Aahana Swrup
The German teenage drama show, ‘Maxton Hall: The World Between Us,’ delves into a budding romance between two people from different worlds whose paths cross in the halls of an elite private school. Ruby Bell, a scholarship student at Maxton Hall, only wants to earn a spot at Oxford University through a prestigious education and make her way through high school without turning any heads. Yet, the same proves to be impossible when she becomes witness to a startling secret that puts her on a collision course with James, the wealthy Beaufort family heir. Even though the duo starts off on the wrong foot, forced proximity compels them to grow closer.
Nevertheless, as they begin falling for each other, Ruby and James must face the complications their differing backgrounds present. Since the story revolves heavily around the complexities of class and status, Maxton Hall— a ludicrous private school— presents the perfect background for the narrative to unfold. However, does the Maxton Hall school sport have any real-life basis?
Maxton Hall: The Backdrop for a Class-Divide Romance
A real-life Maxton Hall Private School does not exist outside the confines of Ruby and James’ love story. Instead, the titular establishment depicted in the show possesses an origin in the 2018 ‘Save Me’ German novel by Mona Kasten, which serves as the basis for the show. ‘Maxton Hall: The World Between Us’ retains stark authenticity to its source material, often recreating scenes from the pages of Kasten’s work. As such, its depiction of Maxton Hall’s narrative relevance and student body culture also remains reflective of the predecessor novel. For the same reason, it holds similar ties to reality.
Despite lacking a real-life counterpart, the Maxton Hall Private School presents a realistic and familiar depiction of high society, particularly when observed through the eyes of a middle-class protagonist. Unlike the other students, Ruby’s inclusion in the private school comes from her own merit and hard work, which earned her a scholarship. Therefore, from the get-go, the school becomes a place where Ruby is an inherent outsider. The same allows the narrative arc of Ruby and James’ romance to play out with a highlight upon their different socio-economic backgrounds.
Other shows, such as ‘Elite’ and ‘Young Royals’ have previously equipped similar European Private School backgrounds to examine similar storylines. Therefore, viewers are bound to note a sense of familiarity. Furthermore, real-life private educational establishments, such as Germany’s Schloss Salem and Sctoland’s Fettes College, provide a real-life reference for Maxton Hall. Still, since Maxton Hall has no notable ties to any such private school, it remains a work of fiction.
Yet, fans may be pleased to know that the physical depiction of Maxton Hall in the show does hold a real-life counterpart in Lower Saxony’s Marienburg Castle, which served as the filming location for the on-screen school. Nonetheless, the real-life location isn’t an establishment of education. Instead, it remains a spot of tourism. As such, with minimal ties to reality, Maxton Hall retains a firm relationship with fictionality.
Read More: Good Teen Movies on Netflix
