If you've been following my reviews for any length of time, you know of my penchant for Middle Grade books. Quirky characters, important lessons, vast new worlds, all it makes me smile. I honestly believe that MG books build readers. Which is why I always look at these stories from two points of view. Would I have liked this as an MG reader, and do I think it carries over to how I read now? When considering this book, I think your best bet would be to think of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I'll be the first to admit that I hate comparing books, but in this case it is honestly impossible not to. Two siblings, absent parents, disturbing caretakers, and a fourth wall breaking narrator all make a debut in this story. It's tough not to see the similarities. My problem was that, while both stories have a depressing atmosphere overall, Witherwood Reform School didn't have the same mildly hopeful feel to it. It was missing that bit of quirk I needed. The writing was okay, if a bit dry at times. I'm not sure if I would have appreciated this more as a reader in the age group it is aimed at or not. I've always been a fan of writing that allows me to immerse myself in the story. While I liked Tobias and Charlotte, they never felt like true companions. That might sound odd, but I wanted to feel like I was with them, not just reading about them. Add in an ending with no discernible climax, and a to-be-continued hanging out there in the wind, and I was a disappointed reader. On the bright side, it's very easy to follow the plot and that makes this a quick read. Would I recommend this to MG readers? I think so. I'm sure they would take a lot of what I had issues with much better than I did. There's not a lot of explanation into how things get to the level that they end up at, but there's a fair amount of adventure and intrigue towards the middle. I don't see many adult readers enjoying this, but younger readers might just eat this up. For that I'll give it three stars without a second thought.