You guys, this is so good. I’m not even sure why I expected it not to be. Several people recommended it, and while I value their opinions and everything, I really thought it would be gimmicky or god forbid, cute. It’s a little bit of the former but none of the latter.
It’s hard to say a lot without being spoilerific and besides, like another ‘baller said, it’s probably better to go in not knowing much.
The very basic outline is that Jane, a young (much younger than the parents in what will become her friend group) single mom, moves to a new, rather upscale town with her young son who will be starting kindergarten. He’s accused of bullying another student at the orientation day, i.e., before the school year has actually started. Jane has already been taken under the wing of my favorite character, Madeline, so there’s an immediate line in the sand, between the accuser’s mom & her cronies and Jane/Jane’s supporters. Doesn’t that sound kind of boring? YOU GUYS! It’s so good!
It’s funny haha. If you’ve spent any time around the parents at your kids’ elementary or middle schools, you’ll recognize most of these characters. Even represented in an ever-so-slightly exaggerated manner, they’re perfect. It’s also funny strange/uncomfortable in that a couple of times I recognized my damn self.
There are some very, very well-written scenes about domestic violence. The escalating tension — danger, really — is so palpable I felt dread while reading in my kitchen.
Information is revealed at a delicious pace. Check it out. I read it almost in one sitting.
