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Prep

The startling coming-of-age novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author of AMERICAN WIFE
By Curtis Sittenfeld
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld is a compelling coming-of-age story centred around Lee Fiora, a teenager from Indiana who gets a scholarship to attend an elite boarding school in Massachusetts. The narrative explores her struggles with identity, fitting in, and the complexities of adolescent life in a privileged setting. Through Lee's eyes, the book delves into themes of social dynamics, self-discovery, and the contrasting worlds of socio-economic backgrounds.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy coming-of-age stories that delve into the complexities of adolescence, exploring themes of identity, social dynamics, and the search for belonging within the elite world of a boarding school. Curtis Sittenfeld masterfully captures the awkwardness and vulnerability of teenage life, offering a poignant and relatable read.

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Lee Fiora is a shy fourteen-year-old when she leaves small-town Indiana for a scholarship at Ault, an exclusive boarding school in Massachusetts. Her head is filled with images from the school brochure of handsome boys in sweaters leaning against old brick buildings, and girls running with lacrosse sticks across pristine athletics fields.

Orange Prize shortlisted first novel by the phenomenal word-of-mouth bestselling author of American Wife, now republished in Black Swan

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Orange Prize shortlisted debut novel by the phenomenal word-of-mouth bestselling author of American Wife.

From the bestselling author of Romantic Comedy, Rodham, American Wife and You Think It, I'll Say It.

Sittenfeld writes girls and women as they truly are, with shades of light and dark, with and without grace, apologetic as well as fearless - The Guardian

Prep might just be my favourite book - Pandora Sykes

Sittenfeld shares with Salinger a knack of capturing, in effortless prose, a teenager mindset - The Times

Lee Fiora is a shy fourteen-year-old when she leaves small-town Indiana for a scholarship at Ault, an exclusive boarding school in Massachusetts. Her head is filled with images from the school brochure of handsome boys in sweaters leaning against old brick buildings, girls running with lacrosse sticks across pristine athletics fields, everyone singing hymns in chapel. But as she soon learns, Ault is a minefield of unstated rules and incomprehensible social rituals, and Lee must work hard to find - and maintain - her place in the pecking order.

Prep is more than a coming of age story - it's a study of social class ... and Sittenfeld renders it with astonishing deftness and clarity. - Jennifer Egan

Straightforward, serious, funny. - London Review of Books

Sharp, caustic and brilliantly observed - Observer

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld is celebrated for its sharp depiction of adolescence, capturing the minutiae of teenage life with universality and accuracy. Critics applaud Sittenfeld's ability to evoke the intense and often awkward atmosphere of a boarding school, highlighting her skill in crafting a distinct and relatable teenage voice. The novel has been compared to works by renowned authors, evoking both humour and seriousness, while exploring themes of class, race, and identity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780552776844

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 July 2010

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Black Swan

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 199.0mm

Weight: 331g

Pages: 480

Collections

Contemporary Romance Curtis Sittenfeld Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Romance

About the Author

Curtis Sittenfeld is the author of the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling Rodham. Other novels include American Wife and Prep, both bestsellers and longlisted for the Orange Prize, The Man of My Dreams, Sisterland, Eligible, and the acclaimed short story collections You Think It, I'll Say It and Help Yourself. Her stories have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Oprah Magazine and the New York Times magazine. Sittenfeld was also the guest editor for the 2020 Best American Short Stories anthology. She lives with her family in the American Midwest. Follow her on Twitter @CSittenfeld

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