Helpful Score: 11
Very well written, this book felt in many places like a memoir rather than a fictional account. It's a coming of age story with a twist: although told in the first person and the present tense, the narrator's voice is obviously a bit older and wiser than the main character, viewing her own struggles and triumphs with an eye that is sometimes sardonic and sometimes wistful.
Helpful Score: 8
This book was so good - I was tempted to keep it for my daughter to read when she grows up. It was a slow start, but after I got into it, I could not put it down. No matter what cliche you were part of in high school, you will be able to relate to the characters. All the things you thought and felt no one else was going through - this author clearly understands. She did a great job capturing the turbulent emotions of teenagers. If you have a teenage girl - you should definitely check out this book. Excellent read!
Helpful Score: 7
This was definitely one of the most engrossing novels I've read so far this year. PREP is the story of Lee, an insightful and eloquent (yet insecure) teen from Indiana. Remembering words her middle class father spoke years before ("these are the kinds of houses where they send their sons to boarding school"), she has made it her goal to attend an elite boarding school. And she achieves it-- with a scholarship. The story commences as Lee begins her first year at Ault (think Andover) and concludes as she graduates four years later. Lee's story is told as a kind of memoir-- she's an adult now, recalling these events of years before.
This was an Amazon recommendation since I read Tom Brown's Schooldays. And, it's similar-- a bit. Like Schooldays, History Boys, Charlotte Simmons, and even Harry Potter, etc., the book follows the lives of several teens during their formative years. I'm not sure everyone would like it-- I'm not sure I'd recommend it to my husband, for instance, but it was indeed excellent. The author, Curtis Sittenfeld , really has the voice of a young insecure teen growing into a more confident, but never completely secure, young woman. Initiallly, I thought the author was a man and was completely taken aback-- how could a man actually know this girl so thoroughly? However, Curtis Sittenfeld is indeed a woman. And, the protagonist and her friends and classmates lives were exactly as I remembered my own life and those of my friends and classmates during high school. Truly, the authenticity the author brought to this book-- the dialogue, the events, the crushes, the friendships-- was uncanny.
I've read the negative reviews here, but disagree with some of the reasoning. One reviewer, for instance, writes about how boring the sex scenes were. With all due respect, that reviewer missed the point-- of course the sex was boring and empty and that was the very purpose of writing about it. So much the narrator believed or hoped to be important was or turned out to be empty and insignificant (even while remaining a pivotal event in her own life).
If you're female and if your own memories of high school are less than ideal, I completely recommend this book but also warn you to read this with caution. For me, this brought back memories I haven't even thought about in years. And, worse, it made some of those memories absolutely new-- as if they happened yesterday. Obsessions over insignificant events become magnified . . . analyzing and over-analyzing every response and comment from every person within your social circle. . . reading between the lines when the lines themselves are perfectly clear. . . accepting much less than you deserve. . . giving less to others than they deserve (or maybe worse-- giving more to others than warranted). . . Prep will make all these memories new again.
This was an Amazon recommendation since I read Tom Brown's Schooldays. And, it's similar-- a bit. Like Schooldays, History Boys, Charlotte Simmons, and even Harry Potter, etc., the book follows the lives of several teens during their formative years. I'm not sure everyone would like it-- I'm not sure I'd recommend it to my husband, for instance, but it was indeed excellent. The author, Curtis Sittenfeld , really has the voice of a young insecure teen growing into a more confident, but never completely secure, young woman. Initiallly, I thought the author was a man and was completely taken aback-- how could a man actually know this girl so thoroughly? However, Curtis Sittenfeld is indeed a woman. And, the protagonist and her friends and classmates lives were exactly as I remembered my own life and those of my friends and classmates during high school. Truly, the authenticity the author brought to this book-- the dialogue, the events, the crushes, the friendships-- was uncanny.
I've read the negative reviews here, but disagree with some of the reasoning. One reviewer, for instance, writes about how boring the sex scenes were. With all due respect, that reviewer missed the point-- of course the sex was boring and empty and that was the very purpose of writing about it. So much the narrator believed or hoped to be important was or turned out to be empty and insignificant (even while remaining a pivotal event in her own life).
If you're female and if your own memories of high school are less than ideal, I completely recommend this book but also warn you to read this with caution. For me, this brought back memories I haven't even thought about in years. And, worse, it made some of those memories absolutely new-- as if they happened yesterday. Obsessions over insignificant events become magnified . . . analyzing and over-analyzing every response and comment from every person within your social circle. . . reading between the lines when the lines themselves are perfectly clear. . . accepting much less than you deserve. . . giving less to others than they deserve (or maybe worse-- giving more to others than warranted). . . Prep will make all these memories new again.
Helpful Score: 6
I really enjoyed this and felt I could relate to the main character, Lee, on many levels. She's an unusually introverted, sensitive character; that's how she chooses to be. She isn't the butt of school pranks or even a victim of "mean girl" teasing, so don't even think that's what this book is about. Rather, this is just the collective views and thoughts of a midwestern girl trying to graduate from a WASPy New England prep school. Her narration and observations into her rich classmates are spot-on, from the casual way in which they pay $3000 for laundry service to the flowery bedspreads that cover the rich girl's beds. The whole rich vs. poor theme really didn't seem offensive, nor was it overly played. The part that struck me was the reaction of Lee's father, and the way his teasing became increasingly cruel and hurtful.
The end of the book, where there is conflict with Lee giving a scandalous "tell-all" interview to a NYT reporter seemed overly done and out of place. Aside from the ending, the book is quite entertaining.
The end of the book, where there is conflict with Lee giving a scandalous "tell-all" interview to a NYT reporter seemed overly done and out of place. Aside from the ending, the book is quite entertaining.
Helpful Score: 6
While I liked the references to the 80s teen culture (as I was also a teen in the 80s), I absolutely could not stand the main character, Lee. I cannot remember reading a book where I so disliked the main character. She was so irritating, I contemplated just quitting the book, but I wanted to see how it ended. I'm glad I read it, but I still can't get over how much I disliked Lee. It made me wonder if the author had any of the character flaws like Lee...and if she did, I feel sorry for her!
Helpful Score: 5
This is a great book. I thought it was well-written, and I was truly engaged in the life of the main character. I honestly couldn't put this book down and finished it in a few days. I could relate to all the emotions the character went through--in my past and present. I really loved this book!
Helpful Score: 5
I had a really hard time finishing this one. The main character was full of teenage angst, but it was more unsettling than it should have been. She was so uncomfortable in her skin that it bothered me. Yes, every one feels that way from time to time, but for 4 years? That was a bit much. If there had been some clues as to WHY she was so filled with angst and unhappy with herself it might have helped. But as it stands, I didn't get any reason for her behaviour and so I didn't understand or care for her in the end.
Helpful Score: 4
This was such a great read. I went to a boarding school for high school myself, and it was jaw-dropping at times how Curtis Sittenfield knew the dynamics of teenagers going to school and living in dorms. Loved it!
Helpful Score: 4
LOVED IT! Had a boyfriend that went to the school where this was based and it was nostalgic for me. Great writing and hate to part with it but I will never read it again, I just don't read fiction that much.
Helpful Score: 3
Having gone to a boarding school myself for high school, I tend to be drawn to stories with characters that share that in common with me. I really enjoyed this book, as I felt it captured the atmosphere of life in a boarding school very well. It was spot on for a fictional story - I almost felt like I was reading a memoir.
Helpful Score: 3
I am a gal in my late 30's so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading about the prep school life of teenager. Very enjoyable read - great for the beach or beside the pool!
Helpful Score: 3
Sittenfeld has successfully captured the voice of an angst-ridden teenager struggling with school, friends, and love.
Helpful Score: 3
Ault School is a typical boarding schoolmoneyed students subtly flaunt their comfort socioeconomic position while trading sexual favors as black-market currency. For the Midwestern scholarship student Lee Fiora, Ault's society is intimidating, stifling, in a way. This forces Lee, who comes from an exuberant and humorous family, to avoid most social interaction, instead becoming a picky observer of her fellow classmates.
PREP documents Lee's inferiority complex, strange friendships, unadmirable behavior, and unhealthy obsession--and, later, her taboo relationship--with her grade's most popular guy, Cross Sugarman. Curtis Sittenfeld writes with unapologetic prose in the language of an insecure teenage girl on the fringe of her intimidating class. Lee is far from being a favored protagonist--certainly I have wanted to slap her for her passive behavior more than one occasion--but PREP is an interestingly detailed look into the lives of boarding school students.
PREP documents Lee's inferiority complex, strange friendships, unadmirable behavior, and unhealthy obsession--and, later, her taboo relationship--with her grade's most popular guy, Cross Sugarman. Curtis Sittenfeld writes with unapologetic prose in the language of an insecure teenage girl on the fringe of her intimidating class. Lee is far from being a favored protagonist--certainly I have wanted to slap her for her passive behavior more than one occasion--but PREP is an interestingly detailed look into the lives of boarding school students.
Helpful Score: 3
Not your typical "chick lit". The protagonist *is* hard to love, but that's what makes this book easy to love. Interesting plot that doesn't follow the typical rich-girl-meets-boy story arc.
Although this book garnered wide acclaim from the likes of Dave Eggers and Wally Lamb, I found it dull, trite, and predictable. The reviews compared it to J.D. Salinger; I can't stand his works, but the comparison is pretty accurate. So, if you're a Salinger fan, have at "Prep." Otherwise, don't waste your time.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was good but at the same time difficult to stick with. The main character is so incredibly negative and passive, that it is difficult to relate to or root for her in any way. Some of her feelings and the situations she found herself in I could relate to certainly, but her response was at times maddening. I wanted to choke her and tell her to get off her butt and do something about it. Even at the end, when she does finally do something in a small way, she screws it up.
Reading about the school and its students was very intersting, however. Not having ever gone to or known anyone to have gone to boarding school, it was interesting to peek inside one (if Sittenfeld's description is accurate, which is questionable since she's from Iowa and herself did not go to boarding school).
Reading about the school and its students was very intersting, however. Not having ever gone to or known anyone to have gone to boarding school, it was interesting to peek inside one (if Sittenfeld's description is accurate, which is questionable since she's from Iowa and herself did not go to boarding school).
Helpful Score: 1
I liked it but it was a little too dramatic for me and leaves you with a weird feeling at the end. The main character was not likable enough and neither were the people around her. I really wanted to liked her but she just really makes you uncomfortable.
Helpful Score: 1
I had a hard time finishing this book. The main character just annoyed me so much.
Helpful Score: 1
An excellent story about being in high school. It felt very real and made me very glad to be grown-up.
Helpful Score: 1
Loved this one. Very accurate portrayal of life at boarding school. Takes me back to those days.
Helpful Score: 1
Often an uncomfortable read but a good book overall.
Helpful Score: 1
A well written novel of life in an American Boarding School. Some explicit sex.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book - I could hardly put it down and couldn't wait to pick it up again!
Helpful Score: 1
I listened to this book on CD during a long car ride, and it made me wish the trip was a little longer or traffic a little worse. In a way the book is self torture, because the main character seems far more neurotic than called for by her circumstances. But it is incredibly insightful and well-written, and makes me realize I didn't have it so bad in high school afterall.
Helpful Score: 1
N.Y. Times Bestseller fun, complex tale of social class, race, and gender politics set in a prestigious New England prep school told from point of view of an Indiana girl attends the school thanks to financial aid
Helpful Score: 1
Good beach read.
Helpful Score: 1
This was good. It wasn't a masterpiece or even in my Top 200 probably, but it was a good story. I think there might have been too much story. Or maybe the route to get to the story was too long. I would probably classify this one as "forgettable" --- BUT it did hold my attention for a few days, so I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand. Just know it's a little over-hyped for what it is - at least in my opinion :)
Helpful Score: 1
Good, but not great. The main character has some annoying attributes. I kept wishing she would just be herself already, but the book is written well.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm having a hard time deciding if I like this book or not. Prep is very well written, and is indeed an engaging read. However, I really did not like the main character. I found her personality flaws to be pitiful, and her lack of growth over the 4 years she spends at boarding school is unrealistic. I almost felt like by continuing to read this book I was supporting her lame existance. However, the plot is intricate, the writing is very well done, and the other characters were intriguing enough to keep me going through the entirity of the book. But I don't think I'll be reading it again.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book! I got caught up in the life of Lee during her 4 years at boarding school.
Helpful Score: 1
Oh, how this brought me back. It reminded me more of my college years than high school, since I didn't go to boarding school during those years. Another reviewer said that the narrator was so uncomfortable in her own skin that it was unsettling. I agree with this - it was so painful to read sometimes. But, I was that girl, and so a lot of those thoughts and sensations really resonated with me. I liked this book enough to start looking for others written by this author.
Helpful Score: 1
did not care for at all. Lee makes her life miserable. She has ever advantage and the kids at Ault reach out to her when she enrolls, but she never makes the effort to befriend anyone. She has a horrible experience all because of her own doing. Struggled to finish this because I so could not tolerate Lee at all.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of those books that you find yourself thinking about even after you have finished reading it.
Helpful Score: 1
I did not really enjoy this book. The writting is good but the main character is impossible to like.
Helpful Score: 1
I couldn't put this book down! This is a very well written novel. It's a must read for anyone who has ever attended a private school. The main character is touching and a little obsessive. She's a fish out of water in an exclusive boarding school, surrounded by children from very wealthy families.
Helpful Score: 1
A great read for a high school or college age girl
This was a great book to listen to! I enjoyed it.
This book was interesting. Not my favorite, but interesting nonetheless. I couldn't relate to the main character.
This is one of the most true-to-life fiction books I have ever read. Main character Lee Fiora is shy to the point of neuroticism. She is desperate to be noticed by her peers, but when she is, it embarrasses her. While the main character spends most of her time reporting on the activities of her fellow students while watching from the sidelines, its with a longing to be included that you can actually feel. Wonderfully written.
It took me forever to get into this book. There was very little character development and I just couldn't like the main character even at the end.
I knew I would love this book, I loved American Wife even though the subject was one that sickens me: Laura Bush. I find the whole concept of prep school to be fascinating, and this book so completely sucked me in I feel like I've been through four years of boarding school in the 24 hours it took me to read it. I loved all the characters, even (maybe especially) the ones who weren't likable. Now I can't wait to read Sittenfeld's other novel, The Man of My Dreams.
Reviewed by Amanda Dissinger for TeensReadToo.com
Walking through the typical young adult section of a bookstore, there are usually five, maybe even ten, books about a teenage girl, perhaps from a small town, who transfers from that wee little town to a prep school.
Typically, this prep school is in Connecticut, or Massachusetts. Typically, the girl starts out struggling, tries to fit in with the popular crowd, misses her hometown, faces many moral problems, and meets a handsome, promising young prep school boy who shows her the ways of love. Seeing the plot of Curtis Sittenfeld's PREP for the first time, a normal reader would write it off as being another cliché prep school book.
There's where they'd be wrong.
PREP is a searing, creative look at the life of one small-town girl, Lee Fiora, who comes from her home in South Bend, Indiana, to Ault, a prep school in Massachusetts. Exposed to many new kinds of ideas and people, Lee stands on the thin line between misery and naivety as she explores all that her new life has to offer.
Sittenfeld writes about teen angst in a way that doesn't try to make it seem petty or unimportant; she embraces it, and fully understands it. This is what sets the book apart from many other titles. Wallowing in loneliness and heartbreak, the reader feels as if Lee is actually a part of them, and that they are experiencing all of the awkward and horrible events that are occurring in the story.
Lee acts as an opposite-gender Holden Caulfield, the main male character in J.D. Salinger's classic novel THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. She takes everything with a grain of salt and a little bit of dry humor while making wise observations well beyond her years. PREP is bound to become a classic, for its brutally honest interpretation of a time that plagues all of us: high school.
Walking through the typical young adult section of a bookstore, there are usually five, maybe even ten, books about a teenage girl, perhaps from a small town, who transfers from that wee little town to a prep school.
Typically, this prep school is in Connecticut, or Massachusetts. Typically, the girl starts out struggling, tries to fit in with the popular crowd, misses her hometown, faces many moral problems, and meets a handsome, promising young prep school boy who shows her the ways of love. Seeing the plot of Curtis Sittenfeld's PREP for the first time, a normal reader would write it off as being another cliché prep school book.
There's where they'd be wrong.
PREP is a searing, creative look at the life of one small-town girl, Lee Fiora, who comes from her home in South Bend, Indiana, to Ault, a prep school in Massachusetts. Exposed to many new kinds of ideas and people, Lee stands on the thin line between misery and naivety as she explores all that her new life has to offer.
Sittenfeld writes about teen angst in a way that doesn't try to make it seem petty or unimportant; she embraces it, and fully understands it. This is what sets the book apart from many other titles. Wallowing in loneliness and heartbreak, the reader feels as if Lee is actually a part of them, and that they are experiencing all of the awkward and horrible events that are occurring in the story.
Lee acts as an opposite-gender Holden Caulfield, the main male character in J.D. Salinger's classic novel THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. She takes everything with a grain of salt and a little bit of dry humor while making wise observations well beyond her years. PREP is bound to become a classic, for its brutally honest interpretation of a time that plagues all of us: high school.
A friend told me about this book two summers ago and I was extremely excited about reading it but to be honest it was more hype then anything else. The book was okay but I was waiting for some great ending that never came.
Loved this book! First discovered Curtis Sittenfeld through American Wife, which I also loved. Read Prep and Man of My Dreams, and Prep is definitely my favorite out of those three. For anyone who has gone off to college or prep school and felt like they weren't quite fitting in the way they thought they would, this is a perfect read.
I could really relate to the main character in this book. For anyone who had trouble finding their place in high school, this is a must read.
I am about halfway through this book and I am still waiting for it to catch my attention. I have read that it's 'funny, engaging and interesting' but I am not seeing that at all. I am about ready to put it down and pick up a better book! I am going to give it a few more pages, but after that, I am not wasting anymore time on this one.
The book its self was ok. It made me think about when I was a kid and had wanted to go to boarding school. It also made me consider if I would ever allow my daughter to go to one. There were many times that I felt like I could understand what Lee was going through, and my heart hurt for her. There were other times, like in most tween stories that I read, that I just wanted to strangle her for being so naive. But I guess that's what the teenage years are for.
I loved this book!!! There were a lot of times that I dislked and hated the main character. There were also times that I loved her. This author wrote a character that was so real. Bravo! I highly reccomend this book.
For anyone who ever felt like a fish out of water and for anyone who remembers feeling horribly self conscious . . . this book is a must. Wonderfully written. Painful at times but well worth it.
I loved this one. Susan Cain referenced this book a few times in "Quiet: The Power of Introverts.." so I thought I'd check it out.
Lee is an introvert with an inferiority complex. On scholarship at a very wealthy New England boarding school, she manages to convince herself that she'll never match up with her peers at anything. This results in a shyness to participate in life, a keen observational style and sometimes snobbery. She can be an unlikeable character, but she is definitely one of the more honest and relateable characters in fiction today.
Some of the conversations and characters in her peer group are so spot-on, it's almost heartbreaking. There are no one-dimensional people, or situations, here. Some parts were uncomfortable to read, like her "relationship" with the only boy in class who pays any attention to her, and the way she treats a classmate and teacher, both of whom she disdains for trying too hard - but they ring true.
This is an engaging, well-written book with surprising depth. It's written from the point of view of Lee as an adult, so there's some removal from the teen angst, but it is angsty... But if you ever were a teenager, or an outsider, it comes highly recommended.
Lee is an introvert with an inferiority complex. On scholarship at a very wealthy New England boarding school, she manages to convince herself that she'll never match up with her peers at anything. This results in a shyness to participate in life, a keen observational style and sometimes snobbery. She can be an unlikeable character, but she is definitely one of the more honest and relateable characters in fiction today.
Some of the conversations and characters in her peer group are so spot-on, it's almost heartbreaking. There are no one-dimensional people, or situations, here. Some parts were uncomfortable to read, like her "relationship" with the only boy in class who pays any attention to her, and the way she treats a classmate and teacher, both of whom she disdains for trying too hard - but they ring true.
This is an engaging, well-written book with surprising depth. It's written from the point of view of Lee as an adult, so there's some removal from the teen angst, but it is angsty... But if you ever were a teenager, or an outsider, it comes highly recommended.
An interesting read about a middle-class girl's experience at a prestigious boarding school from her freshman year to graduation.
The book is from the protagonist's perspective as she reflects back on her insecurities, challenges, classes, students and friendships. Sometimes its hard to like her. Sometimes you feel sorry for her. Sometimes you feel her pain. Sometimes you appreciate her sincere honesty.
I wouldn't call this a 'feel good' sort of fiction, but I would call it a possible realistic portrayal of girl who struggled through her teenage years with identity, love friendship, and family. The backdrop for the struggles just happen to be at a boarding school.
The book is from the protagonist's perspective as she reflects back on her insecurities, challenges, classes, students and friendships. Sometimes its hard to like her. Sometimes you feel sorry for her. Sometimes you feel her pain. Sometimes you appreciate her sincere honesty.
I wouldn't call this a 'feel good' sort of fiction, but I would call it a possible realistic portrayal of girl who struggled through her teenage years with identity, love friendship, and family. The backdrop for the struggles just happen to be at a boarding school.
I did not care for this book. I didn't like the syle of writing or all of the talk about sex in prep/boarding schools.
i enjoyed reading the ups and downs of lee's boarding school experience. i also enjoyed that it took place in massachusetts, and there were places i recognised mentioned in the book. it did have a feeling like the author didn't know massachusetts very well, but those are minor details. i'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a decent but light read.
what an interesting book! I have worked in student services/residence life for over 8 years and it's interesting how the author reflected real-life issues of teens in this book...a great read for anyone, especially if you work with or have teenager(s) of your own.
An honest, open book about a teenagers feelings (story told as an adult)and experience at a Prep school in Mass.
I typically don't choose books that are described as "addictive as M&Ms" (the Boston Globe). But Prep was named as one of the top 10 books of the year by the New York Times, and was on special at Border's Books, so I picked it up. I'm so glad I did. It was a little too close to home for me and my experiences in high school, and is a complex and fascinating look into the mindset of a teenage girl. I could see this as a great read for parents, too. Highly recommend.
Slightly overdone, but still an enjoyable story about a girl in a New
England prep school.
England prep school.
A very poignant "Catcher in the Rye" for the 90's. A well crafted story of a young girl and her relationships.
Highly readable. Very enjoyable.
An extremely accurate look at high school life from the girl that is not the most popular one in the crwoed. The Indiana girl that steps from her family to attend the prestigious Ault School (a boarding school) in Massachusetts.
Very accurately portrays the complicated relationships with teachers, intense friendships with other girls, and that all-consuming obsession with the classmate thats not quite boyfriend, but more than a simple crush.
Great portrait of the universal pains and thrills of adolescence - brings it back for those of us who've been there.
Very accurately portrays the complicated relationships with teachers, intense friendships with other girls, and that all-consuming obsession with the classmate thats not quite boyfriend, but more than a simple crush.
Great portrait of the universal pains and thrills of adolescence - brings it back for those of us who've been there.
This was an interesting novel about boarding school--a bit more modern than some of the other boarding school classics, because the school in this book is co-ed. Capturing a character's four year career at a boarding school is an ambitious feat for a novelist, and Sittenfeld did a good job of including only meaningful details in this work. The protagonist's issues as a basic good kid on the margin of a school's social scene will strike a chord with many readers.
Enjoyable read.
A strange story about a high school girl's 4 years at a prep school. Almost painful reminders of how alienated we all feel at some times during our youth.
This is probably THE BEST "first book by author" book I have ever read.
This is a book meant for older/later teen girls.
A GOOD FEMALE CATCHER IN THE RYE, BETTER STORY AND WRITING
Prep follows Lee, a shy girl from the midwest, who attends a prep school in Massachusetts. It's mostly interesting but the main character can at times be annoying!
I loved this book. I could relate SO much to the main character. It's based upon the author's experiences, and you can tell. Loved it!
This is the story of a young woman's four years in prep school. It's easy to read, and is an enjoyable story.
I really enjoyed this book and following Lee's life and thoughts about it through her four years of boarding school. What was even better was that the book gave many glimpses into her future and how life turned out for her, it didn't just leave you wondering.
This was a great read. A little overhyped, but I liked the story and so many things reminded me of boarding school.
Really enjoy Sittenfeld's writing.
GREAT READ, HIGH SCHOOL GIRL WHO IS SORT OF LOST IN LIFE, AND FINDS HER WAY. COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN, FUNNY AND ENTERTAINING.
PREP is well written and engaging, but the narrator's way of perceiving the world and her role in it is grimly neurotic and made it a heavy read for me. I admit to finishing it - lured by skilful writing - but the story made me down teh whole while I was reading and my life would have been pefectly complete without it.
Great read...makes you remember high school - the good and the bad.
This is the story of Lee Fiora, a student at a prestigious prep school and her four years of high school. Coming of age, adolescence, loneliness and our reactions to people. Very good, sympathetic character.
I can't believe a mon wrote this book. Teenage girl angst and crushes to the max.
Intellectual and painfully truthful recollection of adolescence with wry wit, and very well-written. 9/10.
Sort of a romance book, but not really since the main character more or less just whored herself out to the one person who paid attention to her rather than try to form any real relationships with anyone due to her low self-esteem. Still, it was an enjoyable read. Oddly enough, the plot was a "high school coming of age story" but totally not meant for high schoolers to read.
Great tale of highschool. Kinda boring though .
Hilarious and touching coming of age novel.
Not as grewat as others have felt. I thought it was kinda slow and tormenting at times.
Neither my daughter nor I could really get into this book. Perhaps you can...
Too much angst for me. I never leave books unfinished, but just couldn't get to the end of this one.
This story is engaging, but I didn't necessarily feel like I was reading something new.
Prep conveys the inner world of an entirely typical teenage girl with remarkable warmth. One of the most tender and accurate portraits of adolescence in recent memory.
A wonderful tale into the life of a mid-west teenager who throws herself into the worl of the elite. It explores real issues teens face: popularity, sex, money, etc. A little too much for a young teen to read but perfect for the older teens and the teens-at-heart who will vividly remember their teenage years after reading the first chapter.
An Indiana girl goes to prep school at a prestigious eastern school and finds a whole new world of relationships.
The young adults' book "Prep", a novel by Curtis Sittenfeld, has a slow-moving plot and the ending is not that great, but it is an enjoyable book to relax and read and not really have to think about it.
fun, light reading
Liked it, but there's a lot of angst here. Be warned.
Didn't even finish, not what I expected. I thought it was going to be funny. I don't know why the ISBN didn't come up.
Outstanding narrative, coming-of-age story set in a New England prep school.
I was only able to read one chapter of this so perhaps the book got better, but I had to force myself to read that much. It was much too dry for my taste.
A fictional account of prep (boarding school) that rings true in an intensly personal manner.
Fun book to read ~ nothing like I expected so I was pleasantly surprised. A quick read~
Great book, quick read.
This book took me forever to get through. It just never captured my attention.
Lee Flora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year old when she leaves her family behind in Indiana to attend the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. Over the next four years, her experience at Ault--complicated relationships with teachers, intense friendships with other girls, an all-consuming preoccupation with classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush--coalesce into a singular portrait of the universal pains and thrills of adolescence.
This book is about a 14 year old from Indiana who decides she wants to go to boarding school in the east. She does all the research and convinces her parents to send her to a particular prep school. The book takes you through her 4 years at the school. In my opinion, the book was good, not great.
LOVED it! ! !
Gossip Girl in prep school. Very entertaining.
This book was fantastic and is now on my all-time favorite book list! For years, Catcher In The Rye was my favorite book, and now Sittenfeld has successfully created a modern day female version of Holden Caulfield in her main character Lee Fiora. I think all readers can identify in some way to Lee as she feels her way through the awkwardness of high school and the struggle of whether to conform or remain true to one's unique self. This is a must read!
Lee Flora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when she leaves her family behind in Indiana to attend the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. Over the next four years, her experiences at Ault---complicated relationships with teachers, intense friendships with other girls, an all-consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush---coalesce into a singular portrait of the universal pains and thrills of adolescence.
Lee Flora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when she leave her famil behind in Indiana to attend the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. Over the next four years, her experiences at Ault- complicated relationships with teachers, intense friendships with other girls, an all consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush-coalesce into a singular portrait of the universal pains and thrills of adolescence.
This book does not have the dust jacket, but is in excellent condition.
