Perfect for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and Small Admissions, a wry and cleverly observed debut novel about the privileged bubble that is Liston Heights High--the micro-managing parents, the overworked teachers, and the students caught in the middle--and the fallout for each of them when the bubble finally bursts.
Isobel Johnson knows helicopter parents like Julia Abbott--a stage mom whose world revolves around interfering in her children's lives--come with the territory. Julia resents teachers like Isobel, who effortlessly bond with students, including Julia's own teenagers, who have started pulling further away from her. Isobel has spent her teaching career in Liston Heights side-stepping the community's high-powered families. But when she receives a threatening voicemail accusing her of Anti-Americanism and a "blatant liberal agenda," she realizes she's squarely in the fray. Rather than cowering, Isobel doubles down on her social-justice ideals. Meanwhile, Julia, obsessed with the casting of the high school's winter musical, inadvertently shoves the female student lead after sneaking onto the school campus. The damning video footage goes viral and has far-reaching consequences for Julia and her entire family. With nothing to unite them beyond the sting of humiliation from public meltdowns, Isobel and Julia will find common ground where they least expect it, confronting a secret Facebook gossip site that's stirring up more trouble for this tumultuous, fractured school community. (From the book blurb) My thoughts: It is always enlightning to see the world from a few different perspectives, so I found 'Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes' quite thought-provoking. Liston Heights High is a very realistic place with its pushy parents who fail to communicate meaningfully with their adolescent children, tired and overworked teachers who are only human, after all, and students, who are learning their lessons, not only in their subjects but also in life. The topic of social media and their role at school is timely, but usually we see the students' side. this time we explore the consequences of a video going viral for an adult and her family. Amusing, well-written characters I could relate to and a gripping story that got me out of my reading slump, Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes is a clever book with substance. Recommended. Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Comments are closed.
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