We all know how society is now - in America at least with its first world problems related to magnet schools and education (#firstworldproblems anyone?!) - but it's so easy to overlook the passive (or in some cases not so passive) competitiveness of parenting and education and to shove it into the back of your mind. How often have you (or myself for that matter) found myself thinking: "That's totally not me?" Well, this book doesn't let you get away with that and for that reason, I loved it.
This book also couldn't have come at a better time: we learned of stars like Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin buying their children spaces at prestigious universities, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of said celebrities.This novel revolves around a very similar and comical version of it. The action all revolves around a fictional Colorado town where the protagonists are all addicted to privilege and hoarding it. The town has found out that it is getting a school for the "gifted" and the main theme is that the children of these elite should get in, not on their own merit or gifts, but because they are simply the children of the elite. There is a group of four female friends that form the core of the elite circle that Holsinger satirizes. These women all met at a baby swim class - how typical.
All four have a child that they believe and hope will get into this school. Two will lie and cheat their children into the school.
I found the book to be useful in the sense that it draws attention to things that are going on currently. But honestly? I found the book to be so overtly predictable and stereotypical that it was downright boring. It also moved along at a snail's pace. I mean really? 300+ pages is not needed for a story like this. It just wasn't a book that I was particularly fond of.
This book also couldn't have come at a better time: we learned of stars like Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin buying their children spaces at prestigious universities, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of said celebrities.This novel revolves around a very similar and comical version of it. The action all revolves around a fictional Colorado town where the protagonists are all addicted to privilege and hoarding it. The town has found out that it is getting a school for the "gifted" and the main theme is that the children of these elite should get in, not on their own merit or gifts, but because they are simply the children of the elite. There is a group of four female friends that form the core of the elite circle that Holsinger satirizes. These women all met at a baby swim class - how typical.
All four have a child that they believe and hope will get into this school. Two will lie and cheat their children into the school.
I found the book to be useful in the sense that it draws attention to things that are going on currently. But honestly? I found the book to be so overtly predictable and stereotypical that it was downright boring. It also moved along at a snail's pace. I mean really? 300+ pages is not needed for a story like this. It just wasn't a book that I was particularly fond of.
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