Private, a novel written by Kate Brian, is a very entertaining book and contains many realistic elements, such as problems at home and the pressure to follow the crowd, in which an average high school student can relate. This book focuses on a simple fifteen-year-old girl named Reed Brennan who has suffered from the pain and hurt of her pill-popping, nagging, and drunkard mother throughout her life in Croton, Pennsylvania. Winning a scholarship to Easton Academy in Connecticut is an answer to Reed’s prayers because she feels that the time has finally come for her to start a new life, completely free from her family issues. But within the first few seconds of her arrival at the boarding school, Reed is filled with fear and intimidation when seeing the extremely self-confident, sophisticated, and gorgeous girls with their expensive designer clothes and Louis Vuitton luggage. Noticing these great contrasts to her simple life, Reed knows that being accepted by Easton Academy will be a very difficult task. “The Billings Girls” are the most popular, glamorous, and envied girls on the entire campus with a reputation of prestigious success and honor. Ready to participate in a new, exciting lifestyle, Reed Brennan has never wanted anything more than to become part of the Billings Girls “inner circle” and does whatever she has to throughout the novel to fulfill this goal.
My eye has always been drawn to books about high school life and its relationships within. Therefore, finding this book about teenage pressures, romance, and social events during high school years sparked my interest to read it. I felt that Kate Brian did a great job in connecting her audience’s feelings to her characters’ emotions in the novel. Like Reed, every teenager wants to fit in and have a lot of friends in high school. Putting yourself out there and moving out of your comfort zone are sometimes necessary steps in becoming more sociable and well-known. However, Realizing that Reed was so obsessed with being a Billings Girl that she didn’t even care that the popular crowd mocked, snickered, and demanded her to perform selfish errands made me question the dignity of individuals. It made me recognize how ridiculous it is for people to go to such drastic measures and degrade themselves for the sake of others in order to gain high social status and a cool title. Disappointment struck over me when Reed caved in too easily and took her boyfriend back, even after he treated her badly and made several mistakes. This made me feel that girls should be firm and strong in their decisions, involving not only their relationships but also all aspects of life, and not take the easy way out. An emphasis on the importance of money and materialistic items also plays a big factor throughout the novel.
I really enjoyed reading about the growing relationship and secret encounters of Reed and her crush, Thomas Pearson. I also admired the great determination and persistency continually exhibited in Reed’s thoughts and actions throughout the book. Proving the lesson of the story, Reed conveys that one should never give up trying to accomplish their goal and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Though it may appeal more to the female audience, Private is such a fun and easy book to read. I thought it was an excellent book and look forward to reading the sequels in the future!
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This sounds like a very interesting novel to read. I like to read novels based on high school situations. Maybe this book is for people IN high school though? Because maybe people in middle school who don't know anything about high school could get the wrong idea. But then again I haven't read it yet so I don't know entirely. I understand what you are saying when you mention girls needing to keep their dignity and strength. It is very true when they we become caught up in things such as social status. This sounds like a wonderful book to read and your overall analysis is tremendous.
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