 |
| Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld |
Since Prep debuted, Curtis Sittenfeld has made quite a name for herself. American Wife stirred up some controversy-- it blurred a few lines between "inspired by a true story" and fiction-- but no matter what, her novels are raw; eager to explore what growing up means, but careful enough to know that growing up can be a painful process.
Prep is also inspired by a true story-- her own-- and it's her debut novel. As a character study, Prep shines in a way its main character cannot.
Lee Fiora wasn't ever going to shine brighter than her best friends, or compete to win in any major tournaments, or score the hottest boy on campus. As an adult, she recounts her experiences at Ault, an austere boarding school in the northeast, where she can only afford to attend thanks to being on scholarship. At Ault, however, Lee is painfully self-aware, introverted, and she's lonely in almost every sense of the word. She doesn't fit in with her wealthier, trendy classmates; as she's self-aware, she also avoids other peers she deems outsiders.
This isn't a plot-heavy book. It's more about the experiences of one teenager trying to fit in and trying not to stand out. So what makes this different than other books about high school drama? An adult who has time and distance from Ault can discuss the highs and lows of adolescence while keeping a grander scope of life in mind. It captures inexperience and uncertainty, class divisions, hook-ups and break-ups through the eyes of a more experienced adult who has, by this time, learned to speak up for herself.
If Lee Fiora can get better, well, maybe we can get better and reflect on the hard moments in our own lives. Maybe there's hope for us.