Reviews

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz

bougainvillea's review against another edition

2.0

2.5

I did enjoy this, but I felt like it was two different books: one about Portia's life and one about admission to Princeton. They were both interesting, but I think there was way too much of the admissions stuff.

Also, there's a weird error with a character name/gender towards the end that was really confusing.

mhall's review against another edition

3.0

If you've ever been curious about Ivy League schools and who exactly they choose to admit, this book will keep you reading. Portia is a college admissions officer at Princeton in her late 30s, whose life is coming apart in a variety of ways. The author clearly knows a lot about the admissions process, and the book is at its most interesting when digressions about particular applicants are allowed to run their course. Each chapter begins with an entertaining quote from a student's personal essay.

jonid's review against another edition

4.0

If you went to college or have a child who applied to college, or will apply to college, there is a great deal of this book that hits home. The story of a woman who works in the Princeton Admission Office are threads that are all woven into parts of the story: her relationships with her mother, her past, her college years, her job, her coworkers, her live in companion, the applicants, college faculty, and the secondary schools. Sometimes overly wordy (not sure if this is becasue it's the author's style, the assumed style of someone with an ivy league education, or simply how one talkes when living in Princeton!) I enjoyed following the information to it's end. Sometimes predictible, sometimes surprising, overall I found it to be a good read. THe arguments made by the ADmissions staff, the parents, the applicants (each chapter starts with a paragraph from an applicants' personal essay)the protagonist, her mother, the Admissions staff, high school faculty,all reveal the complexity of higher education today.

karasmichelle's review against another edition

2.0

Finally finished this. Not terrible, but not my fave. Here's a link to my blog about it:

http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/admission-as-double-entendre.html

squiggidy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

sickjan's review against another edition

3.0

I love her writing but I can't imagine this being interesting to anyone who isn't an admissions officer (or wants to be one).

amyjoy's review against another edition

4.0

I super enjoyed reading this book. All (or at least most of) the characters are super likable and the plot is interesting, though I wish I hadn't seen the trailer for the movie, as it kind of spoiled Portia's big secret for me.

fairestskyebooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

kort1318's review against another edition

5.0

:)

mkmoore's review against another edition

4.0

An interesting, detailed book but the narrator wasn’t likable.