The Student Body

Rating:
Summary: A Harvard Education Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
Review: Erich Segal once wrote that going to Harvard doesn't guarantee that you will be happy. Nor does a Harvard education guarantee that you will become a brilliant novelist. Case in point: The Student Body. Given the impressive biographies of the novel's four authors, I thought the book would be polished and well-written. Instead, I found it to be poorly plotted and poorly written. The characters, while comically rainbow coalition-esque, are fairly one-dimensional. The suspense scenes were predictable and not at all suspenseful. It was like a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mystery with sex, and boring sex at that. I wanted to really like this book because the marketing and press surrounding it have been so positive. But frankly, The Student Body was a huge, huge disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: I'm so relieved!
Review: I agree with the reviewer from the Boston Globe that this book would make a good movie. I'm surprised that it hasn't gone to paperback yet, and I suspect that it's sales don't do justice to this page-turner. A couple of reviewers mentioned that they were angered when contacted by one of the authors via e-mail. That happened to me, and I think it was a very bright idea. I reviewed Olivia Goldsmith's The Bestseller, and the Jane Harvard member was exactly right. If you enjoy complex, scandal-filled plots, you will enjoy The Student Body. I think readers of E. Lynn Harris would enjoy this book as well. On an emotional level, I think the most important aspect of this kind of writing is creating "good guys" whom the reader actually roots for and villains who are detestable. I feel they succeeded with flying colors. I hope Michael Melcher, Faith Adiele, Bennett Singer and Julia Sullivan will keep me informed of any future novels.

Rating:
Summary: A fun gossipy read
Review: I agree with the reviewer from the Boston Globe that this book would make a good movie. I'm surprised that it hasn't gone to paperback yet, and I suspect that it's sales don't do justice to this page-turner. A couple of reviewers mentioned that they were angered when contacted by one of the authors via e-mail. That happened to me, and I think it was a very bright idea. I reviewed Olivia Goldsmith's The Bestseller, and the Jane Harvard member was exactly right. If you enjoy complex, scandal-filled plots, you will enjoy The Student Body. I think readers of E. Lynn Harris would enjoy this book as well. On an emotional level, I think the most important aspect of this kind of writing is creating "good guys" whom the reader actually roots for and villains who are detestable. I feel they succeeded with flying colors. I hope Michael Melcher, Faith Adiele, Bennett Singer and Julia Sullivan will keep me informed of any future novels.

Rating:
Summary: rave!
Review: I am a Harvard alum and reading this book brought me right back to my crazy undergrad days. Fantastic characters and an unpredictable plot, great writing!

Rating:
Summary: A Cool Book For Students Heading For College
Review: I am starting my first year of university in the fall and was looking for a good fictional story that I could relate to (ie., young people, ethnicity, college life, etc...) when I stumbled upon The Student Body. A great fictional thriller that I just couldn't stop reading! It was funny and easy to read. I never knew Harvard students could be so multicultural, funny and sex-driven! Obviously it is not going to make Oprah's booklist, but it is good enough for young people (like myself) who need a great book about college life, scandal, relationships and the evil side of Harvard to read over the summer! It's fun and intelligent ficton at its best! Read it!

Rating:
Summary: Jane, you well-informed slut!
Review: I can't believe this book was written by four people; it seems like the work of one smart, bitchy author. It was fun to see gay, black, Latina and Asian characters interacting with white characters and with each other. The plot is maybe a little farfetched, but up to the minute (Bob Dole needs a copy) in the biotech and business angle. Higher education was never this good.

Rating:
Summary: A fun read for Harvard grads
Review: I couldn't put this book down. While it ain't great literature, it IS a ton of fun as a Harvard alum to look for and chuckle at the book's detail of the campus and its surroundings. References to Store 24 made me remember those nights as a freshman that we scraped together change to run over and get a box of Entenman's cookies! I was skeptical as to whether a novel written by four people would at all be readable. It definitely is.

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly intelligent summer fun!
Review: I picked up "The Student Body" after reading about it in the Chicago Tribune--mostly, I admit, because I was intrigued by the Harvard setting and the multiple authors. The book turned out to be even more fun than I had expected: wry observations on campus life and our consumer culture mix with a believable thriller plot to create a highly enjoyable summer read. With timely commentary, memorable characters, and an amazingly unified authorial "voice," The Student Body is a real find. I recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: An Unabashedly Smart Thriller
Review: I picked up this book after having been invited to read it by one of the four authors, and I'm glad I did. It was exciting, witty, and unexpectedly thoughtful. I especially loved the characters -- Van is the kind of dreamboat I thought only I lusted after, and Chelo is my old insecure-but-hopeful self aspiring for better things. You don't have to be trapped on a plane to enjoy this -- from the first page it ignites you. Check it out!

Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Page-Turner!
Review: I really enjoyed this novel and didn't want it to end. As a Harvard grad, I can say it was truly accurate in its depiction. Given that four people wrote the book, it is amazing how seamless the writing is. Definitely worth picking up and then sharing with a friend.