4*
As Ariel Stone begins his senior year, he is on a steady course to valedictorian, his ticket to Harvard and a good life beyond. He’s precariously balancing a massive course load, sacrificing lunch and much of his social life, barely hanging on to first chair violin in orchestra as he bloodies his fingers to perfect a new piece, volunteering at the animal shelter, and observing the Sabbath and celebrating high holy days with his family. It’s getting harder to maintain this effortless façade, but he can’t let his peers smell weakness or he’ll lose his edge. So, when he fails his first calculus quiz, his anxiety goes through the roof. For the first time, he’s going to need a tutor to help him improve his grade, but the last person he expects to rely on is Amir with whom he’s never gotten along. He figures pulling all-nighters, skipping out on plans with friends, and sticking to a strict schedule is the right plan…until the insanity starts taking a toll. He reluctantly asks Amir for help and, as he begins to question if the pressure to succeed is worth it, he also realizes that Amir might be the best thing that’s happened to him.
Silverman has done a masterful job of highlighting the insane pressure put upon kids to get into the best colleges, beginning in grade school and escalating to the point of making themselves sick or worse. Like so many teens, Ariel thinks he’s alone in his anxiety, but, as the story unfolds, we see that the kids he’s competing with are also stressing over parental and self-imposed expectations. The adults, from counselors like Ms. Hayes (who advocated skipping lunch to cram in more classes) and the orchestra director who demands perfection to parents who are woefully ignorant of their children’s escalating anxiety, are greatly to blame.
There are a couple of concerns worth mentioning. Although the relationship between Ariel and Amir develops at an appropriate pace, revealing several characters’ sexual preferences in the first few pages seems gratuitous. The plethora of Yiddish terms without translation might also cause some confusion for many readers. However, neither of these minor faults detract from this story that is so relevant to today’s teens. Highly-recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Silverman has done a masterful job of highlighting the insane pressure put upon kids to get into the best colleges, beginning in grade school and escalating to the point of making themselves sick or worse. Like so many teens, Ariel thinks he’s alone in his anxiety, but, as the story unfolds, we see that the kids he’s competing with are also stressing over parental and self-imposed expectations. The adults, from counselors like Ms. Hayes (who advocated skipping lunch to cram in more classes) and the orchestra director who demands perfection to parents who are woefully ignorant of their children’s escalating anxiety, are greatly to blame.
There are a couple of concerns worth mentioning. Although the relationship between Ariel and Amir develops at an appropriate pace, revealing several characters’ sexual preferences in the first few pages seems gratuitous. The plethora of Yiddish terms without translation might also cause some confusion for many readers. However, neither of these minor faults detract from this story that is so relevant to today’s teens. Highly-recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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