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Prep: A Novel
 

Prep: A Novel

by Curtis Sittenfeld

Curtis Sittenfeld's poignant and occassionally angst-ridden debut novel Prep is the story of Lee Fiora, a South Bend, Indiana, teenager who wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ault school, an East Coast institution where "money was everywhere on campus, but it was usually invisible." As we follow Lee through boarding school, we witness firsthand the triumphs and tragedies that shape our... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  coming of age,  contemporary fiction,  chick lit,  high school (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

Strasburg High School Teen Council
  • Rated 5 stars

“I really enjoyed this book because I am a prep and it suits me. I enjoyed it because it improved my mood. It was really an interesting book to read. Student Reviewer: Brittany F.”

Strasburg High School Teen Council’s full review »
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Didn’t Like It

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.
ledaeizenberg
  • Rated 1 stars

“The passivity of the protagonist made me want to bash my skull repeatedly with a blunt object, or perhaps more fittingly, whip myself with a ribbon belt. I went to high school, I teach high school, and I hope like hell that none of the young women with whom I work feel this little sense of action in their lives. Just plain hideous.”

ledaeizenberg’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 3.415404 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 3.5 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Stella Jervis

    stella jervis said:

    “I liked this book in the beginning and the middle...I even liked the part about the New York Times...but I really was disappointed at the fact that she didn't show any signs of growth and maturity at the end. She was just the same girl who put herself down and didn't think she was good enough. And I guess I'm really sick and tired of reading about girls who confuse love with having sex. Maybe if she had some kind of realization about her self-worth at the end, but that was not the case. She was still talking about her naivite at the end of the book, and for me that was a real let-down.”

    posted Wednesday, May 7 2008
  • Haley H

    haley h said:

    “Prep is a novel that hits home for me, as I can identify with the Protagonist, Lee, very well. I, too, have felt so self conscious and self absorbed with my own short comings that it hindered social development in my teens. Luckily I was able to get over it and am now totally comfortable with my "weirdness," as Lee describes it. In this book, there are so many little gems of truths about observing people and about self observation as well. As an active reader, though, and with clues in context that Ms. Sittenfeld gives, are we as the reader suppose to truly trust Lee's insight to everything that happens, or are her views skewed. Is she really that boring or invisible? Or did she just not give people a chance? I believe, as with any person, if one sets aside self conscientiousness then we are able to discover and love other people. Never does Lee inquire of other students at Ault about their lives, opinions or childhood. So, in turn she seemed aloof and cold. I believe that this book shows how easy it is to become downtrodden in one's insecurities. With this insight, hopefully the reader realizes how easy it is to let go and just be one's self.”

    posted Thursday, March 27 2008
  • aklatista

    aklatista said:

    “I don't think this book is for young people. Like Lee, the main character and narrator, people who read this book should already be in their 20's (she narrates it in her late 20's) or at least mature enough to view Lee's account as the immature and insecure thoughts of a young girl back when she was in boarding school. Readers should understand where Lee is coming from, but they definitely shouldn't try to emulate her. The all-too authentic and awkward opinions from the mind of Lee are supposed to exist only in the small space of high school, but even then, people should learn to grow up and get over themselves, which is something that she wasn't quite able to do.”

    posted Sunday, March 23 2008
  • younggg

    younggg said:

    “this book was a really good book but i would only recommend it if your at least in 7th grade. this book was about this girl that goes to a coed boarding school, and she meets this guy who she starts to like him. alot of things start to happen between the two, but no one nos anything. while Lee, who is the main character is at the boarding school Ault she finds out alot about her self that she never really new before. this book is sort of hard if your not a strong reader, so what i did was i got it on tape and listened to it, but if you are a strong reader then you'll be fine. ”

    posted Monday, March 17 2008
  • Charis W

    charis w said:

    “Realistic fiction
    This book wasn’t so hard, but you should probably wait until you’re in 7th or 8th grade to begin to read this book.
    This book is about a young girl from Illinois going to a boarding school in New York called Ault. While there she learns more about herself and how things work with the so-called “preps” at her school. Throughout her years in high school she starts to become one of these preps and starts to learn about herself.
    ”

    posted Wednesday, March 5 2008
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