Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
The book cover for Prep is in drastic need of a makeover. Its pink and green belt lead me to believe it was some sort of Chick Lit beach book with no heft whatsoever. The deception may be the reasons for the low ratings on Amazon and other bookstores. It is very much a work that needs to be read and discussed, but my fear is that it is driving the people who want to read it away because the cover is such a stereotype. Yes, I realize that I'm asking people to not judge a book by the cover, in this case it is very much true.
Lee Fiora may be the protagonist in Prep, but she's also a composite of almost every single high school girl I've ever known. Prep shows the teen years as they are, practice at being an adult and doing badly. Lee has excruciating moments where I yelled at her. Her passive way of relating to those around her is maddening. However, the book feels reflective. Lee is telling her story with ten years of distance. This disjointed and disconnected feel comes from a person who has already felt strongly and moved past it. Lee is telling her story without much emotion because she has already used it all.
Prep also dives into race, gender, and culture stereotypes. I felt like Sittenfeld was trying to show how the American class system works similar to the way the Up series does in the UK. I felt like it wasn't addressed enough. Every time she tried to show racism or sexism it fell flat. Lee's story is interesting in and of itself, but Lee explaining racism at her school were the characters weaker moments.
Lastly, Prep has been described as the Catcher in the Rye of its time. I strongly disagree. Lee isn't Holden, she's far more fleshed out than Holden ever was. Both books may have a similar setting, but Prep feels fresher and less heavy than Rye. In other words, if Catcher in the Rye was a bad experience, Prep may be a better read.
I'm moving onto The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman. I'm a big fan of Pullman, so I'm expecting good things.
The book cover for Prep is in drastic need of a makeover. Its pink and green belt lead me to believe it was some sort of Chick Lit beach book with no heft whatsoever. The deception may be the reasons for the low ratings on Amazon and other bookstores. It is very much a work that needs to be read and discussed, but my fear is that it is driving the people who want to read it away because the cover is such a stereotype. Yes, I realize that I'm asking people to not judge a book by the cover, in this case it is very much true.
Lee Fiora may be the protagonist in Prep, but she's also a composite of almost every single high school girl I've ever known. Prep shows the teen years as they are, practice at being an adult and doing badly. Lee has excruciating moments where I yelled at her. Her passive way of relating to those around her is maddening. However, the book feels reflective. Lee is telling her story with ten years of distance. This disjointed and disconnected feel comes from a person who has already felt strongly and moved past it. Lee is telling her story without much emotion because she has already used it all.
Prep also dives into race, gender, and culture stereotypes. I felt like Sittenfeld was trying to show how the American class system works similar to the way the Up series does in the UK. I felt like it wasn't addressed enough. Every time she tried to show racism or sexism it fell flat. Lee's story is interesting in and of itself, but Lee explaining racism at her school were the characters weaker moments.
Lastly, Prep has been described as the Catcher in the Rye of its time. I strongly disagree. Lee isn't Holden, she's far more fleshed out than Holden ever was. Both books may have a similar setting, but Prep feels fresher and less heavy than Rye. In other words, if Catcher in the Rye was a bad experience, Prep may be a better read.
I'm moving onto The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman. I'm a big fan of Pullman, so I'm expecting good things.
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