I was excited to review Dangerous Admissions because my youngest stepdaughter recently wrestled with the twisted college admissions process that, in my view, was riddled with suspicion as to what other kids are doing to get into Ivy League schools, how the schools make admission decisions and the overall impact of political pressure on the admission officers.  The prospect of reading a fictionalized account, somewhat akin to the Nanny Diaries that would humorously divulge the internal secrets of admissions had me salivating before the book arrived.  As always, I misunderstood. Dangerous Admissions does not reveal any college admission secrets or stories, nor does it address any of the emotions that students or families experience during this hideous admissions process. Instead, Jane O'Connor serves a pert, funny and active murder mystery.

Honestly, the book did not grab my attention at the beginning, but after a few chapters I became invested in the life of Rannie, the out-of-work copyeditor and main character of the book. Rannie gives the reader an inside glimpse of the publishing world, the cop scene and life as a middle-aged divorced mother. AND, Rannie shares the reality of middle-aged sex, which O’Conner juxtaposes against the teenage sex Rannie’s son is having with the minor character, Olivia.  Stinky. Literally, hormonally stinky is how O’Conner describes the sex scene – you can almost smell it…ick, but good writing!

With the best-selling author of the wowing children’s book, Fancy Nancy, Harper Collins should have spared no expense on the book cover’s design, which was alienating to me.  My high-brow BookClub would object to Dangerous Admissions based on the cover design alone as the book cover features a photograph of a middle-class, middle-aged woman who gives the impression that the book is hokey and mediocre.  O’Connor does a great job capturing the language and feel of modern teenagers and the cover betrays this keen insight by suggesting the book is not hip or current.

O’Conner keeps the humor constant as she writes about old-money Manhattan women who eat boiled beef and odd-colored Jello salads.  Describing Daisy with her pickled liver and ever present long-ashed cigarette  kept me entertained  more than the book’s murder mystery.  I understand O’Connor is already busy on a second book about Rannie et al and I hope she will consider delving deeper into Nate, Olivia and the Lilly’s. I’m interested to know what motivates them and how their lives will develop as young adults.

Pick up a copy of Dangerous Admissions, turn on your vacation message and hide out all day reading it.  If you can’t take a day off, then read Dangerous Admissions on a plane or in the carpool line.  It’s a breezy, fun read.

Comments

[Tina]

You've joined a different book club?

[Avery]

Sounds great! Thanks for the recommendation!