Customer Reviews

The Upper Class

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Many may think that being a part of the privileged, wealthy, upper class set is a piece of cake, filled with shopping sprees, non-stop parties, gorgeous guys, glamorous girls, and anything else you might happen to think up. For the select few who live this lifestyle, they'd be happy to set you straight. Sure, they have access to daddy's credit card, can vacation and party at a handful of luxury homes around the world, and drink themselves to sleep, but it's not always fun and games. Especially when you're forced to contend with being shipped off to boarding school.

Laine Hunt was bred for Wellington. Being born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Laine has taken on the role of a proper Greenwich girl. Not only does she spend much of her time at the local country club, surrounded by other rich and privileged teens like herself - along with an assortment of stuffy adults who leer at her like she's some sort of lobster special - but she's also a field hockey star who is destined for stardom. Not that she wants it. Laine may be gorgeous, with pale blonde hair, never-ending legs, and turquoise eyes; but she's also plagued by one very paralyzing fear: failure. Laine has been raised to please everyone around her - from her mother to her stepfather, and even her neighbors. But with so much pressure riding on her, she can't help but feel that heading off to Wellington may just set her up for her biggest fear, and leave her disappointing everyone.

Long Island-bred Nikki Olivetti, on the other hand, couldn't stick out more as a Wellington girl. First, Nikki is new-money, so no one knows her name, or cares to learn more about her. Second, she's a loudmouth tease who likes to spend her time flirting with every boy in sight; but, underneath it all, Nikki has the biggest heart, and is interested in getting to know everyone around her. Too bad the feelings aren't reciprocated. As Laine's roommate, the pairing couldn't be more inaccurate. The only thing these two newbies have in common, is the fact that they're both reluctant to enjoy the whole boarding school experiment. They'd better figure out how to survive, however; otherwise they'll never live to see graduation day.

I am a huge fan of Cecily von Ziegesar's GOSSIP GIRL and IT GIRL series; as well as Kate Brian's PRIVATE series, so I knew that I would instantly love THE UPPER CLASS. Hobson Brown, Taylor Materne, and Caroline Says have done an enchanting job of intertwining the lives of two very different girls, along with many of their popular classmates, to create an enthralling story that is, to put it bluntly, impossible to put down. What's so interesting about THE UPPER CLASS, is that, as it's written by three individual people, you can actually see the writing change from one to another throughout the novel, which actually lends a unique twist to the tale. It's also quite fun to view the world of private school, through the eyes of two very different, yet original characters - such as Nikki and Laine. Catty, chic, and oh-so charming - I can't wait to read the sequel!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Urgh. I think if I tried to write down all my thoughts in a single paragraph it would be both long, boring, and completely confusing. So for just this review I'm categorizing my thoughts into good and bad.

Good: TONS of description. For example, the first sentence reads as so; Outside the black window of the country club, moonlight glazes tiger lilies, dripping off the petals like cream. Doesn't that sound completely delicious? And their are many other sentences in the book that are as warm and sparkling as that one. I think I would've read the book just to be able to read nice sentences like that one. The story also has a nice and zippy plotline. Nothing ever stops for long and there's twist after twist to keep you coming back for more. There is also a character that I liked a lot who I think deserves a spot in the good category and that would be Nikki and Laine's woods instructor. I can't remember his name off the top of my head, but I liked him a lot.

Bad: And now we get to the juicy stuff. First of all, the characters were horrible. They were not developed at all and I really couldn't tell one person apart from the next, especially the boys and the parents. They just all blended together which makes a story completely suck. Also, Nikki and a guy supposedly had this relationship going on, but I really didn't see that. Sure they hook up in random scenes, but there was no dialog, no interaction, no chemistry, nothing to indicate that they actually liked each other. And characters without chemistry? Yuck. Also, the zippy plot was in the good category, but it should also be in the bad, because you could barely get your bearings before everything was mixed up again, making the whole entire book confusing and unorganized.

So I guess for the most part, Upper Class was a pretty bad book. I really liked the imagery, but other than that, it stunk. I don't think I'll be reading the next book. I have better things to do with my time.

Read a review of this book in the NY Times' style section yesterday, got a copy and couldn't put it down!

Really liked it. Can't wait to see how the characters develop. They should make this into a movie!

great book, blows away any other attempt to depict true boarding school/high school stories. People & places feel real! none of this "school ties" or scent of a woman glorified drama. great book! & encompasses a more broad range of readers..

Nestled in some perfect green world is a castle called Wellington. Well, it's not really a castle, but it looks like one. Inside, the chosen few --- an amalgamation of kids from all across the privileged sides of the world --- come together to learn and grow. Here is the place where unlikely friends are made.

When Nikki Olivetti from Long Island, New York, and Laine Hunt from Greenwich, Connecticut, are pushed together as roommates, they wonder how long they can last without ripping each other's hair out. Without their usual safety nets (mom and dad, loads of cash, familiar places), the girls find themselves castaways on an island of discovery. And when Laine sees Nikki's Facebook picture in a senior's "Who Won't Make It" betting book, she realizes how tough this place is really going to be.

THE UPPER CLASS, the first in what surely will be a successful series of teen reads about upper crusty boarding-school types and their misadventures, is written by three friends who graduated from the prestigious Hotchkiss School and know all too well the pitfalls and exciting propositions that come from being handed an opportunity like Laine and Nikki receive at the fictional Wellington. Hobson Brown, Taylor Materne and Caroline Says have found somehow to meld their three voices into one distinctive literary roar.

The characters muse about life with astonishing depth perception; they know what their parents' money has brought them, both at the mall and by way of intense social and economic expectations. Nikki, being the new money girl, is the person whose perspective is like that of most of the readers of this book. Laine, on the other hand, reflects on the implications of following a dysfunctional yet highly prized socially-connected family's path while still striving to make one of her own.

I'm amazed that three individuals were able to pull off this feat. Like a film with too many credited screenwriters, a novel with more than one author often feels like a committee creation rather than a single purposeful work of art. But THE UPPER CLASS is just that --- art masquerading as "The Real World." Nicely done, folks. Hotchkiss would be proud.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

got hooked right away-- a beautiful book about the sometimes not-so beautiful goings ons at an exclusive eastcoast boarding school.... cute boys good girls bad girls .. a deliciously catty ride into the world of the young & priviledged.... couldnt put it down! grab a few copies and dive in w/your friends around the pool.... def 2007's hottest summer read! Now just praying for a sequel... seriously I can't get enough!

Don't hesitate reading it, you won't be able to put this one down... can't wait for the next one to come out!

It's a shame that the The Upper Class is marketed as a Gossip Girl clone. Both YA series center on the lives of priveleged teenagers. Gossip Girl depicts the never-ending glamour and fun of living a life among the beautiful and rich; its characters are often cliched, its plots unrealistic, and its prose clunky. The Upper Class, however, elevates itself above other YA fiction by creating believable, multi-dimensional characters, realistic (sometimes uncomfortably so) but still engrossing plots, and elegant writing. The book is so fresh that I was surprised to learn that the authors are not recent prep-school grads. The Upper Class perfectly captures the confusion of heartache of growing up.

THE UPPER CLASS
HOBSON BROWN, TAYLOR MATERNE AND CAROLINE SAYS


Rating: 3.5 Enchantments

Life at the exclusive Wellington isn't always what it's cracked up to be-especially for newcomers Laine Hunt and Nikki Olivetti, two girls who couldn't be more different if they tried, a fact that comes very obvious when the two are forced to become roommates. Laine comes from Greenwich, old money and a family name to live up to. Nikki on the other hand, is Long Island bred and from `new' money.

At times, Laine and Nikki seem like polar opposites and the reader is left wondering if the girls will ever even really get along. The one scene that sticks out in my mind is when Laine is hanging out with a senior girl in her room and is shown the secretive Who Won't Make It Book and discovers Nikki's face inside. I think that was one of the big turning points in the novel, when Laine sees Nikki as more than her annoying roommate, but a girl who might not last the year at Wellington.

At times, I wasn't too fond of Nikki. There were times when I found her to be fairly abrasive, but I think it was ramped up to show the contrast between the two girls.

The series has definite potential. I look forward to seeing what happens next!

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
May 2008