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marthagal's review
4.0
I liked this. Interesting insight into the life of an admissions counselor - it made me wonder what they had to say about me back in the day.
kwough's review
3.0
FIVE for the great (if more than a little scary) insights into the college student admissions process at elite institutions. ONE for the fairly cheesy drama that went along with it. I split the difference in my rating.
k80uva's review
4.0
A little uneven, but also ambitious, interesting, and entertaining. Hangs together better than the movie.
debi_g's review
3.0
This 477-pager could certainly have been shortened without loss, though the prose reflects the psychological stasis of the main character. Portions of the novel are masterfully tense, demanding reader attention. I found most characters --especially the Quest group-- likable and fascinating. Snippets of supposed admissions essays prefacing each chapter signal the author's skill, for they convincingly embody tone and voice commonly seen in student writing. The idiomatic errors, such as with the use of the words myriad and everyday realistically belied the students' efforts to portray themselves as erudite.
This aptly titled book appealed to me while I was traveling through the areas where it is set, and noticed the abundance of elite school decals on car windows in the region. Adding to the appeal was the fact that the main character is my age and has some facets in common with me. The narrative perspective offered in Admission is new, and the lengthy, repetitious explanations of ethics exist for a purpose.
This aptly titled book appealed to me while I was traveling through the areas where it is set, and noticed the abundance of elite school decals on car windows in the region. Adding to the appeal was the fact that the main character is my age and has some facets in common with me. The narrative perspective offered in Admission is new, and the lengthy, repetitious explanations of ethics exist for a purpose.
dcmr's review
3.0
A mixed bag -- the first half was fresh and engaging, but the second half lagged with excess and the plot twist seemed implausible. It's too bad, really, because a sharp editor could have really pruned and honed this novel to make it shine.
abikennedy's review
3.0
Interesting book overall. At times it moved slow, but I was still interested in the story to kept reading. I could tell there was a twist and didn't see it coming, which was an interesting element. I have not seen the movie, but knowing who played the characters and it being portrayed as a comedy, this book surprised me. It's not a comedy/funny book. There are moments of funny, but overall it's a serious book that tackles some big issues. Overall I liked it, but it wasn't what I expected.
gailcarroll's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
finesilkflower's review
slow-paced
3.0
Slow-paced and predictable plot, heavy-handed and first-novely at times, but the idea of centering the POV of an admissions officer was novel enough to keep me interested and I felt the book was fairly convincing at portraying students' essays and the admissions officer's reactions to them. IDK if this was the intention but it left me feeling that colleges should all be closed for good.
kacharles's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5