Wurst Case Scenario [Paperback]

Catherine Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2001

Courtney Von Dragen Smith has done the unthinkable: In a burst of self-improving zeal (and some unexpected trouble with local options), she has left home for college out of state. What seemed like a good idea in spring feels like a calamity in fall.

Culture in rural Wisconsin seems to be a formal bratwurst roast. Not to mention: Grant (best bf ever) is 1,000 miles away, there's a six-foot ear of corn making unwanted advances, and being vegan in America's Dairyland is regarded as highly suspicous at best. And so Courtney, "so on the fringe," begins her chronicle of what truly is a Wurst Case Scenario.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Courtney's off to college in Wurst Case Scenario, Catherine Clark's follow-up to last year's Truth or Dairy. In this diary of college-age angst, the 18-year-old laments leaving small-town Colorado for even smaller town Wisconsin, where the usual freshman fears are aggravated by, among other things, being a vegan in cow country.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-Courtney begins her freshman year at Cornwall Falls College in Wisconsin, while her boyfriend goes to Colorado State, near their Denver hometown. The long-distance phone bills rack up, as Courtney calls Grant to gripe about her new life, and they gradually drift apart. Her vegan lifestyle is totally disrupted by the cheese-and-bratwurst mentality of the locals. Her new best friend, Thyme, is a campus rebel, or, maybe, a Daddy's girl. And, even if she turns out to be not such a good friend, she would make a great chameleon. Upon starting a job at the local bagelry, Courtney finds new grist for the complainer's mill. When she finally makes friends with her coworkers-a gay guy who changes his name almost as fast as he does his nail color and the token African-American male-these relationships begin to build a foundation that gives her the courage to adjust to life away from home. Through Courtney's journal entries, Clark has tried to paint a picture of the self-discovery and loneliness of those first days of teen-adult freedom, and the unsure-sureness of Courtney's mood is consistently sustained. Unfortunately, the main character's whiny nature and the sketchiness of the rest of the cast make involvement in the story difficult.
Kim Harris, Newman Riga Library, Churchville, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; First Edition edition (September 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064472876
• ISBN-13: 978-0064472876
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,614,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wurst Case Scenario makes a good story, June 12, 2002

By 

scarletsapphire (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wurst Case Scenario (Paperback)

I've read the other reviews posted and the majority of the reviewers seem to think that the first book in the series, "Truth or Dairy" was better than "Wurst Case." Unfortunately, this is true. Fortunately, this does not mean that "Wurst Case" was as horrible as some people make it sound. It just means that "Truth or Dairy" was outstanding. In fact, "Wurst Case" was a very enjoyable, funny book. Courtney's often sarcastic humor is something that anyone can relate to and laugh at. The book is down-to-earth and Catherine Clark has the ability to make the reader feel as if she is Courtney's new best friend.

This novel takes place on a college campus in rural Wisconsin, the land of cheese and meats. Good news for some, it is absolutely unthinkable for Courney, a strict vegan used to working in cute cafés in her hometown in Colorado. What's worse is that by going to Cornwall Falls for College, Courtney is separated from her boyfriend, Grant, and forced to room with a crazy, brainiac, Wisconsin native, Mary Jo. However, in spite of all the downsides of her college life, Courtney is able to find the sunny part and use her charm and sarcastic wit to pull the story together and in to something enjoyable.

Bottom line is that this was a great, absolutely hilarious book that I definitely reccommend to Princess Diary fans in love with Mia's humor... it's something Courtney and her share.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More realistic than you think, June 13, 2002

By 

"miss_tango" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wurst Case Scenario (Paperback)

I loved Truth or Dairy and I was pretty worried when I read some of the reviews on here. But I have to say that it was a great, funny read and reminded me of what college was like in a way no other book has (yes, I am a grown-up--sort of). The main character is sometimes annoying, but she actually realizes that! There aren't whole lot of books about college (believe me, its not the melodramatic experience you see on Felicity for most of us) and this one captures much (but not all) of the essence of those first few months. I have to admit it's probably a 4, but I wanted to counterbalance some of the negative reviews.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good, fun book!!, February 3, 2004

By 

Kate Morgan (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wurst Case Scenario (Hardcover)

I read the prequel to this book, Truth or Dairy, and loved it, so I picked up this book. It's just as good.

Courtney goes off to college in Wisconsion, leaving her boyfriend, Grant, a day's drive away. At times this book was hilarious, and at others it's sad. Court's first real friend is a girl named Thyme. Thyme is pretty different: she doesn't shave and she constantly has an arguement, but Courtney befriends her. Courtney works at a ridiculous place called "Bagle Finagle", where she makes more friends; sweet Ben and hilarious Mark/Marc/Marque/Marcus (he keeps changing his name tag). The end is a little disappointing, but was worth reading all the way.

While I liked this book, I still thought Truth or Dairy was better. Worth reading, though.