[Review] Class (Cum Laude) - Cecily Von Ziegesar

Title of Book : Class (Cum Laude)
Author : Cecily Von Ziegesar
Publisher : Hyperion Books

These five friends came to Dexter to get a college degree. What they'll really get is an education. ""Gossip Girl" goes to college in this tart satire . . . crisp and surprisingly steely." "--Publishers Weekly" When five freshmen arrive at Dexter College, a small liberal arts school in the quiet town of Home, Maine, the drama unfolds as quickly as the first keg is tapped. There's Shipley--blonde and beautiful, the object of envy and more than a little lust. Her edgy roommate, Eliza, came to Dexter to get noticed, and she has the attitude and the mouth to prove it. Tom is a jock-turned-artist--handsome, privileged, used to getting his own way. Sensitive Nick is Tom's wake-and-bake, pot-smoking roommate. And then there's Adam Gatz, a freckle-faced local boy and his not-so-little sister, Tragedy. As Shipley, Eliza, Tom, Nick, and Adam find out, the first year of college is more than credits and cramming. It's a time of lust, love, secrecy, and scandal.



I'm a bit confused about how to call this book. The cover of this book has Class written on it, but there's a Cum Laude written on the header of every page. I guess I'll go with Class since it's shorter. Anyhoo, Class is a book about celebrating a step in most of people's life. Being a college student. Adapting to a new environment, new system, being away from parents and (of course) growing up, are some of the things which are presented by Von Ziegesar in Class. Class revolves around four different teenagers in their freshman year of college (four and two, six teenagers actually). Five of them are in their freshman year, trying to taste the sweet nectar of freedom.
Shipley is the main character of the story. She is someone who I root for. But I'm a bit disappointed with her choice of man and some of her attitudes. While I understand that maybe some of her inappropriate behaviors are the product of her new freedom, I'm just disappointed to know that she doesn't control herself a bit since it looks like she's the only mature girl there. Eliza, her roommate, is one edgy girl. She tries so hard to get men's attention and keep competing with Shipley since every man's attention in the circle is focused on Shipley. Tom, the typical high school jock who used to get everything he wants. Nick, his roommate and Eliza's love interest who loves getting stoned in between classes. Then there's Adam and his little sister, Tragedy. Adam is the only man in the book who is acceptable in my opinion.
There's a lot of conflict in the book. Small, but there's a lot of it. Love triangle or err.. more than just a triangle since there are six people in the circle. Class is big in the ending. In the last few chapters the conflict gets more interesting but not enough. It was like climbing a mountain, and when I almost got to the top I was blown and fell over to the bottom again. Class is a nice choice for summer reading, I guess. I give it three out of five.



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