This has got to be the most bizarre correlation to a group of movies I think I've ever suggested, but the more I think on it, it's the BEST way to sum up the book in a nutshell.  It's like taking the movie 'Heathers' and mixing it with 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', then add a dash of 'Scooby Doo' and 'Fight Club'... maybe even a sneeze from Gossip Girls.  The 'Heathers' and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' represent how much darker it was than I anticipated.   'Scooby Doo' just ALWAYS comes to mind when you mix teens and a mystery.  Fight Club, because nobody talks about Fight ClubThe Assignment.  Everybody condones and/or participates in The Assignment.  You can't avoid The Assignment.  The sheer amount of angst and 'cliques' and high school pecking order is the sneeze from Gossip Girls.

Odd mixture, right?  With the exception of the beginning, when I was trying the learn what The Assignment was, why one would want to avoid it, and drowning in angst; I was sucked into the pages.  The early parts, as I mentioned, was a little more of a battle.  I needed chapter breaks and tried to express to my husband (unsuccessfully) what was going on.  I wanted to share- I think this would be a fabulous buddy read choice!   The mystery lead a nice trails of breadcrumbs, although it's set up where I NEVER would have predicted the end based upon the beginning.  Pieces started falling into place quickly enough to engage me (especially getting me over my initial awkwardness.)