Follow the adventures KMS as she spends her time living the preppy life with Mr. S and Rosie the bulldog!



Saturday, March 12, 2011

Book Review- Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld



My co-worker recommended this book to me, and since she had it in her personal library, I decided to give it a try. I remember trying to read it when it first came out back in 2005 but couldn't get into it. I should have remember that because I had the same feeling this time around when I read it this past week.

Basic premise: Lee, a Midwesterner, arrives to the East Coast to attend Massachusetts boarding school, Ault School. The novel follows Lee through her four years of high school at Ault, each chapter representing a period represented by year and season (Junior Fall for example).

My hope was that as Lee continued her time at Ault, she would develop into a different version of herself: into a confident, happy, social young woman. Instead I find her the same person (and how do characters not develop? Especially during high school?) and I would compare her to Belle Swan (for all those Twilight series readers out there). Lee seems trapped in a one dimensional world, and she often views others around her in a one dimensional way. Character development is missing and it is hard to fall in love with the characters.

The only reason while I continued reading (plowing might be a better term) was to be redeemed at the end. Instead the ending felt flat and anti-climactic.

I give it half a headband (out of three headbands), my preppy rating system.


*Note: Keep in mind that I'm not a critic by occupation but instead just lover of books* 


I'm interested to hear your opinion of this book. Please let me know if you agree or if I'm off base, which I totally could be! Read the above note ;-)

Hope everyone has a terrific weekend!

4 comments:

  1. Her book American Wife is much better!
    xoxo
    SC

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  2. I can't say I enjoyed this book. In fact, I found it somewhat depressing, but I did think parts of it were extremely well-written and spot on in capturing an "outsider's" insecurity and observations of the "true prep" world. American Wife was not what I'd hoped for either.

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  3. I read this book several years ago and do not recall many of the details but I do remember feeling disappointed in the story, especially the end... so you are not alone! I have American Wife and am hoping it is better when I get around to reading it : )

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  4. I remember wanting to read this book for the longest time partially because of the super cute cover, but also because I expected it to be an interesting "account" of prep schools. However, like you I was disappointed with the way the story unfolded itself and the anti-climactic way it ended. Happy Blogging!

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