Curtis Sittenfeld: Prep

[5Foot5]

I got this for Christmas and have just finished reading it and I have to say I am very disappointed by it.

I get that this is supposed to be a young girl out of her social comfort zone, struggling to work out the rules and survive within the boarding school framework. But really, nothing very interesting happens and I found myself getting very fed up with the main character after a while. Initially I was sympathetic to her, but as the book went on I got increasingly frustrated with her to the point of actually disliking her.

She was just so needy and negative; wasted all the opportunites open to her; never seemed to do anything to help herself; was seemingly ungrateful to anyone who tried to help her or befriend her and walked right in to all the bad things so predictably you just wanted to shout at her!

If it was meant to be an indictment of the American prep school system then I don't think it worked particularly because it seemed this girl was the main architect of her own troubles. She wasn't bullied or ignored, she had her chances and just blew them.

OK - maybe I am not the audience it is aimed at. Perhaps if I was still a sensitive 18 year old I might identify with her a bit better. As a 40-something I just wanted to give her a good shaking and tell her to get over herself!

Honestly if I hadn't got time on my hands with it still being the Christmas holidays then I don't think I would have bothered to finish it.

It would be interesting to hear anyones else's views on this book.

I read this a while ago and don't remember it that well but I did enjoy it. However, I understand your misgivings with the main character - there was no redemption or progress for her from the beginning to the end.

I see that was a better approach than a classic underdog goes to school has a tricky time then becomes homecoming queen" storyline but it would have been more satisfying if she'd learned something along the way.

On the other hand, I did think it was very well written and many of the characters (the lesbian Korean roommate springs to mind) were very wittily depicted. And I thought it captured the contrariness and shyness of
teenagers brilliantly

I also looked forward to reading it and pounced on it in the library, only to find that the main character was rather unsympathetic, as you did 5,5, so i was glad I borrowed rather than bought it. I particularly hated the boys' way of categorising the girls (fish or cheese - eew!);found that nasty but, unfortunately, not unrealistic.
I do think Sittenfeld is a good writer, though - there was a thread on here a while back that discussed American Wife, which I thought was far better, and very engrossing, so I would recommend that.

mrsshackleton I agree with you that it would have been unrealistic and a bit "Disney" if she had gone from shy little nobody to most popular girl in the school. But at the very least you wanted her to gain some self confidence and self respect; to be comfortable in herself as a person.

At the end she clearly still blamed the school ethos for her unhappiness.

I really enjoyed it ... i thought it was very insightful

I found it really hard to like the main character as well. I could see why she had no confidence at the beginning of the book due to her family circumstances, her father is a severely unpleasant man who blatently favours his sons over his daughter, but I agree with those who have said that it would have been a better story if she had learnt a few things along the way. I found her treatment of the hispanic girl who wanted to be roommates and the young boy who had a crush on her grating, and I really struggled to find sympathy for her when she made the blunder with the reporter and ended up with hardly anyone speaking to her.

I just finished this, and found it pretty engrossing.

I agree that the main character was really annoying in many respects. But for me, it confirmed a view I have that many people at school do just get stuck in part they play, and find it hard to ever change. It's only when they leave that they find their true selves. I think she did learn a few things along the way - in very small, incremental ways - and it's suggested that after she graduated from school, she did become more confident.

Btw, I didn't find her father 'severely unpleasant' or favouring his sons. I thought he was funny, confident, someone comfortable in his own skin.

I really liked the book, even though I was sometimes irritated by her desperation for acceptance.

Fab, fab, fab book! I went to boarding school and could totally relate to the character. It is so difficult being in this intense environment and I thought she captured it perfectly.

Really great book and have recommended it to most of old schoolfriends.

I don't think there's a car accident at the start of Prep. I haven't read American Wife but believe there is a car accident which is a significant part of her story (and the life of Laura Bush).

I red it when it first came out and loved it, I have read it quite a few times since as well. I liked American Wife and LOVED her other one (cannot remember title, picture of frog on front, about a girl called Hannah and her cousin Fig).

I thought it was shit too! really shit

hello
this is out of the topic but can't figure it out how to send you personal message :(
You made me think a lot when l read your post in which you say you resent your mother for being disabled and the fact that you are an only child.

l am constantly afraid my daughter will resent me those two things.

Would you be kind enough to talk to me about it?
This is my email
[email protected]

if not l understand

thanx