Review: Not a Passing Grade
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 01 12, 2013
In the introduction, the author thanks several people for their proofreading, support and advice. They did not give the help she thinks she received. This is a poorly proofed and edited book, and difficult to read. The author is not an American, was not raised in the US, and probably has never visited the US. Why she chose to place her story in the US is lost on me. I've read enough British literature to recognize the typical British phrases and vernacular used in this book. I was surprised when I finally realized that the author thought she was writing about Americans. I might have let the usage of British English spelling standards slip by, but it was more that that. Americans don't post a letter - they mail it. Hotel rooms have a bathroom, not an en suite. The descriptions of college life are not based on American college. So much of the vernacular is just off. This would have been a much better story if she had placed the characters in England maybe even in Canada, but not in California.The subject matter of the story line was not a problem, except I don't think there was much development in the characters. They change as they grow older, but they remain fairly shallow and undeveloped. There are a few tender moments, but for the most part there was just text that runs on. At 99 cents, I won't return it, but I don't think I received my money's worth.