Talk about testing your limit
You know, I don't exactly know why I picked up this book. The SATs are apparently a big part of high school - especially if a student has plans to move onto better things after graduation. But the thing is, it doesn't match up with the experience I had: I didn't take the SATs, after all. I took the ACTs because the university I had my eye on needed me to have a decent ACT score. So, yeah, my parents bought me the requisite study materials and after a month or so, it was all over and done with. So the only frame of reference I have for the SATs comes from YA books that center on high schools.
Max knows he can do well, Leo hopes he can do well, Daisy thinks she'll screw it up, and Jane doesn't know why she has to bother. Trouble is, the scores matter, and they all have to face the music - and Mr. Crowley, the sneaky and pompous college advisor. So the four of them start a judge-free SAT prep group for both mental and moral support. Throughout the course of the school year, the four find themselves in new situations: Max tries to turn his crush on best friend Daisy into a reality; Leo finds himself attracted to Daisy, even though she's "strictly state school"; Daisy resolves to get her score up to qualify for any scholarships she will surely need; and Jane, daughter of a movie star, finds friends who don't want to use her just to get to her mother. They all survive the SATs, but just when things are good - Daisy and Leo are a thing, Max's score can get him into his dream school, Jane is growing a backbone - it is revealed that someone cheated. Soon, suspicion and unease threatens to pull the four friends apart, and unspoken problems within the group add to the strain. Who's the culprit? And maybe more importantly, who's to blame?
There are very few writers who can tackle multiple themes and ideas in 300 or so pages gracefully and economically. By God, I think Fredericks nearly manages it, or at least doesn't let her various themes - the ability to care deeply, rich vs. poor, frustrating father-son relationships, the complexities of female friendship - detract from a solid story. The plotting, pacing, and strong narrative entices the reader well, especially as the mystery of whodunnit gains momentum (and I promise you - you won't be able to guess who). The odd bond that develops between the four main characters is moving, especially once it is put into jeopardy by the presence of a cheater. Leo and Daisy's relationship progresses nicely and then takes a sharp turn that is handled quite realistically. The fallout between Daisy and Max is likewise nicely done. A character like Jane's has the potential to rub readers the wrong way, but she is written so as to earn your sympathy, if not your respect (although the "daughter of a famous person" trope gets too much play in YA lit). Secondary characters such as the laid-back Luisa, the competitive Kyra, and the ultimately unlikable Mr. Crowley populate a well-drawn high school setting.
One thing that readers might not care for is the lack of closure for some of the subplots. Leo's relationship with his father, Jane's discomfort with her creepy stepfather - come to think of it, the state of Jane herself is left uncertain at the end. The ending itself is interesting as the friendship of all four characters feels like it's in limbo. Ultimately I'm left second-guessing myself as to what each character learned about him- or herself - other than where they'd like to go after graduation, which is no small thing. But it didn't feel reassuring or whole, and I'm sure it's a sign of Fredericks struggling to come up with a cohesive end.
Rating: 3.5 #2 pencils out of 5.
There are very few writers who can tackle multiple themes and ideas in 300 or so pages gracefully and economically. By God, I think Fredericks nearly manages it, or at least doesn't let her various themes - the ability to care deeply, rich vs. poor, frustrating father-son relationships, the complexities of female friendship - detract from a solid story. The plotting, pacing, and strong narrative entices the reader well, especially as the mystery of whodunnit gains momentum (and I promise you - you won't be able to guess who). The odd bond that develops between the four main characters is moving, especially once it is put into jeopardy by the presence of a cheater. Leo and Daisy's relationship progresses nicely and then takes a sharp turn that is handled quite realistically. The fallout between Daisy and Max is likewise nicely done. A character like Jane's has the potential to rub readers the wrong way, but she is written so as to earn your sympathy, if not your respect (although the "daughter of a famous person" trope gets too much play in YA lit). Secondary characters such as the laid-back Luisa, the competitive Kyra, and the ultimately unlikable Mr. Crowley populate a well-drawn high school setting.
One thing that readers might not care for is the lack of closure for some of the subplots. Leo's relationship with his father, Jane's discomfort with her creepy stepfather - come to think of it, the state of Jane herself is left uncertain at the end. The ending itself is interesting as the friendship of all four characters feels like it's in limbo. Ultimately I'm left second-guessing myself as to what each character learned about him- or herself - other than where they'd like to go after graduation, which is no small thing. But it didn't feel reassuring or whole, and I'm sure it's a sign of Fredericks struggling to come up with a cohesive end.
Rating: 3.5 #2 pencils out of 5.
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