Aah, the year is finally winding down for the students at New Falls High School and they are ready to party. Will and his older brother Trip are definitely on board, but when they arrive with the beer, they are a bit surprised to find that this one is taking place at the fancy new house being built on the river. Well, Will deserves to party just like the rest of them, doesn’t he? He’s worked so hard to get to where he is – a senior, with a well-deserved acceptance to Princeton and a scholarship from the town’s board. Little does he know how out of control this particular party would get – and how it would impact the course of his life, his family’s, and the lives of the couple building this new home.
This novel, set in a small suburb of Philadelphia just prior to the economic crash of 2008, is a well-crafted indictment of the “lawnmower parent,” the parent who smooths the way for their child at all cost. (Usually wealthy and/or privileged, these parents don’t allow their children to suffer any consequences of their actions; hence these children do not learn that they are to be held accountable for what they do.) We hear the story from the perspective of the teenagers – who are mostly of age (18 or older) – but we also hear it from the perspective of the homeowners who are building their dream house – which, of course, gets demolished. We feel for the children who, yes, have made a mistake and their futures are at risk. But we also understand that they need to be held accountable and restitution made for the damage they’ve created.
We also feel for those who are more vulnerable, those with less means. Even in a town that prides itself on the peaceful blending of the working class and the “newer money” families at the high school, there is a clear division between who the DA’s office deems disposable and who is protected, who can be targeted and whose reputation must be preserved. Meanwhile, we see how quickly this status can change, with the onset of the troubles of the couple who are building the home. No one is immune to this possibility.
This is such an engaging read with a social commentary so important, I believe, that I would consider this a MUST READ. I’d be curious to hear what others think!
kindread spirits 