SO HAPPY when it ended.

The comparisons to Harry Potter have to be inevitable, right? After all, the main character is an orphan with a gift for learning that gets accepted, against all odds, into Kinghtley Academy, where he's always drea ...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Steve Johnson rated it it was amazing

I'm not usually one to read young adult fiction (it's just not my demographic) but this was definitely a great exception. I'm also a little disappointed with the reviews on Amazon that claim this is a Harry Potter knock-off... sure it's about an orphaned young boy who goes to a school for things one doesn't normally go to school for, but that's where the similarity ends, and if that's enough to make it a knock-off, they're both knock-offs of Oliver Twist anyway.

Regardless, this is a quality book ...more

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Nov 26, 2009 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: youngadult, historical-fiction

Why I read this: It's a debut novel this year and it really looked interesting when I read the summary of it online one day.

Plot: Let's just say that I think it rivals that of Harry Potter. It has that same friendship interaction, forms of bullying, and the underlying evil plot that will hopefully bring everyone together by the end of the series. I think this is the next big thing. It's epic enough, involving enough and it has the diversity that every series needs. I have a big thing for underdo ...more

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May 19, 2010 Julie rated it liked it

When a loophole in the rules allows Henry Grim, an orphaned serving boy at Midsummer School, to take the entrance exam for Knightley Academy, he jumps at the chance to better his lot. He is admitted as a sort of social experiment; traditionally the Academy was limited to the aristocracy, but some trustees feel that the turn of the century will bring changes in social structure as well as technology. At the Academy, Henry is paired with two other misfits (one Jewish, one East Indian) and befriend ...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Laurie(Time Stand Still) rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Laurie(Time Stand Still) by: Author Chat

I loved this book so much that I bought a second copy and gave it to my son's principal (she likes similar middle grade books) for her to read and then donate to the school library. I felt this book had a lot of good moral undertone to a very well written plot. I am also excited to read more in this series. I really like the fact that Robyne did not use her real name so these younger readers would not search on her name and find her other books that would not be suited for middle grade readers. ...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Trina-Marie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I absolutely loved this book!

I've noticed that many other reviews on here talk about how similar Knightly Academy is to Harry Potter, and while there are some similarities, they are two very different stories, in my opinion anyway!

I liked the Harry Potter books (the ones I've read) but I like Knightly Academy more. I think the reason for this is because I love the setting of Knightly Academy, it's Victorian and sort of steam punk, which I find interesting and unique. I also love the characters. ...more

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Jan 17, 2012 I used to read but now I don't It's bad I know rated it it was ok

Knightley Academy is a fictional fantasy, but the setting is England 1800s, just without exact names. Storyline: Servant boy gets accepted into Knightley Academy . . . and . . . politics happen . . . . and . . . not much else . . . Oh, nuts, now that you know the servant kid gets accepted into Knightley Academy you'll be bored the first four chapters! On the good side of the book, it's very clean and there are one or two good moments. However I was expecting more "dry wit" (Tamora Pierce review ...more

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Jul 29, 2010 Christa rated it it was amazing

As I was cleaning up the newshelf at our library my eye was caught by this little gem. This story is about a servant/orphan boy named Henry Grim who works at a posh school for boys called Midsummer School. Here he is secretly tutored in numerous languages, culture and history by Professor Stratford. Henry is encouraged by him to sit the Kightley Academy exam (a school for future Knights) in which no commoner has ever done before. With flying colors he passes the exam and is brought to Knightly A ...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Rachel rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I'd rather rate this about 2 1/2 stars. It began extremely derivative, with an orphaned boy who miraculously gets into an exclusive school. With a chapter title like "the boy who passed," and a chapter beginning "It is a truth universally acknowledged. . .", I felt as though I had read all of this before, and frankly better written. Henry Grim (the main protagonist) is friends with 3 misfits, has his own Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, at least at the beginning. The book gets better with time ...more

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Sep 07, 2014 Amy B rated it liked it

3.5 stars. While I couldn't help but notice the many similarities between Knightley Academy and the Harry Potter series, this book held its own. A charming narrator told the classic tale of an underdog at an elite school with wit and wisdom. The characters learned from their mistakes, found that there are many definitions to "friendship," and kept pushing forward though no one would help them. Is this book the first in a series? I wasn't aware of that when I read it and so the ending was a littl ...more

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Apr 06, 2010 Tom Franklin rated it did not like it

A sad attempt at a Harry Potter knock-off. Knightley Academy has a few glimmers of originality sprinkled in here and there, but it is difficult to see past the obvious similarities of J.K. Rowling's superior work: the lowly commoner elevated to a specialized school, the train ride to said school where he meets his mannor-born enemy, the quirky school building, the dorm room/common rooms, the classes and teachers...

The cover blurb also states, "Steam-punky", which is completely wrong. Yes, this i ...more

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Oct 02, 2014 Lula McCuela rated it really liked it

I really liked this book. There isn't any Fantasy in it, which is what I usually look for to read, but it was enjoyable. It was a bit difficult figuring out what time period the story takes place in, but it's easier if you just ignore that. The plot itself was enjoyable, if a bit slow at first. Henry is a wonderful character, and his friends were great. It was funny, even if it was a bit long-winded.

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Apr 15, 2010 Alec rated it it was amazing

i loved it! it had to be one of the best books ive read in a long while. it was a nice refreshing book that is unique in that it has its own style. i love how it is set in a completely different universe, though in the same countries. normally its just another planet :P. sometimes its nice to read a steam punky book set in an alternate universe, however far fetched that may seem. i loved this book and give it a 5/5.

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Mar 19, 2011 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: good-enough-to-get-physical-copy, gorgeous-covers, all-time-favorites

I have to make this quick. Oh, my, god. This book is amazing! It is so addictive. I just kept wanting to turn page after page, just like The Lincoln Lawyer. The characters are well developed and fantastic, especially Frankie. :) I loved the plot and the themes it holds. "Violet Haberdasher" is a brilliant writer who knows how to captivate an audience. Can't wait for Secret Prince!

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Jul 05, 2010 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-ebook

With an air of Harry Potter, yet a totally original story line Knightley Academy is a HIT in my book - I fell in love with the characters, loved the Academy itself even, I felt as though I could picture it...but it's details did not over ride the story.

I cant wait to read the next book, it's bound to be interesting I am sure

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Jul 28, 2012 Oridisi rated it it was amazing

Awwwww man this book was very good. I read before about a year ago but I never got the chance to put it on my goodreads reading list. I was very happy with the turn of events. Can't wait to start the second book. J.K. Rowling look out, there is a new author in town

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Mar 07, 2014 Anam Ali rated it liked it

It's like Harry Potter without magic. Definitely needs a bit more world building. But THANK YOU for a really great POC character (who actually refrains from pork/bacon). Really, thank you.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Adventure Book where a poor boy, against all odds, tries to get into a good academy, Spoilers ahead. [s]	5	16	Nov 10, 2018 12:43PM
Where can you read Knightley Academy 2 online for free?	2	13	Aug 09, 2014 07:21PM

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About Violet Haberdasher

Violet Haberdasher

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Author of "Knightley Academy" and 'The Secret Prince" (Knightley Academy #2). Pseudonym of Videoblogger Robyn Schneider.

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Knightley Academy (2 books)

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Quotes from Knightley Academy

“And as if the professor could read Henry's mind, he said, "It's a curious thing, change. You never get used to it, and you're never sure where it comes from, but you better learn to expect it."
"I don't recognize the quotation." Henry frowned, trying to place it.
"That's because it isn't one. It is simply advice, and advice you'd be well advised to take, especially now.” — 5 likes

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