Two More Down
I read Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld, in about three days, it was that good. I could not put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was consumed with thoughts of when I could pick it up again. Despite the not-so-nice things I've heard about the author's personality, her writing is amazing.
Lee Fiora is 14 when she enters an elite boarding school, and the book takes us through her four years there. I know, I know, it sounds like it would be 400+ pages of teen angst and nouveau riche drama, but it's not. It's the most realistic portrayal of a middle class teenage girl's life I have ever read. And by "realistic," I mean: I wonder how Sittenfeld was able to get in my head and spy on me for so many years of my life. She perfectly captures those small moments that mean nothing, but you think mean everything, and those days or weeks of panic over a boy who barely knows you, or panic over any situation that really doesn't warrant so much worry. She isn't afraid to introduce characters who are only around for a chapter or two, never to appear again. This would usually would grate on my nerves, but how often in our adolescent lives did we have relationships with people who disappeared after only two weeks of camaraderie?
This book is so good that it's one I'm pitching for our newly founded book club starting next month. Seriously, people, read it.
I also sped through The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett, the sequel to Chasing Vermeer. I liked it a lot better than CV; the plot was tighter and more interesting, and having conflict between the central characters was a nice addition. Definitely quality kids' lit.
posted by
junipar