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ahill33's review
2.0
Well this book makes me never want to chaperone a school trip. The teenagers story was alright, but I could not stand Alicia. Ugh. I'm glad the story wasn't only about her.
maggierachael's review
5.0
Holy fuck.
That's how I feel about this book. But in the absolute best way possible.
I haven't been this excited about finishing a book since I finished [b:London Belongs to Us|26177619|London Belongs to Us|Sarra Manning|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460538597s/26177619.jpg|46143050] last summer, and let me tell you that I am just ecstatic about this book as I was about that one. Very few times in my life have I encountered a book that is fresh and funny, but also so real and human at the same time, while still keeping me entertained every step of the way. I don't usually read books that are marketed as comedies (this one holds the title for Splitsider's Best Comedy Book of the Year), but this one hit all the right points without being lewd. Imagine if someone stuck High School Musical, Freaks and Geeks, the 21 Jump Street reboot, Animal House, Girls, and My Date with the President's Daughter into a blender - this is the result of that weird media smoothie.
There are so many small details about this book that I loved that I could discuss, but overall, all of them combined to create a story that I could realistically see happening. Benincasa wrote both the students and the adults in this story well and did them justice. The adults didn't sound overbearing or weird, and the kids didn't sound overly childish - as someone who graduated high school only a year ago, I can tell you that they spoke just like high schoolers speak nowadays, which is so refreshing. I loved that the plot was mostly made up of events that would seem small and insignificant in a larger story, but still worked together to create one hell of a rollercoaster.
On another, smaller note: I'm usually not a fan of the overt use of alcohol, drugs, or sex for comedy, but Benincasa combined all of those elements spectacularly and didn't overdo it on any of them and make it seem like she was just working them in for kicks. She seems to be the kind of writer that has a fantastic handle on writing realism while still playing everything up for comedy. I just want like eight more books of these characters doing ridiculous things, because there's totally a possibility and an opening for it.
Speaking of characters: I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH. Like, seriously. Every character in this book is brilliant and I love them. I love them on the same level that I love Sunny Williams from London Belongs to Us, and that's a hard level to reach. Gertie, Sivan, and Rachel were a perfectly balanced trio of protagonists - they reminded me a lot of the trio from Clueless, and each one was individual without being stereotyped. They modeled the best friend trio in a way that I could absolutely relate to, and I followed their every move with relish
And, on the other side of the protagonist spectrum, I can undoubtedly say that I love Alicia Deats and Brian Kenner so fucking much it's unreal. It has been a long-ass time since I have loved both characters in a book couple equally, and I am so happy that Alicia and Brian were my first trip back into that experience, because they are brilliant. The tension between them made sense and wasn't just contrived for plot drama, and they're both gigantic dorks, which I can get behind 100%, because those are the best kinds of characters. I mean, come on. They tried to hide it, but it was so obvious that they're massive nerds and I love it. Their "oh shit he/she likes me back" thing was so cute, I actually had to physically put the book down and screech. Plus, they slept together, which is always the thing you want to hear when you ship two characters like mad.
As far as other characters go, I was spectacularly happy to see all the interrelationships between the characters that you would never expect from a novel about high school kids. In the end, everybody worked things out and the minor conflicts that existed were resolved, and everybody was so happy in the end and it made me smile like a moron. The nerdy kid made friends with the jock and the pretty girl protagonist, the "mean girls" made up, and here's the kicker: THE LESBIAN WAS GIVEN AN OPENING FOR A HAPPY ENDING. No pulling a Buffy the Vampire Slayer here. Sara Benincasa, you're my hero.
All in all, this book is a ridiculous mess of drag queens, pot cookies, Star Trek boxers, and American history, and I absolutely love it. If you're not squeamish about adult content and you're looking for a great pick-me-up book that's hilarious fun, please pick this up. I implore you to read it so you can scream with me.
That's how I feel about this book. But in the absolute best way possible.
I haven't been this excited about finishing a book since I finished [b:London Belongs to Us|26177619|London Belongs to Us|Sarra Manning|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460538597s/26177619.jpg|46143050] last summer, and let me tell you that I am just ecstatic about this book as I was about that one. Very few times in my life have I encountered a book that is fresh and funny, but also so real and human at the same time, while still keeping me entertained every step of the way. I don't usually read books that are marketed as comedies (this one holds the title for Splitsider's Best Comedy Book of the Year), but this one hit all the right points without being lewd. Imagine if someone stuck High School Musical, Freaks and Geeks, the 21 Jump Street reboot, Animal House, Girls, and My Date with the President's Daughter into a blender - this is the result of that weird media smoothie.
There are so many small details about this book that I loved that I could discuss, but overall, all of them combined to create a story that I could realistically see happening. Benincasa wrote both the students and the adults in this story well and did them justice. The adults didn't sound overbearing or weird, and the kids didn't sound overly childish - as someone who graduated high school only a year ago, I can tell you that they spoke just like high schoolers speak nowadays, which is so refreshing. I loved that the plot was mostly made up of events that would seem small and insignificant in a larger story, but still worked together to create one hell of a rollercoaster.
On another, smaller note: I'm usually not a fan of the overt use of alcohol, drugs, or sex for comedy, but Benincasa combined all of those elements spectacularly and didn't overdo it on any of them and make it seem like she was just working them in for kicks. She seems to be the kind of writer that has a fantastic handle on writing realism while still playing everything up for comedy. I just want like eight more books of these characters doing ridiculous things, because there's totally a possibility and an opening for it.
Speaking of characters: I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH. Like, seriously. Every character in this book is brilliant and I love them. I love them on the same level that I love Sunny Williams from London Belongs to Us, and that's a hard level to reach. Gertie, Sivan, and Rachel were a perfectly balanced trio of protagonists - they reminded me a lot of the trio from Clueless, and each one was individual without being stereotyped. They modeled the best friend trio in a way that I could absolutely relate to, and I followed their every move with relish
And, on the other side of the protagonist spectrum, I can undoubtedly say that I love Alicia Deats and Brian Kenner so fucking much it's unreal. It has been a long-ass time since I have loved both characters in a book couple equally, and I am so happy that Alicia and Brian were my first trip back into that experience, because they are brilliant. The tension between them made sense and wasn't just contrived for plot drama, and they're both gigantic dorks, which I can get behind 100%, because those are the best kinds of characters. I mean, come on. They tried to hide it, but it was so obvious that they're massive nerds and I love it. Their "oh shit he/she likes me back" thing was so cute, I actually had to physically put the book down and screech. Plus, they slept together, which is always the thing you want to hear when you ship two characters like mad.
As far as other characters go, I was spectacularly happy to see all the interrelationships between the characters that you would never expect from a novel about high school kids. In the end, everybody worked things out and the minor conflicts that existed were resolved, and everybody was so happy in the end and it made me smile like a moron. The nerdy kid made friends with the jock and the pretty girl protagonist, the "mean girls" made up, and here's the kicker: THE LESBIAN WAS GIVEN AN OPENING FOR A HAPPY ENDING. No pulling a Buffy the Vampire Slayer here. Sara Benincasa, you're my hero.
All in all, this book is a ridiculous mess of drag queens, pot cookies, Star Trek boxers, and American history, and I absolutely love it. If you're not squeamish about adult content and you're looking for a great pick-me-up book that's hilarious fun, please pick this up. I implore you to read it so you can scream with me.
mrdillon94's review
4.0
Ok, this was actually amazing. I love a good book about REAL young adults. To often do authors try and make teenagers something they are not, which is anything less than a perfect mess. Sara Benincasa did just that.
DC Trip was funny and honest and made me think a little to much about my own high school trip to DC. I loved this.
DC Trip was funny and honest and made me think a little to much about my own high school trip to DC. I loved this.
catherinew's review
2.0
This was no literary masterpiece. But I did read it all to see if it had any redeeming qualities. I feel like it was written as good bad romcom but I don't feel as if this was meant to be a novel.