Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld: Season 20 Episode 2
Sometimes in life, a special book comes along and embraces you with characters you relate to, a setting that you enjoy, and a plot that exists. This is unfortunately not that book. This week we read "Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld and good news, we hated it!
Big thanks to our patron Saroj for making us read this stinker and congratulations to Curtis Sittenfeld for being our first ever three-peat author! Listen HERE.
🎙️ Mean Book Club Recap: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Mean Book Club hosts—Sarah Burton, Clara Morris, Johnna Scrabis, and Sabrina B. Jordan—return to roast another literary heavyweight. This time, they revisit Curtis Sittenfeld with Prep, her breakout 2005 novel about adolescence, privilege, and self-consciousness at a New England boarding school. Notably, this makes Sittenfeld their first-ever “three-peat” author on the pod.
Setting the Tone
The episode opens with the group poking fun at the novel’s premise. Right out of the gate, one host says:
“I’m not sure that I need to or want to or anyone really needs to read about, like, an unremarkable high school student’s unremarkable life.”
This blend of snark and exasperation becomes the backbone of their discussion.
Character Critiques
Lee Fiora, the protagonist of Prep, comes under fire almost immediately. One host observes:
“She feels less like a person and more like a feeling of depression.”
The group highlights how the book’s detached tone and gloomy protagonist made for a frustrating (if unintentionally funny) read.
High School Realism… or Hopelessness?
The conversation pivots to the novel’s portrait of high school life, with plenty of laughs at its bleakness:
“Are you a high school student and you want a book that gives you no hope about your life or your future? Here you go.”
They question whether Prep is relatable realism or just a long, dreary bummer.
The Comedy Breaks Through
As with every Mean Book Club episode, the critique is balanced with offbeat humor and tangents. A couple of highlights:
On teenage awkwardness: “I mean, people were definitely actively farting at my dinner table.”
On adolescent indulgences: “I’m sorry, but nobody under the age of 22 needs Tums for pizza.”
Their willingness to weave in their own embarrassing (and hilarious) high school memories makes the discussion as entertaining as the book was heavy-handed.
Author Milestone
The group acknowledges Sittenfeld’s “three-peat” appearance on the show with mock celebration:
“Curtis is back. Curtis back again. Is she here for the three-peat? This is our first three-peat author ever. Wow. Congratulations… or whatever it means for you.”
The milestone itself becomes another punchline, showcasing how the hosts build their own running lore alongside the books.
Final Take
While the hosts appreciate Sittenfeld’s skill and recurring influence on modern fiction, their verdict on Prep lands somewhere between boredom and bemusement. For them, the novel’s prestige didn’t shield it from the Mean Book Club treatment: equal parts critical, personal, and hilarious.
✨ Best Pull Quotes:
“She feels less like a person and more like a feeling of depression.”
“Are you a high school student and you want a book that gives you no hope about your life or your future? Here you go.”
“I’m sorry, but nobody under the age of 22 needs Tums for pizza.”
“Curtis is back. Curtis back again. Is she here for the three-peat?”
