I need to dance
No, this is not the literary adaptation of that teen movie released last May. This book is written by the same author as Speak, a tense and heartbreaking novel about an unpopular teen in high school. Having read that book years ago, I braced myself for a story with a similarly dramatic tone. Happily, this did not turn out to be the case.
According to Ashley, normal kids like her do not have it easy in life. They don't turn in homework on time, they have no one on their sides, and they definitely don't go wild over prom. In fact, once Ash graduates high school, she plans to move in with her boyfriend TJ and get a job where she doesn't have to dress up in a rat suit. But when her friend Nat goes into crisis mode having to re-plan the whole prom, Ash steps up - if only to keep her best friend's sanity in check. Soon, she's asking the free clinic for condom party favors and trying on dresses at her mother's behest, all while trying to dodge the short-tempered vice principal and dealing with a father who keeps renovating different rooms of the house. As Nat has to rely on her more and more, Ash figures that hey, she's pretty good at taking charge - even if her relationship with TJ is falling apart - and she wonders if there might be something more she wants to do after saying goodbye to high school.
It's been a long time since I've read a book that hits the sweet spot between "comfort read" and "thrilling read." Prom is nice little story (practically a novella) that still carries enough heft to encourage the reader to, well, read on. Ash is an unpretentious, engaging character with a fresh attitude. Her efforts to go above and beyond - and still reap the benefits at the end of the day - makes her easy to root for. Rounding out her story is a highly enjoyable cast of characters, friends and family who all want the best for the snarky Ash. Highlights include a very pregnant, very assertive mother who never cloys and Nat's Russian grandma, calmly slipping into senility. I especially admire how Ash's home life is depicted: her family is poor and loud and messy, but home itself is never a destructive environment. The voice of Ashley may at first feel forced or out of place - some YA authors' "teen voice" can ring woefully false - but Anderson commits to it and holds nothing back. The setting of a dodgy Philly neighborhood and school is written in a way that doesn't invite your pity or scorn, which is something I haven't often seen. Anderson's respect for her characters is commendable, and makes for a straight-up good read.
Oftentimes when a book is short, I would complain that the writer should have lengthened it. But here, the story ends right where it needs to, with Ash in a great place. All-around it's a great, light-hearted read. Rating: 4.5 prom committee meetings out of 5.
It's been a long time since I've read a book that hits the sweet spot between "comfort read" and "thrilling read." Prom is nice little story (practically a novella) that still carries enough heft to encourage the reader to, well, read on. Ash is an unpretentious, engaging character with a fresh attitude. Her efforts to go above and beyond - and still reap the benefits at the end of the day - makes her easy to root for. Rounding out her story is a highly enjoyable cast of characters, friends and family who all want the best for the snarky Ash. Highlights include a very pregnant, very assertive mother who never cloys and Nat's Russian grandma, calmly slipping into senility. I especially admire how Ash's home life is depicted: her family is poor and loud and messy, but home itself is never a destructive environment. The voice of Ashley may at first feel forced or out of place - some YA authors' "teen voice" can ring woefully false - but Anderson commits to it and holds nothing back. The setting of a dodgy Philly neighborhood and school is written in a way that doesn't invite your pity or scorn, which is something I haven't often seen. Anderson's respect for her characters is commendable, and makes for a straight-up good read.
Oftentimes when a book is short, I would complain that the writer should have lengthened it. But here, the story ends right where it needs to, with Ash in a great place. All-around it's a great, light-hearted read. Rating: 4.5 prom committee meetings out of 5.
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