What do you think?
Rate this book
Tracy Flick #1
Election
A suburban New Jersey high school teacher confronts a student-body election gone haywire in this darkly comic novel by the author of The Wishbones. Scheduled for release as a feature film in 1998, starring Matthew Broderick.Who really cares who gets elected President of Winwood High School? Nobody -- except Tracy Flick. Tracy's one of those students of boundless energy and ambition who somehow finds the time to do everything -- edit the school paper, star in the musical, sleep with her favorite teacher. Her heart is set on becoming President of Winwood, and what Tracy wants, Tracy gets. With weeks to go before election day, her victory is nearly a foregone conclusion.
And that's just the problem, according to Mr. M -- a.k.a. Jim McAllister, faculty, advisor to the Student Government Association and a popular Winwood history teacher. In the name of democracy -- not to mention a simmering grudge against Tracy Flick -- Mr. M recruits the perfect opposition candidate. Paul Warren is a golden boy, a football hero with a brain and a heart, eager to bulk up his meager resume.
As Winwood High experiences election fever, Mr. M is distracted by a sudden attraction to his wife's best friend. The two dramas he has created -- one personal and private, the other public and political -- unfurl simultaneously, with all the players sharing in a life-altering conclusion.
Part satire, part soap opera, Election is an uncommon look at an ordinary American high school, and the extraordinary people who inhabit it.
And that's just the problem, according to Mr. M -- a.k.a. Jim McAllister, faculty, advisor to the Student Government Association and a popular Winwood history teacher. In the name of democracy -- not to mention a simmering grudge against Tracy Flick -- Mr. M recruits the perfect opposition candidate. Paul Warren is a golden boy, a football hero with a brain and a heart, eager to bulk up his meager resume.
As Winwood High experiences election fever, Mr. M is distracted by a sudden attraction to his wife's best friend. The two dramas he has created -- one personal and private, the other public and political -- unfurl simultaneously, with all the players sharing in a life-altering conclusion.
Part satire, part soap opera, Election is an uncommon look at an ordinary American high school, and the extraordinary people who inhabit it.
210 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 1998
About the author
Tom Perrotta
32 books2,709 followersTom Perrotta is the bestselling author of nine works of fiction, including Election and Little Children, both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films, and The Leftovers, which was adapted into a critically acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning HBO series. His work has been translated into a multitude of languages. Perrotta grew up in New Jersey and lives outside of Boston.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,092 reviews
February 2, 2024
ELEZIONE
Matthew Broderick interpreta il prof. All’epoca di questo film non era più la star del decennio precedente.
A suo modo romanzo di formazione, anche questo in ambiente scolastico come già in L'insegnante di astinenza sessuale, Perrotta, che qualcuno a casa sua con buona dose di esagerazione definisce il Cechov americano, attraverso il racconto di un’elezione studentesca, torna a mostrare come in USA il puritanesimo regni sovrano, la democrazia e l’egualitarismo siano ancora soprattutto miti, non traguardi consolidati, come anche in una democrazia in miniatura come quella scolastica la vera molla sia l’ansia di successo
Il film ‘Election’, del 1999, è adattato e diretto da Alexander Payne, due volte vincitore dell’Oscar: per la sceneggiatura di ‘Sideways - In viaggio con Jack’ (2005, anche vincitore del Golden Globe) e poi nel 2012 per la sceneggiatura di ‘The Descendants-Paradiso amaro’.
Tracy Flick è un'adolescente decisa e senza scrupoli che cerca con ogni mezzo di essere eletta presidente del consiglio scolastico; il suo docente, Jim McAllister, infastidito dalla sua determinazione e tenacia, e temendo di esserne attratto sessualmente, decide di ostacolare la sua elezione, proponendo a uno studente ex giocatore di football americano, molto popolare, gentile e ingenuo, di candidarsi contro Tracy.
Reese Whiterspoon interpreta la studentessa.
Un libro senza fronzoli, orpelli, punti esclamativi, divagazioni, frasi da leggere più volte.
Un libro che cattura il lettore dall'incipit.
Divertente, fresco, bello, brillante, intelligente.
La moltiplicazione dei punti di vista è uno spasso: non è il noto effetto 'Rashomon' dove la verità si moltiplica secondo il numero dei raccontatori - qui, la verità è una, la storia è unica, ma ognuno racconta il suo pezzetto e aggiunge particolari.
E tutti i personaggi sono interessanti, giovani e adulti, tutti ben raccontati, con personalità a 360°, e per tutti Perrotta dimostra uguale rispetto.
Un piacere.
Ho sempre desiderato insegnare. A differenza di tante altre persone, non ho mai dovuto chiedermi cosa fare della mia vita. Il mio unico sogno è sempre stato quello di sedermi sul bordo della scrivania in un’aula piena di ragazzi curiosi e parlare dei fatti del mondo. L’elezione che ha fatto di me un venditore di automobili ebbe luogo nella primavera del 1992.
Matthew Broderick interpreta il prof. All’epoca di questo film non era più la star del decennio precedente.
A suo modo romanzo di formazione, anche questo in ambiente scolastico come già in L'insegnante di astinenza sessuale, Perrotta, che qualcuno a casa sua con buona dose di esagerazione definisce il Cechov americano, attraverso il racconto di un’elezione studentesca, torna a mostrare come in USA il puritanesimo regni sovrano, la democrazia e l’egualitarismo siano ancora soprattutto miti, non traguardi consolidati, come anche in una democrazia in miniatura come quella scolastica la vera molla sia l’ansia di successo
Il film ‘Election’, del 1999, è adattato e diretto da Alexander Payne, due volte vincitore dell’Oscar: per la sceneggiatura di ‘Sideways - In viaggio con Jack’ (2005, anche vincitore del Golden Globe) e poi nel 2012 per la sceneggiatura di ‘The Descendants-Paradiso amaro’.
Tracy Flick è un'adolescente decisa e senza scrupoli che cerca con ogni mezzo di essere eletta presidente del consiglio scolastico; il suo docente, Jim McAllister, infastidito dalla sua determinazione e tenacia, e temendo di esserne attratto sessualmente, decide di ostacolare la sua elezione, proponendo a uno studente ex giocatore di football americano, molto popolare, gentile e ingenuo, di candidarsi contro Tracy.
Reese Whiterspoon interpreta la studentessa.
Un libro senza fronzoli, orpelli, punti esclamativi, divagazioni, frasi da leggere più volte.
Un libro che cattura il lettore dall'incipit.
Divertente, fresco, bello, brillante, intelligente.
La moltiplicazione dei punti di vista è uno spasso: non è il noto effetto 'Rashomon' dove la verità si moltiplica secondo il numero dei raccontatori - qui, la verità è una, la storia è unica, ma ognuno racconta il suo pezzetto e aggiunge particolari.
E tutti i personaggi sono interessanti, giovani e adulti, tutti ben raccontati, con personalità a 360°, e per tutti Perrotta dimostra uguale rispetto.
Un piacere.
Ho sempre desiderato insegnare. A differenza di tante altre persone, non ho mai dovuto chiedermi cosa fare della mia vita. Il mio unico sogno è sempre stato quello di sedermi sul bordo della scrivania in un’aula piena di ragazzi curiosi e parlare dei fatti del mondo. L’elezione che ha fatto di me un venditore di automobili ebbe luogo nella primavera del 1992.
February 19, 2023
“The logistics of a high school election are no laughing matter. At the same time you’re educating your students about democracy, you’re working to safeguard the process against fraud. It’s sad but true: given half a chance, most kids will cheat to win. They’re a lot like adults in this respect.” – Mr. M
I’ve never seen the movie adaptation of Election, but I understand that a lot of its cult followers can be likened to Rushmore enthusiasts. Winwood High School is an anonymous high school, in a generic small town, where most people seem to be interested in high school sports and getting into a good college, rather than the upcoming presidential election.
The graduating class of ’93 is in the midst of its own class president election, and little does anyone realize that it will set into motion a series of events that will change the lives of quite a few people, especially Mr. M’s. Perrotta’s use of alternating points of view is one of his best writing gifts. In Election, he does a wonderful job of isolating the labels: the jock, the outcast, most likely to succeed, adulterer, etc. The reader is able to glimpse events through each individual’s sober, unreliable vantage point. However, it’s the clarity of assessment from others’ points of view of these same characters that really bring to light what makes each of them do what they do. It’s ingenious!
“It was something that had never occurred to me before: she was unhappy. On stage that afternoon, this simple fact struck me with the unmistakable force of truth. Tracy Flick needed someone to cheer her up. So did Lisa, now that I thought about it; so did Tammy and my mother and my father. Maybe that’s what we look for in the people we love, the spark of unhappiness we think we know how to extinguish…” – Paul Warren, Class of ’93 Presidential Candidate
I really enjoyed this book. Perrotta is dark humor and irony at its best, but after consideration, I came to realize that it’s a deceptively “light read.” There’s a message in here for everyone. For myself? I remember feeling a lot like Mr.M at the onset of the novel in the past, having a restlessness about life, where it was headed, and if this is what I was meant to be doing…forever! Although I’m happy now, I can’t help but look back and think that I was doing something meaningful with my life, and at least I was making a difference to some people, if even on a small scale. Why are we so quick to discredit our efforts? Ah, ’tis imperfection, I guess.
“That should have been a happy time in my life. I had a good job, an apparently solid marriage, and an easy, unthinking faith in my own good judgment and moral integrity. Right now, that seems like more than enough to ask for.”
April 4, 2017
High school senior Tracy Flick wants to be School President but faces opposition from the school’s most popular jock, Paul Warren, and bitter middle-aged teacher, Mr M, in the lead up to the election. Who will win – Tracy or Paul?
Tom Perrotta’s novel is… fine. It’s a well-written, fast-paced story that manages to effortlessly draw you in despite the seemingly ordinary narrative - that in itself shows the talent Perrotta has. And yet… it’s a very shallow book. The story is too light. What’s it about besides a silly school election? The entwining of sex and politics (the book was written during the Clinton administration)? A look at sex in contemporary (or at least ‘90s) America? A commentary on male teachers and female students, a subtle portrait of a middle-aged man sexually frustrated over the unobtainable, attractive young girl? A vague satire on the ’92 election? I have no idea – it’s that unimpressive!
I understood some of the characters’ motivations but they felt trivial and some storylines, like Tammy’s, meandered hopelessly and went nowhere. She figured out she liked girls, transferred to Catholic school, and… that’s it?!
Election is a quick, easy read and Perrotta’s high quality writing has convinced me to try more books by him but it’s an eminently forgettable and insubstantial novel. It’s been many years since I saw it but I’d say the Reese Witherspoon/Matthew Broderick movie is much better than its source material.
Tom Perrotta’s novel is… fine. It’s a well-written, fast-paced story that manages to effortlessly draw you in despite the seemingly ordinary narrative - that in itself shows the talent Perrotta has. And yet… it’s a very shallow book. The story is too light. What’s it about besides a silly school election? The entwining of sex and politics (the book was written during the Clinton administration)? A look at sex in contemporary (or at least ‘90s) America? A commentary on male teachers and female students, a subtle portrait of a middle-aged man sexually frustrated over the unobtainable, attractive young girl? A vague satire on the ’92 election? I have no idea – it’s that unimpressive!
I understood some of the characters’ motivations but they felt trivial and some storylines, like Tammy’s, meandered hopelessly and went nowhere. She figured out she liked girls, transferred to Catholic school, and… that’s it?!
Election is a quick, easy read and Perrotta’s high quality writing has convinced me to try more books by him but it’s an eminently forgettable and insubstantial novel. It’s been many years since I saw it but I’d say the Reese Witherspoon/Matthew Broderick movie is much better than its source material.
September 17, 2017
A pitiful and unhinged man does everything in his power to make sure that a female candidate loses an election. Why does that sound so familiar?
Tom Perrotta's Election is one of those stories that has done far better as a film than it has as a novel. The film has become one of those 90s classics which has managed to seep into popular culture whilst the character of Tracy Flick has very much become a cultural icon, joining the ranks of Cher Horowitz and Nancy Downs. Tracy Flick is the name on everyone's lips in this novel, but she rarely appears to give her side of the story.
The novel revolves around a high school presidential election. Tracy Flick is running unopposed and is clearly the best student for the job. That is until Mr. M interferes. Mr. M despises Tracy because she got his best friend fired and thus he plots to make sure that Tracy does not become president.He convinces Paul Warren, the most popular guy in the school, to also run for president and thus the brutal presidential race begins.
Tracy Flick is honestly one of the greatest characters created in the last thirty years. Her take-no-prisoners approach to life and relentless perfection are so enjoyable to read and, on some levels, relate to. Her searing brilliance is so perfectly contrasted in the character of Mr. M, who is essentially a human skid mark. Mr. M dominates the novel as much as he dominates the election. He gets the most vignettes and we spend the most time with him, which really allows our hatred of him to slowly build up throughout this short work. As a mentioned before, Tracy, despite being the star of this novel, receives the fewest and shortest vignettes (if you discount the few vignettes from the janitor near the end of the novel). Perrotta's effective silencing of Flick's narrative mirrors Mr. M's effort to silence Flick in everything she does. The novel is masterfully constructed and Perrotta really does well working with the difficult vignette structure.
Those of us familiar with how the film version of Election ends will be surprised at just how differently the novel finishes. The novel's ending is far more bleak and unrelenting. The film attempts to somewhat pardon Mr. M for his actions, whilst the novel gives a far more realistic ending for both Mr. M and Tracy.
Overall I enjoyed Election and I'm looking forward to being able to say 'well ACTUALLY, in the original novel....' the next time someone discusses the film with me. Yup, I'm that guy.
Tom Perrotta's Election is one of those stories that has done far better as a film than it has as a novel. The film has become one of those 90s classics which has managed to seep into popular culture whilst the character of Tracy Flick has very much become a cultural icon, joining the ranks of Cher Horowitz and Nancy Downs. Tracy Flick is the name on everyone's lips in this novel, but she rarely appears to give her side of the story.
The novel revolves around a high school presidential election. Tracy Flick is running unopposed and is clearly the best student for the job. That is until Mr. M interferes. Mr. M despises Tracy because she got his best friend fired and thus he plots to make sure that Tracy does not become president.He convinces Paul Warren, the most popular guy in the school, to also run for president and thus the brutal presidential race begins.
Tracy Flick is honestly one of the greatest characters created in the last thirty years. Her take-no-prisoners approach to life and relentless perfection are so enjoyable to read and, on some levels, relate to. Her searing brilliance is so perfectly contrasted in the character of Mr. M, who is essentially a human skid mark. Mr. M dominates the novel as much as he dominates the election. He gets the most vignettes and we spend the most time with him, which really allows our hatred of him to slowly build up throughout this short work. As a mentioned before, Tracy, despite being the star of this novel, receives the fewest and shortest vignettes (if you discount the few vignettes from the janitor near the end of the novel). Perrotta's effective silencing of Flick's narrative mirrors Mr. M's effort to silence Flick in everything she does. The novel is masterfully constructed and Perrotta really does well working with the difficult vignette structure.
Those of us familiar with how the film version of Election ends will be surprised at just how differently the novel finishes. The novel's ending is far more bleak and unrelenting. The film attempts to somewhat pardon Mr. M for his actions, whilst the novel gives a far more realistic ending for both Mr. M and Tracy.
Overall I enjoyed Election and I'm looking forward to being able to say 'well ACTUALLY, in the original novel....' the next time someone discusses the film with me. Yup, I'm that guy.
March 22, 2022
3.5 stars. I read this book a million years ago and remember thinking that the movie was so different, almost sanitized when it came out. I picked it up again because I wasn't sure that I could read Perrotta's new novel about Election's most memorable character, Tracy Flick, relying only on the movie version. It's the movie's Tracy that has endured in our collective minds and, well, she is a very different character.
I often note how Perrotta is able to capture collective anxieties of a moment in time in his writing. It's really interesting to go back to him writing in the 90's about 1992. Right off the bat he mentions Clarence Thomas and Bill Clinton and Anita Hill and Gennifer Flowers so you know exactly where we're at. Divorce is everywhere, oh how much we worried about divorce in the 90's, every teen in the novel has divorced parents. And, I think it's important to note, this is also a book where middle-aged men discuss the bodies of teenage girls with an entitlement and possessiveness that will likely turn your stomach. (There is also an incident of sexual assault involving a teenage girl with cognitive disabilities that is not played out in detail, but that is referred to several times to give you more of that context of the moment. Many people approach the incident with a shrug.) It really does feel like a kind of time capsule.
Having read a lot of Perrotta's later work, the structure here is great. The plot is zippy (it's honestly a novella rather than a novel, barely 200 pages with huge margins) and there's a lot of great turns. But the characters here are not nearly as fleshed out as I'm used to seeing from him. Mr. M, the teacher we follow for much of the book, is probably the most complex, a type you've seen a hundred times, a man who has convinced himself he's a good guy despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. I also really liked Tammy, the little sister who is the designated misfit of the group, a closeted lesbian who finds purpose in stirring things up and getting suspended.
It's Tracy, the one everyone remembers, who I honestly cannot wrap my head around. And I think she's actually the big flaw of the book. She is not a goody-goody the way I remember. She is two things: ambitious and hot. That's basically it. The hot part is important because even though Perrotta wants to put much male lechery on display, the truth is that a character like Tracy can only matter to these men if she's hot. (Another female main character, Lisa, is almost never discussed by these men except to note that she has small breasts.) Tracy has also had an affair with a teacher that has resulted in some whispers. This is the part that strains credulity, how somehow Tracy is both whispered about but also unstained. That is not the 90s teenage world I remember. But again, it has to be this way for the plot and it just doesn't quite work. I think there's a reason the movie's Tracy is so memorable, her body and her attractiveness are mostly removed and we get to focus on a much more recognizable teen girl stereotype, the ambitious over-achiever. Here, Tracy does seem to care about the election but... not really a whole lot else. It's a strangely empty portrayal where she is more object than subject.
A real flashback of a book that you can also read in one sitting, though you may want to wash it off afterwards. It's been a very long time since 1992 and it hits different.
I often note how Perrotta is able to capture collective anxieties of a moment in time in his writing. It's really interesting to go back to him writing in the 90's about 1992. Right off the bat he mentions Clarence Thomas and Bill Clinton and Anita Hill and Gennifer Flowers so you know exactly where we're at. Divorce is everywhere, oh how much we worried about divorce in the 90's, every teen in the novel has divorced parents. And, I think it's important to note, this is also a book where middle-aged men discuss the bodies of teenage girls with an entitlement and possessiveness that will likely turn your stomach. (There is also an incident of sexual assault involving a teenage girl with cognitive disabilities that is not played out in detail, but that is referred to several times to give you more of that context of the moment. Many people approach the incident with a shrug.) It really does feel like a kind of time capsule.
Having read a lot of Perrotta's later work, the structure here is great. The plot is zippy (it's honestly a novella rather than a novel, barely 200 pages with huge margins) and there's a lot of great turns. But the characters here are not nearly as fleshed out as I'm used to seeing from him. Mr. M, the teacher we follow for much of the book, is probably the most complex, a type you've seen a hundred times, a man who has convinced himself he's a good guy despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. I also really liked Tammy, the little sister who is the designated misfit of the group, a closeted lesbian who finds purpose in stirring things up and getting suspended.
It's Tracy, the one everyone remembers, who I honestly cannot wrap my head around. And I think she's actually the big flaw of the book. She is not a goody-goody the way I remember. She is two things: ambitious and hot. That's basically it. The hot part is important because even though Perrotta wants to put much male lechery on display, the truth is that a character like Tracy can only matter to these men if she's hot. (Another female main character, Lisa, is almost never discussed by these men except to note that she has small breasts.) Tracy has also had an affair with a teacher that has resulted in some whispers. This is the part that strains credulity, how somehow Tracy is both whispered about but also unstained. That is not the 90s teenage world I remember. But again, it has to be this way for the plot and it just doesn't quite work. I think there's a reason the movie's Tracy is so memorable, her body and her attractiveness are mostly removed and we get to focus on a much more recognizable teen girl stereotype, the ambitious over-achiever. Here, Tracy does seem to care about the election but... not really a whole lot else. It's a strangely empty portrayal where she is more object than subject.
A real flashback of a book that you can also read in one sitting, though you may want to wash it off afterwards. It's been a very long time since 1992 and it hits different.
June 14, 2022
Read this in order to prepare myself to review its sequel, Tracy Flick Can't Win.
July 22, 2019
“Maybe that's what we look for in the people we love, the spark of unhappiness we think we know how to extinguish.”
― Tom Perrotta, Election
Oh wow was this ever so much better then the movie!
I had already seen the movie, did not like it all that much and had low expectations going in. I was pleasantly surprised. This was such a good book made all the better by the humor sprinkled throughout. Somehow the book works in a way I do not think the movie really did.
Things that were annoying in the film I found amusing here. And even though there were certain aspects of it that were funny, it was a pretty serious book combining character studies, High school, elections and the price of winning at all costs, with some very good..great..writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and really recommend it.
― Tom Perrotta, Election
Oh wow was this ever so much better then the movie!
I had already seen the movie, did not like it all that much and had low expectations going in. I was pleasantly surprised. This was such a good book made all the better by the humor sprinkled throughout. Somehow the book works in a way I do not think the movie really did.
Things that were annoying in the film I found amusing here. And even though there were certain aspects of it that were funny, it was a pretty serious book combining character studies, High school, elections and the price of winning at all costs, with some very good..great..writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and really recommend it.
December 31, 2022
2022 Review: Last night I realized that it had been over a decade since I'd last re-read Tom Perrotta's Election and thought a comfort read to round out the year would be well called for. This book now has the distinction of being the book I've re-read the most in life as a general non re-reader (5 times!) and I think it has more than earned a nostalgic bump to 5 stars.
I noticed something funny happening this time through: because I'm now older than Mr. M, forever in his early-mid 30's, it is now his story that grabs me most. Rather than the high schoolers at the core of the titular election, who you sense will be OK at the end of the book owing to the natural resilience of young people, I feel the fear of a brief spate of poor judgment calls locking me out of career and/or real personal happiness for the rest of my mundane life.
Anyway. Such a classic. "Larry, we're not electing the fucking pope here." <3
Happy New Year, everybody.
----
2010 Review: Since early high school, I've read this book four times: twice in high school itself, once in early college, and again this year. While I don't want to sell young me short, I'm pretty sure a lot of the reason I loved it in high school was the scandal (a lesbian relationship AND a teacher/student relationship!) and perhaps even more, Perrotta's black humor. I still like both of those things about it today, but I also recognize how bleakly human it is. Like a grotesque circus. Or just a regular circus, since the circus is inherently sort of grotesque. I think there's a word for what I'm trying to describe that doesn't carry with it the claustrophobic, put-upon implications of "Kafkaesque," but I can't think of it right now.
One thing that was really neat to notice, reading it again years after my first reads and re-reads, was how scenes and bits of dialogue have ingrained themselves in my consciousness. Like, I've internalized and thought about from time to time the part where Paul and his father are talking about his father's mistress whom his father is in love with:
Or Tracy resenting Paul and Lisa's PDAs, how they kiss in front of everyone like they "get nourishment from each other's tongues." This book is so damn good at capturing the awkwardness and the whole-body burst of teenage lust, like Lisa's fire in the chest when Tammy tells her she's so pretty expanded out over 200 pages.
Note: The movie is also a favorite and scenes from that have stuck with me forever. More than any other is the montage where Tammy's falling in love with the girl from Catholic school (I think her name is Jenny? it's not the Dana of the book, I know that much) and they're swinging together and smoking pot together and laughing and Donovan's "Jennifer Juniper" is playing. A sweeter side of the book's teenage lust, but also so very accurate.
I noticed something funny happening this time through: because I'm now older than Mr. M, forever in his early-mid 30's, it is now his story that grabs me most. Rather than the high schoolers at the core of the titular election, who you sense will be OK at the end of the book owing to the natural resilience of young people, I feel the fear of a brief spate of poor judgment calls locking me out of career and/or real personal happiness for the rest of my mundane life.
Anyway. Such a classic. "Larry, we're not electing the fucking pope here." <3
Happy New Year, everybody.
----
2010 Review: Since early high school, I've read this book four times: twice in high school itself, once in early college, and again this year. While I don't want to sell young me short, I'm pretty sure a lot of the reason I loved it in high school was the scandal (a lesbian relationship AND a teacher/student relationship!) and perhaps even more, Perrotta's black humor. I still like both of those things about it today, but I also recognize how bleakly human it is. Like a grotesque circus. Or just a regular circus, since the circus is inherently sort of grotesque. I think there's a word for what I'm trying to describe that doesn't carry with it the claustrophobic, put-upon implications of "Kafkaesque," but I can't think of it right now.
One thing that was really neat to notice, reading it again years after my first reads and re-reads, was how scenes and bits of dialogue have ingrained themselves in my consciousness. Like, I've internalized and thought about from time to time the part where Paul and his father are talking about his father's mistress whom his father is in love with:
'She's fat.' I just blurted it out.
He nodded. 'I thought I'd be disgusted by her body, but I wasn't. I was moved, Paul. By the sight of her.'
Or Tracy resenting Paul and Lisa's PDAs, how they kiss in front of everyone like they "get nourishment from each other's tongues." This book is so damn good at capturing the awkwardness and the whole-body burst of teenage lust, like Lisa's fire in the chest when Tammy tells her she's so pretty expanded out over 200 pages.
Note: The movie is also a favorite and scenes from that have stuck with me forever. More than any other is the montage where Tammy's falling in love with the girl from Catholic school (I think her name is Jenny? it's not the Dana of the book, I know that much) and they're swinging together and smoking pot together and laughing and Donovan's "Jennifer Juniper" is playing. A sweeter side of the book's teenage lust, but also so very accurate.
June 1, 2022
I recently re-read ELECTION for the first time since I became a professional book editor more than a decade ago, and the one thing that struck me — besides the fact that ELECTION is a wonderful novel — is that it so manages to never waste a word without ever seeming fussy or fastidious or minimalist about itself that it came as a shock to realize that ELECTION is just 52,000 words long. Barely out of novella pants. And yet it tells the stories of several people with generosity of telling detail and emotional depth, with fully completed arcs and backstories.
That is much, much harder to do than it looks, I can safely say from personal experience, and now I find myself wanting to re-read it again, and again, and again, just to figure out how the magician does his tricks. Rare is the novel, and the novelist, who knows what to leave out of a novel without making it ever seem that anything is left out. We see all we need to see, and yet we come away feeling we've read a novel of much more conventional length. And that happens when the reader is so emotionally and intellectually engaged with what they read that they wind up supplying those extra 20,000 to 30,000 words on their own, offering interpretations from their own experiences and prejudices, and feeling like a partner in the creation of this creative enterprise. That doesn't happen often, in my own experience, and I feel it should be pointed out, and celebrated, when it does.
All that, and some great stick-the-landing lines I'll remember forever, just as you'll remember Tracy Flick forever from her first words:
"All right, so I slept with my English teacher and ruined his marriage. Crucify me. Send me to bad girl prison with Amy Fisher and make TV movies about my pathetic life. (If I’d been on better terms with Mr. M., I could have explained to him that my punishment for sleeping with Jack was having to sleep with Jack. It pretty much cured me of the older-man fantasy, let me tell you that.)"
No wonder Tracy Flick is the character who demanded to come back, and I for one will pounce on TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN the millisecond it is released.
That is much, much harder to do than it looks, I can safely say from personal experience, and now I find myself wanting to re-read it again, and again, and again, just to figure out how the magician does his tricks. Rare is the novel, and the novelist, who knows what to leave out of a novel without making it ever seem that anything is left out. We see all we need to see, and yet we come away feeling we've read a novel of much more conventional length. And that happens when the reader is so emotionally and intellectually engaged with what they read that they wind up supplying those extra 20,000 to 30,000 words on their own, offering interpretations from their own experiences and prejudices, and feeling like a partner in the creation of this creative enterprise. That doesn't happen often, in my own experience, and I feel it should be pointed out, and celebrated, when it does.
All that, and some great stick-the-landing lines I'll remember forever, just as you'll remember Tracy Flick forever from her first words:
"All right, so I slept with my English teacher and ruined his marriage. Crucify me. Send me to bad girl prison with Amy Fisher and make TV movies about my pathetic life. (If I’d been on better terms with Mr. M., I could have explained to him that my punishment for sleeping with Jack was having to sleep with Jack. It pretty much cured me of the older-man fantasy, let me tell you that.)"
No wonder Tracy Flick is the character who demanded to come back, and I for one will pounce on TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN the millisecond it is released.
May 23, 2020
Having read, and throughly enjoyed, Perrota's 'Little Children', I went into this with high hopes, and grateful that I never got around to watching the 1997 movie adaptation. But while the story was well-enough written and the relationships were well-enough developed, the entire thing was just a bit... meh. If you're looking for an introduction into this author, then I'd definitely suggest the far stronger and beautifully developed 'Little Children' over this.
May 21, 2023
3.50 Stars — A rough one to rate, as I have seen the film. I’m a massive Perrotta fan & think his writing here is too-notch, I just found Tracy slightly tiresome at times, but then she’d win me back. I rounded down JUST, purely based on the fact that it was slightly lower on my rating scale than other 3.5/5 Scored novels of recent years.
Tom Perrotta's “Election" is a captivating novel that is a foray into the unpredictable world of politics, where ambition, ego, and the quest for power collide. Set against the backdrop of a small town's school board election, this satirical novel expertly weaves together the lives of its characters, exposing their flaws and laying bare the consequences of their actions.
Perrotta's writing is sharp and incisive, laced with biting humor and a keen understanding of human nature. He skillfully delves into the minds of his characters, providing readers with a multifaceted view of their motivations and desires. Tracy Flick, the determined and ambitious high school student, and Jim McAllister, the weary teacher, serve as the novel's central figures, both engaged in a battle of wills that escalates beyond their expectations.
What makes "Election" particularly compelling is the way Perrotta exposes the cracks and contradictions in the electoral process. He sheds light on the behind-the-scenes machinations, the manipulation and dirty tricks employed by those vying for power. Through Tracy's relentless pursuit of victory and Jim's moral compromises, Perrotta offers a scathing critique of the democratic process itself, highlighting the flaws that lie beneath the surface.
The narrative is tightly constructed, with each chapter presenting a different character's perspective, allowing readers to witness the story unfold from various angles. Perrotta masterfully maintains a consistent pace, ensuring that the plot remains engaging and unpredictable. The interplay between the characters is fascinating, as their personal ambitions collide with the responsibilities they hold in their community.
One of the novel's strengths lies in its examination of the complexities of human nature. Perrotta presents flawed characters who are driven by their desires and insecurities, making them relatable despite their questionable actions. The exploration of themes such as morality, ambition, and the abuse of power adds depth to the story, provoking thought and reflection.
While this is a captivating & thought-provoking read, it occasionally falls prey to some small dabbles of well, predictability. At times, certain character developments and plot twists can be anticipated, diminishing the element of surprise. However, this minor flaw does not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment and impact of the novel.
This is a definitively compelling exploration of the many facets of power dynamics and the undeniable dark underbelly of the electoral process. Perrotta's insightful writing, coupled with his well-drawn characters and astute observations, creates a thought-provoking tale that resonates long after the final page. Fans of political satire and social commentary will find much to appreciate in this novel.
Tom Perrotta's “Election" is a captivating novel that is a foray into the unpredictable world of politics, where ambition, ego, and the quest for power collide. Set against the backdrop of a small town's school board election, this satirical novel expertly weaves together the lives of its characters, exposing their flaws and laying bare the consequences of their actions.
Perrotta's writing is sharp and incisive, laced with biting humor and a keen understanding of human nature. He skillfully delves into the minds of his characters, providing readers with a multifaceted view of their motivations and desires. Tracy Flick, the determined and ambitious high school student, and Jim McAllister, the weary teacher, serve as the novel's central figures, both engaged in a battle of wills that escalates beyond their expectations.
What makes "Election" particularly compelling is the way Perrotta exposes the cracks and contradictions in the electoral process. He sheds light on the behind-the-scenes machinations, the manipulation and dirty tricks employed by those vying for power. Through Tracy's relentless pursuit of victory and Jim's moral compromises, Perrotta offers a scathing critique of the democratic process itself, highlighting the flaws that lie beneath the surface.
The narrative is tightly constructed, with each chapter presenting a different character's perspective, allowing readers to witness the story unfold from various angles. Perrotta masterfully maintains a consistent pace, ensuring that the plot remains engaging and unpredictable. The interplay between the characters is fascinating, as their personal ambitions collide with the responsibilities they hold in their community.
One of the novel's strengths lies in its examination of the complexities of human nature. Perrotta presents flawed characters who are driven by their desires and insecurities, making them relatable despite their questionable actions. The exploration of themes such as morality, ambition, and the abuse of power adds depth to the story, provoking thought and reflection.
While this is a captivating & thought-provoking read, it occasionally falls prey to some small dabbles of well, predictability. At times, certain character developments and plot twists can be anticipated, diminishing the element of surprise. However, this minor flaw does not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment and impact of the novel.
This is a definitively compelling exploration of the many facets of power dynamics and the undeniable dark underbelly of the electoral process. Perrotta's insightful writing, coupled with his well-drawn characters and astute observations, creates a thought-provoking tale that resonates long after the final page. Fans of political satire and social commentary will find much to appreciate in this novel.
May 21, 2023
04/2012
The writing is very good, the observations. My complaint: the alternating snippets of perspective were so quick, they made it too light of a book, too breezy. It was hard to divorce from the movie and felt like a screenplay. Dare I say it? The movie was better.
The writing is very good, the observations. My complaint: the alternating snippets of perspective were so quick, they made it too light of a book, too breezy. It was hard to divorce from the movie and felt like a screenplay. Dare I say it? The movie was better.
February 15, 2008
I am going through my Tom Perrotta phase. I held off on this one, because I loved the movie. As much as I loved the movie, I have to admit that the book was better, as usually is the case. In defense of the movie, it's a pretty decent adaptation and where is strays from the book, only make the movie stronger.
The characters in the book are much more sympathetic, especially Tracy and Mr. M. I also preferred the ending in the book, it brought the story full circle. The ending in the movie in funny, but in the book it's more meaningful and has substance. As usual, Perrota does a great job with final paragraphs. Even though it ended on the perfect note, I wanted more!!!
The characters in the book are much more sympathetic, especially Tracy and Mr. M. I also preferred the ending in the book, it brought the story full circle. The ending in the movie in funny, but in the book it's more meaningful and has substance. As usual, Perrota does a great job with final paragraphs. Even though it ended on the perfect note, I wanted more!!!
August 24, 2022
ummm i guess this could’ve been fun if every adult male character wasn’t a disgusting pig that sexualizes minors!
July 13, 2014
While I was on a Perrotta reading kick, I rewatched the film version of 'Election' and listened to some of the commentary by the film's director - Alexander Payne. In talking about the novel, Payne didn't mention the author - and also said something about the character of Tracy being a lot more sexual in the book, so he wanted to tone her down. It was of little consequence to me if Tracy was more sexual in the book, but I hadn't read it. So now I have.
First off, Tracy is not more sexual in the book. She's about the same as in the film. Although the film does add her saying "Fuck me, Mr. M!" when Mr. M. is fantasizing having sex with her instead of with his wife. So that might mean Tracy is actually more sexual in the film.
The film is a lot darker than the book. Much darker. ~while simultaneously remaining quite true to its source. It was interesting to discover how the book had been streamlined.
I liked this book a lot, but then I'm a Perrotta fan. This book is Perrotta at some of his breeziest. It's a quick read - and the split-narrative throughout the book makes for an entertaining jaunt through the thought processes of its characters. Lots of insight into human nature...that alone makes it as dark as the film, but the film exploits that base.
First off, Tracy is not more sexual in the book. She's about the same as in the film. Although the film does add her saying "Fuck me, Mr. M!" when Mr. M. is fantasizing having sex with her instead of with his wife. So that might mean Tracy is actually more sexual in the film.
The film is a lot darker than the book. Much darker. ~while simultaneously remaining quite true to its source. It was interesting to discover how the book had been streamlined.
I liked this book a lot, but then I'm a Perrotta fan. This book is Perrotta at some of his breeziest. It's a quick read - and the split-narrative throughout the book makes for an entertaining jaunt through the thought processes of its characters. Lots of insight into human nature...that alone makes it as dark as the film, but the film exploits that base.
December 21, 2022
This was about what I expected from a book written in 1998... It gave more novella than novel. Even with the multiple perspectives and attempts at stuff happening in the background it felt like not a lot was happening and what was happening wasn't written in a particularly memorable or inventive way. For what it was, it was cute, it's just that there wasn't a lot there for what was... if that makes sense?
Other thoughts sort of discussed in this video.
Other thoughts sort of discussed in this video.
January 14, 2024
I heard there was a sequel to this book so I thought I'd re-read it. To be frank I think I under-estimated it first time round. As someone who loves to read political fiction, it was easy to dismiss Election as being about high school. It is set there, but it has much wider relevance when we think about politicking, manipulation, abuse of power. There's also a gender element that is interesting to look back on now. I recommend it being worth another/first look.
April 18, 2007
When I first saw the movie back in the 1990s, I hadn't embraced my dark side yet. I thought it was depressing and left me with the feeling of, "Now what?"
Of course, as I grew older, I realized that not everything has a happy ending. And I learned how to make fun of the bad parts of life. So when I picked up Election in a bookstore a few years ago, I figured I'd give it a go. Very smart move on my part.
Election is an interesting spin for Perrotta--it's the only novel he has written where the P.O.V. alternates between characters. He keeps it fresh, refusing to repeat the same scenario through different voices, a problem that several authors encounter when they try to switch up the narrators. No, Perrotta makes it believable when he goes from Mr. M to Mr. M's "mortal enemy", Tracy Flick.
The basic plotline itself is a little bizarre: a high school Government teacher determined to take the school's most ambitious (and cutthroat) student down a few-pegs, eventually bringing it down to a simple election that goes completely awry. And of course, adding a few extra characters--the sweet but dumb football player Paul who runs for Class President against Tracy,his sister Tammy who runs against him, and Tammy's former-lover Lisa who decides to prove she's not a lesbian by chasing after Paul--and it makes for a chaotic but interesting read. Not very long, it's a book I finished in hours. I re-read it at least once a year. Definitely recommended.
Of course, as I grew older, I realized that not everything has a happy ending. And I learned how to make fun of the bad parts of life. So when I picked up Election in a bookstore a few years ago, I figured I'd give it a go. Very smart move on my part.
Election is an interesting spin for Perrotta--it's the only novel he has written where the P.O.V. alternates between characters. He keeps it fresh, refusing to repeat the same scenario through different voices, a problem that several authors encounter when they try to switch up the narrators. No, Perrotta makes it believable when he goes from Mr. M to Mr. M's "mortal enemy", Tracy Flick.
The basic plotline itself is a little bizarre: a high school Government teacher determined to take the school's most ambitious (and cutthroat) student down a few-pegs, eventually bringing it down to a simple election that goes completely awry. And of course, adding a few extra characters--the sweet but dumb football player Paul who runs for Class President against Tracy,his sister Tammy who runs against him, and Tammy's former-lover Lisa who decides to prove she's not a lesbian by chasing after Paul--and it makes for a chaotic but interesting read. Not very long, it's a book I finished in hours. I re-read it at least once a year. Definitely recommended.
May 2, 2022
An earlier work by Perrotta, which somehow did not live up to the movie (that almost never happens).
With another work from Perrotta, Little Children, having seen the movie first, reading the novel only enhanced the experience. With Election, I felt somehow deflated reading the book.
With another work from Perrotta, Little Children, having seen the movie first, reading the novel only enhanced the experience. With Election, I felt somehow deflated reading the book.
April 5, 2010
I picked this up because I love the movie. It turns out that the movie is a very faithful adaptation. As it, if you've done one, you really don't need to try the other, unless you're just curious. I was, and I wound up liking the book just about as much.
August 22, 2016
This review got really long, so I'll sum it up for you in one sentence. The men are all scumbags who hit on underage girls and cheat on their wives, the women get stomped all over and never assert themselves, the lesbians don't get a happy ending, there's not a single funny joke, I cringed the entire time reading this book, and the main character, one of the teachers who hits on underage girls and cheats on his wife, gets a happy ending where his wife (unrealistically) forgives him and he's never punished for all the creepy stuff he says about underage girls (because all of his coworkers and higher ups are also making even worse comments about the underage girls). Simply put, the book is disgusting.
I typed this next paragraph of this review when I was 20 pages into the book. I've now finished the novel, and the paragraph still stands.
I can't read a single sentence without having to put the book down afterward, let out a long sigh, and whisper to myself, "I hate this book." There are too many characters, they all have the exact same bland personality, there are no unique voices between characters, it's difficult to remember who everyone is, the first person POV doesn't do this book any favors, and some of the writing is mediocre at best. The characters are horrible archetypes, the plot line had promise in the description yet is a massive disappointment, the lesbian story line is incredibly cliched and insensitively mishandled, the dialogue is forced and stilted, almost every single one of the jokes and "witty remarks" this book apparently got famous for completely falls flat, and not a single character is likeable. In fact, the first character we're introduced to, the teacher Mr. M, who is the main protagonist, is probably one of the least likeable characters I've ever encountered in literature.
That last line is the truest. I've read several reviews for this book and was absolutely horrified to discover most of the readers of this book found Mr. M to be "such a relatable protagonist." If you're anything like this guy, you're a scum bag. He cheats on his wife. He makes inappropriate sexual comments to 15 year olds. And the only time he feels regret in the book is after rigging the election because he just can't see himself as a guy who lies. It's good to know he's perfectly okay with sexually harassing 15 year old girls and watching his adult buddies sexually harass 15 year old girls, but draws the line at being dishonest about an election he admitted has absolutely no real effect on the school. What an upstanding gentleman.
Mr. M wasn't even the only character to make completely inappropriate comments to very underage girls. Every single grown man in the book did. That's probably because every single character is a repeat of each other with no unique personality or way of speaking, but I've already criticized that about Perotta's writing. There's nothing "funny," "witty," or "humorous" as the reviews describe this book about the way grown men call 15 year old girls "little bitches" who are "flat as a board" but have "nice cabooses" while at work. It's disgusting and smarmy and unprofessional, and that kind of behavior is absolutely inexcusable from grown men dealing with children on a day to day basis in a professional setting. It's also mind boggling because Mr. M makes a point at the beginning of a book when discussing a rape case to say, "Rape is bad!" but yet he says nothing when he knows his best friend is statutorily raping a 15 year old girl. In fact, he says he's jealous that he didn't get to have sex with the girl instead. Then he fantasizes about the 15 year old girl while he makes love to his wife. Clearly Mr. M (and Perotta, I can only assume) don't have a very clear idea of what rape is.
The sexism in this book is also ridiculous. All the men constantly make jokes about how their wives nag, or how "of course my buddy was going to cheat on his wife with a 15 year old girl, his wife is pregnant and huge." Mr. M says he's in a happy marriage, but that lately his wife "eats too much ice cream which goes straight to her thighs" and "interrupts his reading." He feels he's better than his mundane life of having a happy marriage and a decent job, so he uses his entitlement to justify cheating on his wife with another woman. And of course his wife almost instantly forgives him and takes him back. Because that's realistic. (It's not. Nothing in this book is) This book is nothing but male fantasy that takes place in a world where men have no real consequences for all the skeezy, illegal things they do, and I wouldn't touch another of Perotta's novel with a ten foot pole. It sends out ludicrous messages about the way he views the world.
I didn't like the female characters either in the novel, but that's because Perotta's writing gives nothing to enjoy. It's unimaginative and uncreative, and all the women are exact copies of each other just like the men are. I didn't hate the women as passionately as I hated the men, but there was nothing about their characters to like either.
I did feel bad for them, though. The men treated them like shit for no reason. They were constantly being cheated on, dumped, duped, etc. Not only did Perotta's poor writing do them an injustice, but the male characters treated them unfairly, too. And because of Perotta's warped understanding of women, none of them ever stood up for themselves or got satisfying, empowring endings.
I felt the worst for Tracy Flick. She gets shit for absolutely no reason. Mr. M hates her with a burning passion, so much so that he rigs the election specifically so she loses. Why does he hate her so much? Why does he find her so unfitting to be president? I have no idea because there are literally no motives for him to think that way. She's a great student, she gets good grades, she's passionate about leading, she's well-spoken, she's smart, she runs several clubs. She'd make the perfect president. But Mr. M is convinced that he knows the real Tracy, and the real Tracy to him is just that dumb slut who got his best friend fired. Because the 15 year old girl is definitely to blame when a grown man gets fired for deciding to sleep with a 15 year old student. Tracy has a sex life and was preyed upon by grown men who should have backed away from her, even if she was the one advancing (spoiler alert, the teacher who got fired for sleeping with her was much more assertive about the relationship than Tracy was, which means you can't even try to put the blame on her for starting it), because of this that immediately makes her unfit for president in Mr. M's eyes, despite all of her qualifications. And the rest of the faculty seems to agree with him. They see this successful, smart, driven young woman as "sad" and "lonely" and "too aggressive" just because she likes sex and works hard and honestly towards the goals she wants to achieve. They all feel So Bad for Tracy because her life is just A Mess, and yet.... it isn't. At all. Tracy's a pretty successful young woman who deserves to reap the benefits of her success. But not a single character treats her that way. Including Tracy. Because Perotta isn't smart enough to recognize that this character's life isn't as out of whack as the men seem to think it is. And because Tracy The Whore (that might as well be her title as no one else seems to care about any of her other accomplishments) just CAN'T be president, Mr. M rigs the election in favor of Paul, some mediocre white boy jock who has no qualifications, is a bad public speaker, doesn't know what he's doing (as admitted in the summary of the book), and quite frankly just doesn't deserve it. But Mr. M thinks he's a good man who is so much better than that slut Tracy. He claims that Paul is the president the student body deserves. Paul, the nice guy, also calls a woman an ugly "fat fucking pig" at one point. No, it's not meant to show that Paul has a secret life Mr. M doesn't know about. Perotta just thinks it's perfectly acceptable for people to call others "fat fucking pigs." Because bashing women is true comedy. Such relatable, witty writing. We've all wanted to call women fat fucking pigs before, and Perotta's characters are the heroes who have the guts to do it! (I could not be rolling my eyes any harder.)
By the way, Mr. M is supposed to be redeemed for all bs he's pulled throughout the book because he comes clean about rigging the election, resigns, and gets a job as a car salesman, which isn't a punishment because he enjoys it. Perotta tries so hard to write about just how great of a guy Mr. M is for doing this. I mean, he's an absolute /saint/. He's completely overcome with guilt about the election, so much so that he just has to fess up because he's just not an evil man who can live with it. He goes on to say that he betrayed one of the core principles of being a teacher by rigging the election. I mean he's so torn up about this election because he's just a good guy at heart who would never want to be the type of person to undermine the American political process or his job as a teacher. Yet he's fine with cheating on his wife and watching his married friends have sex with their own underage students. But he's just such a great guy for confessing to that election rigging, right? What a great man. On one of the last few pages of the book, Mr. M laments that it isn't fair people like Bill Clinton get to be president, but he gets stuck being a teacher and a car salesmen. He asserts that the only difference between him and Bill is that Bill lies and he tells the truth. Man, doesn't that just hit you? Doesn't this honest, affair-having, child molester deserve better? I mean, this is a novel that REALLY gets you thinking about who deserves what in life and how fate just isn't fair to the good guys like Mr. M. Thanks for the great moral lesson, Perotta.
The lesbians take a back seat in this book pretty early on, and, honestly, thank Christ because Perotta is the last person I trust to write a delicate subject like that. I've seen plenty of lesbian characters treated like shit throughout my time, and I'm well aware of the tropes that surround LGBT stories. Within about 20 pages, Perotta's lesbians fall into almost all of the old cliches. They break up because one is in the closet, the closeted one has sex with a man to try to cure herself, the other catches them in the act, and the couple is totally devastated. Because for some reason books are incapable of portraying happy, stable lesbian couples who get happy endings. But anyway. Like I said, that took a backseat and Perotta didn't give them enough page time to dig himself much deeper. That reflected on his poor writing skills, however, because the entire lesbian story line is never wrapped up. The one who went to men because she was scared of being a lesbian never again speaks about her sexuality. She dumps the boy because it just wasn't right and they didn't have anything to talk about even though it seemed to everyone else that they were super in love. Then she gets a job at an ice cream shop and makes no mention at all of what her sexual preferences are, if she's done soul searching to discover herself, etc. Just literally not mentioned whatsoever. There's literally no point to her having a thing for the other girl because it works out to nothing. The other lesbian finds a cute girl who goes to Catholic school, spends the entire book trying to get herself kicked out of Winwood by accepting blame for things she didn't do so that she can go to Catholic school because she wants a change of scenery, then regrets it because Catholic school sucks. Not much mention of lesbianism. Doesn't end up with a girlfriend. And she doesn't get a happy ending. What was the point of any of her story? The book would have been the exact same without either of the LGBT characters, which makes the book fall into another trope of having the LGBT characters be random side characters who don't get fleshed out. Great writing. Super creative. (Not.)
As for the format of the book, it's broken up into teeny tiny sections narrated by like 5 or 6 alternating points of view. Which is way too many and way too confusing, especially since they're all in first person and all the characters speak the exact same way. Plus, did I mention that the sections are teeny tiny? Sometimes there will be three different POV changes on a single page. It's ridiculous. Fortunately for Perotta, the content of his book makes it even harder to read than the flimsy structure, so the structure in turn doesn't actually seem that bad.
One more major pet peeve about this book was that almost every single line tried to make some pretentious, deep assessment about the world. The writing is trying way too hard to sound smart, and it falls flat by using the most cliched lines or the oddest possible phrasing or having the wrong character say the line. Mr. M's pretentious self-obsessed self might think some of these mediocre philosophic thoughts, but they shouldn't sound exactly the same as the fake deep thoughts the 15 year old girls have. There's just no distinction of voice whatsoever amongst the characters. Also, other characters' physical appearances were described by the wrong characters. There's a section in the beginning where Mr. M goes on and on about how handsome Paul is, then there's a section where Paul is describing how pretty his sister is, and then there's a section where Tammy is describing how hot her mom is. It's weird. Those characters would have never talked about each other like that or noticed each other like that, and it felt like Perotta was just trying to shove in some character descriptions wherever convenient without actually thinking about the right time to do it or the right voice to say it in.
That covers most of it. I can only write so much or else this review is going to be longer than this novel, which is thankfully short. I couldn't have taken much more of it.
In short: if you're a decent human being, do not subject yourself to this scum. I'm absolutely disgusted that people think this is a great book with relatable characters. The fact that things like this can be published and revered really says a lot about how society views things, especially the treatment and behavior of women.
I typed this next paragraph of this review when I was 20 pages into the book. I've now finished the novel, and the paragraph still stands.
I can't read a single sentence without having to put the book down afterward, let out a long sigh, and whisper to myself, "I hate this book." There are too many characters, they all have the exact same bland personality, there are no unique voices between characters, it's difficult to remember who everyone is, the first person POV doesn't do this book any favors, and some of the writing is mediocre at best. The characters are horrible archetypes, the plot line had promise in the description yet is a massive disappointment, the lesbian story line is incredibly cliched and insensitively mishandled, the dialogue is forced and stilted, almost every single one of the jokes and "witty remarks" this book apparently got famous for completely falls flat, and not a single character is likeable. In fact, the first character we're introduced to, the teacher Mr. M, who is the main protagonist, is probably one of the least likeable characters I've ever encountered in literature.
That last line is the truest. I've read several reviews for this book and was absolutely horrified to discover most of the readers of this book found Mr. M to be "such a relatable protagonist." If you're anything like this guy, you're a scum bag. He cheats on his wife. He makes inappropriate sexual comments to 15 year olds. And the only time he feels regret in the book is after rigging the election because he just can't see himself as a guy who lies. It's good to know he's perfectly okay with sexually harassing 15 year old girls and watching his adult buddies sexually harass 15 year old girls, but draws the line at being dishonest about an election he admitted has absolutely no real effect on the school. What an upstanding gentleman.
Mr. M wasn't even the only character to make completely inappropriate comments to very underage girls. Every single grown man in the book did. That's probably because every single character is a repeat of each other with no unique personality or way of speaking, but I've already criticized that about Perotta's writing. There's nothing "funny," "witty," or "humorous" as the reviews describe this book about the way grown men call 15 year old girls "little bitches" who are "flat as a board" but have "nice cabooses" while at work. It's disgusting and smarmy and unprofessional, and that kind of behavior is absolutely inexcusable from grown men dealing with children on a day to day basis in a professional setting. It's also mind boggling because Mr. M makes a point at the beginning of a book when discussing a rape case to say, "Rape is bad!" but yet he says nothing when he knows his best friend is statutorily raping a 15 year old girl. In fact, he says he's jealous that he didn't get to have sex with the girl instead. Then he fantasizes about the 15 year old girl while he makes love to his wife. Clearly Mr. M (and Perotta, I can only assume) don't have a very clear idea of what rape is.
The sexism in this book is also ridiculous. All the men constantly make jokes about how their wives nag, or how "of course my buddy was going to cheat on his wife with a 15 year old girl, his wife is pregnant and huge." Mr. M says he's in a happy marriage, but that lately his wife "eats too much ice cream which goes straight to her thighs" and "interrupts his reading." He feels he's better than his mundane life of having a happy marriage and a decent job, so he uses his entitlement to justify cheating on his wife with another woman. And of course his wife almost instantly forgives him and takes him back. Because that's realistic. (It's not. Nothing in this book is) This book is nothing but male fantasy that takes place in a world where men have no real consequences for all the skeezy, illegal things they do, and I wouldn't touch another of Perotta's novel with a ten foot pole. It sends out ludicrous messages about the way he views the world.
I didn't like the female characters either in the novel, but that's because Perotta's writing gives nothing to enjoy. It's unimaginative and uncreative, and all the women are exact copies of each other just like the men are. I didn't hate the women as passionately as I hated the men, but there was nothing about their characters to like either.
I did feel bad for them, though. The men treated them like shit for no reason. They were constantly being cheated on, dumped, duped, etc. Not only did Perotta's poor writing do them an injustice, but the male characters treated them unfairly, too. And because of Perotta's warped understanding of women, none of them ever stood up for themselves or got satisfying, empowring endings.
I felt the worst for Tracy Flick. She gets shit for absolutely no reason. Mr. M hates her with a burning passion, so much so that he rigs the election specifically so she loses. Why does he hate her so much? Why does he find her so unfitting to be president? I have no idea because there are literally no motives for him to think that way. She's a great student, she gets good grades, she's passionate about leading, she's well-spoken, she's smart, she runs several clubs. She'd make the perfect president. But Mr. M is convinced that he knows the real Tracy, and the real Tracy to him is just that dumb slut who got his best friend fired. Because the 15 year old girl is definitely to blame when a grown man gets fired for deciding to sleep with a 15 year old student. Tracy has a sex life and was preyed upon by grown men who should have backed away from her, even if she was the one advancing (spoiler alert, the teacher who got fired for sleeping with her was much more assertive about the relationship than Tracy was, which means you can't even try to put the blame on her for starting it), because of this that immediately makes her unfit for president in Mr. M's eyes, despite all of her qualifications. And the rest of the faculty seems to agree with him. They see this successful, smart, driven young woman as "sad" and "lonely" and "too aggressive" just because she likes sex and works hard and honestly towards the goals she wants to achieve. They all feel So Bad for Tracy because her life is just A Mess, and yet.... it isn't. At all. Tracy's a pretty successful young woman who deserves to reap the benefits of her success. But not a single character treats her that way. Including Tracy. Because Perotta isn't smart enough to recognize that this character's life isn't as out of whack as the men seem to think it is. And because Tracy The Whore (that might as well be her title as no one else seems to care about any of her other accomplishments) just CAN'T be president, Mr. M rigs the election in favor of Paul, some mediocre white boy jock who has no qualifications, is a bad public speaker, doesn't know what he's doing (as admitted in the summary of the book), and quite frankly just doesn't deserve it. But Mr. M thinks he's a good man who is so much better than that slut Tracy. He claims that Paul is the president the student body deserves. Paul, the nice guy, also calls a woman an ugly "fat fucking pig" at one point. No, it's not meant to show that Paul has a secret life Mr. M doesn't know about. Perotta just thinks it's perfectly acceptable for people to call others "fat fucking pigs." Because bashing women is true comedy. Such relatable, witty writing. We've all wanted to call women fat fucking pigs before, and Perotta's characters are the heroes who have the guts to do it! (I could not be rolling my eyes any harder.)
By the way, Mr. M is supposed to be redeemed for all bs he's pulled throughout the book because he comes clean about rigging the election, resigns, and gets a job as a car salesman, which isn't a punishment because he enjoys it. Perotta tries so hard to write about just how great of a guy Mr. M is for doing this. I mean, he's an absolute /saint/. He's completely overcome with guilt about the election, so much so that he just has to fess up because he's just not an evil man who can live with it. He goes on to say that he betrayed one of the core principles of being a teacher by rigging the election. I mean he's so torn up about this election because he's just a good guy at heart who would never want to be the type of person to undermine the American political process or his job as a teacher. Yet he's fine with cheating on his wife and watching his married friends have sex with their own underage students. But he's just such a great guy for confessing to that election rigging, right? What a great man. On one of the last few pages of the book, Mr. M laments that it isn't fair people like Bill Clinton get to be president, but he gets stuck being a teacher and a car salesmen. He asserts that the only difference between him and Bill is that Bill lies and he tells the truth. Man, doesn't that just hit you? Doesn't this honest, affair-having, child molester deserve better? I mean, this is a novel that REALLY gets you thinking about who deserves what in life and how fate just isn't fair to the good guys like Mr. M. Thanks for the great moral lesson, Perotta.
The lesbians take a back seat in this book pretty early on, and, honestly, thank Christ because Perotta is the last person I trust to write a delicate subject like that. I've seen plenty of lesbian characters treated like shit throughout my time, and I'm well aware of the tropes that surround LGBT stories. Within about 20 pages, Perotta's lesbians fall into almost all of the old cliches. They break up because one is in the closet, the closeted one has sex with a man to try to cure herself, the other catches them in the act, and the couple is totally devastated. Because for some reason books are incapable of portraying happy, stable lesbian couples who get happy endings. But anyway. Like I said, that took a backseat and Perotta didn't give them enough page time to dig himself much deeper. That reflected on his poor writing skills, however, because the entire lesbian story line is never wrapped up. The one who went to men because she was scared of being a lesbian never again speaks about her sexuality. She dumps the boy because it just wasn't right and they didn't have anything to talk about even though it seemed to everyone else that they were super in love. Then she gets a job at an ice cream shop and makes no mention at all of what her sexual preferences are, if she's done soul searching to discover herself, etc. Just literally not mentioned whatsoever. There's literally no point to her having a thing for the other girl because it works out to nothing. The other lesbian finds a cute girl who goes to Catholic school, spends the entire book trying to get herself kicked out of Winwood by accepting blame for things she didn't do so that she can go to Catholic school because she wants a change of scenery, then regrets it because Catholic school sucks. Not much mention of lesbianism. Doesn't end up with a girlfriend. And she doesn't get a happy ending. What was the point of any of her story? The book would have been the exact same without either of the LGBT characters, which makes the book fall into another trope of having the LGBT characters be random side characters who don't get fleshed out. Great writing. Super creative. (Not.)
As for the format of the book, it's broken up into teeny tiny sections narrated by like 5 or 6 alternating points of view. Which is way too many and way too confusing, especially since they're all in first person and all the characters speak the exact same way. Plus, did I mention that the sections are teeny tiny? Sometimes there will be three different POV changes on a single page. It's ridiculous. Fortunately for Perotta, the content of his book makes it even harder to read than the flimsy structure, so the structure in turn doesn't actually seem that bad.
One more major pet peeve about this book was that almost every single line tried to make some pretentious, deep assessment about the world. The writing is trying way too hard to sound smart, and it falls flat by using the most cliched lines or the oddest possible phrasing or having the wrong character say the line. Mr. M's pretentious self-obsessed self might think some of these mediocre philosophic thoughts, but they shouldn't sound exactly the same as the fake deep thoughts the 15 year old girls have. There's just no distinction of voice whatsoever amongst the characters. Also, other characters' physical appearances were described by the wrong characters. There's a section in the beginning where Mr. M goes on and on about how handsome Paul is, then there's a section where Paul is describing how pretty his sister is, and then there's a section where Tammy is describing how hot her mom is. It's weird. Those characters would have never talked about each other like that or noticed each other like that, and it felt like Perotta was just trying to shove in some character descriptions wherever convenient without actually thinking about the right time to do it or the right voice to say it in.
That covers most of it. I can only write so much or else this review is going to be longer than this novel, which is thankfully short. I couldn't have taken much more of it.
In short: if you're a decent human being, do not subject yourself to this scum. I'm absolutely disgusted that people think this is a great book with relatable characters. The fact that things like this can be published and revered really says a lot about how society views things, especially the treatment and behavior of women.
June 19, 2018
I really admire Perotta’s ability to write so unpretentiously about such big ideas. His characters describe their beliefs about the world as they reflect on the things that happen to them, but they never reduce to simply mouth pieces for Perotta’s own views. It’s refreshing in a book that is so bound in ethics and morality.
The story is also fantastic. I found myself tearing through the book in under a day. Highly recommend to anyone who has read Perotta before, or anyone who enjoys the high school as a setting.
The story is also fantastic. I found myself tearing through the book in under a day. Highly recommend to anyone who has read Perotta before, or anyone who enjoys the high school as a setting.
December 28, 2021
The perfect book to close out 2017. I've read this book a hundred times over the years, but it had been quite awhile since I last picked it up. This is one of the few book/movie combinations where both are completely and totally awesome in their own right. If you've never read this (or if you've never seen the movie), I cannot recommend either enough.
January 29, 2018
Just as sickly funny and depraved as the film, but with a bit more heart. Easy read.
January 25, 2023
This is a wonderful book. Many people don’t seem to understand the point of the book, which is that a lot of people are messed up. Tracy Flick in this book is a great character, a truly annoying and unlikeable protagonist, who, in her great ambition gets taken advantage of by her teachers, and disliked by her peers. There is some really gross stuff in this book, but that is kind of the point, which a lot of people seem to miss. Overall, great read and i highly recommend.
May 22, 2022
3.5 stars
the movie outsold but this is fun too
the movie outsold but this is fun too
July 13, 2022
Everyone in this story is trying to “extinguish the spark of unhappiness.” A teacher meddles in the student body election and, big shocker, shit hits the fan. In a story of unlikable characters, the only true respite is Paul. Tracy has moments, too, I suppose. Excellent dark humor satirizing governmental politics, high school drama, and the mundanity of midlife. A fun #bookclub pick! Starting the much-anticipated sequel soon.
June 21, 2022
Damn. Haven’t read a book in a single day in a long time. Tough to put down. Biting yet melancholic.
“‘This is America,’ said one tearful junior, who asked not to be identified. ‘This isn’t supposed to happen here.’”
Timeless satire, unfortunately.
“‘This is America,’ said one tearful junior, who asked not to be identified. ‘This isn’t supposed to happen here.’”
Timeless satire, unfortunately.
February 2, 2015
I loved this short book. Perrotta's writing is really engaging; I couldn't put this down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,092 reviews