I've been reading some reviews regarding this book and I guess most people, while they enjoyed the writing, didn't connect to to the story. I felt as if the author had reached into my head and extracted not necessarily the actual events but all of those awkward emotions everyone experiences in high school. We all had those moments of doing or not doing things only because of what others think or at least was we perceive they will think. We've all had those moments we look back on and are filled with regret because even though we've buried the memories those emotions of embarrassment and sometimes excruciating pain are right there accessible under the surface. I personally found this book hard to read sometimes because of the memories it drudged up but I have to say it was well worth it. Sittenfield is possibly the most honest and most realistic about the high school experience and even though it centers around a boarding school (I attended a regular high school) it applies to everyone. I highly recommend the book and I'm sure it's one I'll read again sometime in the future.