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A review by tan_wayne
Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Prom is a book about the main character finding the unimportance of Prom.
I think the main problem of the book is the plot. The plot is bland and lacks substance. I could even anticipate the ending early on in the book. The school encounters a problem of a teacher stealing money for the Prom. The premise of the event did not happen until a significant chunk into the book, which made it seem that the introduction was quite irrelevant.
The main character, Ashely, can be unlikeable at several moments in the book. One such part was complaining about the house that her boyfriend rented using his hard-earned money from construction work. I mean TJ (her boyfriend) had worked hard to create a life for both of them, and Ashely is just complaining? It was also not unreasonable for TJ to be asking her to take a second job to provide for the family. These are one of the rare cases where the character that readers are supposedly to dislike, I feel more sympathy to.
One thing I hated about her is setting her priorities straight. Knowing that she had many detentions, I think she could have focused on her studies instead of working on something not as important as planning for Prom.
The conclusion was just messy. I think everything was quite unrealistic. From having a Prom dress out of nowhere (where we previously thought she was missing out on), to having her pregnant mother save her child’s Prom (cue crazy and unexpected interaction with the principal). I am still unsure if TJ cheated on her or he found another girl after breaking up with Ashely.
Overall, I think the book showcases a wonderful family dynamic. There may be conflicts, but they can ultimately come together to support one another. However, this does not diminish the fact that this book is severely underwhelming. I have read Speak and Twisted, which were extremely compelling. Prom just made me hungry for more (which parallels the characters wanting more for the Prom😂).
☆2 Stars☆
I think the main problem of the book is the plot. The plot is bland and lacks substance. I could even anticipate the ending early on in the book. The school encounters a problem of a teacher stealing money for the Prom. The premise of the event did not happen until a significant chunk into the book, which made it seem that the introduction was quite irrelevant.
The main character, Ashely, can be unlikeable at several moments in the book. One such part was complaining about the house that her boyfriend rented using his hard-earned money from construction work. I mean TJ (her boyfriend) had worked hard to create a life for both of them, and Ashely is just complaining? It was also not unreasonable for TJ to be asking her to take a second job to provide for the family. These are one of the rare cases where the character that readers are supposedly to dislike, I feel more sympathy to.
One thing I hated about her is setting her priorities straight. Knowing that she had many detentions, I think she could have focused on her studies instead of working on something not as important as planning for Prom.
The conclusion was just messy. I think everything was quite unrealistic. From having a Prom dress out of nowhere (where we previously thought she was missing out on), to having her pregnant mother save her child’s Prom (cue crazy and unexpected interaction with the principal). I am still unsure if TJ cheated on her or he found another girl after breaking up with Ashely.
Overall, I think the book showcases a wonderful family dynamic. There may be conflicts, but they can ultimately come together to support one another. However, this does not diminish the fact that this book is severely underwhelming. I have read Speak and Twisted, which were extremely compelling. Prom just made me hungry for more (which parallels the characters wanting more for the Prom😂).
☆2 Stars☆