Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep

When Lee Fiora decides to attend a boarding school, Ault, she has no clue what’s in store for her. Sittenfeld takes the reader right into the mind of any highschool girl, displaying angst in the least annoying way, establishing Lee’s strong personality, and keeping the reader on the edge of the seat to find out what’s going to happen next. Lee struggles with the concept of boys, sex, friendship, and her own tendency to be introverted. As the years at Ault pass, there is a noticable difference in Lee, and it’s interesting to watch her grow up.

This book was amazing. It was so weird to read about Lee’s family because they are so much like my own. Her whole idea of what boarding school would be like was exactly the way I pictured college, too. I definitely saw myself in Lee, and I know that’s what Sittenfeld wanted to make sure everyone could do. I was cheering her on, scolding her, and sitting by her side throughout the whole novel.

“And then at dinner, we talked about what? Teachers or movies or spring vacation. It was just what you did; you socialized, you interacted. And the things you said, the walk from the chapel to the schoolhouse, your backpack, tests, these were a bridge running above the rushing water of what you actually felt.”

That had to be the premise of the whole novel. Everyone is living their lives, and not really paying attention to those around us. We are all self absorbed and we don’t analyze the small things. Sittenfeld’s language was beautiful, and I would not hesitate to pick up anything else she writes.