Ever since she can remember, Paige Sheridan and her two best friends have been planning to be homecoming princesses during their senior year of high school. In preparation, they always wear just the right clothes, have just the right friends, and attend just the right parties. But when their car winds up in a ditch after a night of too much partying, everything changes. Paige no longer feels connected to her old life, her friendships are strained, and her boyfriend is spending way too much time with one of her best friends. Comfort comes in the unlikely guise of her creative writing class, where Paige is inspired to face the truth of her feelings in her writing. Along the way, she discovers that she is way more than just Perfect Paige. But being honest with herself means taking responsibility for her mistakes, and maybe even walking away from the life she once thought she was destined for.

The Princesses of Iowa is an entertaining, well-crafted, and worthwhile read with a lot more depth than is suggested by the book cover. Following an alcohol-induced car crash, Paige's mother, whose actions are often driven by what others think, ships Paige off to Paris to spend the summer as an au pair and to remove her from the public eye. Without realizing it, this time away gives Paige perspective on her life. Back at school, her creative writing class inspires some much-needed introspection and allows Paige to work through her feelings about the accident. During her journey of self-discovery, Paige realizes that she is tired of aligning herself with people who pass judgement and manipulate others by spreading rumors. Adding to the story's plausibility, Paige also makes quite a few mistakes along the way. But in the end, she takes responsibility for her actions and decides to be true to herself, even if it means giving up everything she once thought was important. The Princesses of Iowa also tackles the subject of homophobia and exposes its narrow-mindedness and cruelty. While teens do smoke and party, there is a positive and credible message about the dangers of drunk driving. Language is sometime strong but never gratuitous (sh-t, di-khead, a-shole, f--k, sl-t, wh-re, b-tch, p-ssy) and homophobic slurs are used.

{be the first to share your thoughts about this book}

{Click on a keyword to find other books containing the same subject matter}