Dangerous Admissions: I Like This Book

I found numerous "dangerous admissions" in Jane O'Connor's first adult novel, Dangerous Admissions:

A main character who silently cringes upon hearing grammatical faux pas like "I feel badly" or "just between you and I" (I mean, judging by the pervasive misuse of the English language - heck, even Oprah says "I feel badly..." - a self-righteous grammarian wouldn't stand a chance.)

A prep school college adviser who keeps a bottle of single malt scotch in his desk drawer. (Yeah - this would go over well in every school I've ever taught at or attended.)

Competi-parents who readily engage in bribery and deception to secure prosperous futures for their pot-smoking, morally vacuous kids. (I guess it's only dangerous to admit you disapprove of bribery and deception, isn't that right Uncle Tony?)

I suppose it's no longer considered "dangerous" for a woman to admit she masturbates or has sex whenever and with whomever she desires, but in the case of O'Connor's characters, it's delightfully refreshing. Also refreshing is the fact that the male characters having the sex are unusually attentive to the needs of their female partners. Ahhh, friction - er - fiction!

Dangerous Admissions is a witty, engaging read with compelling characters and a ridiculously implausible plot that somehow seems to work, thanks to O'Connor's lively writing and satisfying conclusion. O'Connor touches upon several disturbing issues - for example, the cost of private education and the price parents, teachers and students pay for the privilege - providing the reader with all kinds of tantalizing food for thought.

Dangerous Admissions prompted me to think about my own competitiveness and how it plays a role in my parenting (and not in a particularly flattering way). I wondered how far I would go to protect my children and ensure their future well-being and happiness. I also wondered how on earth a divorced copy editor living in New York City could afford to send her child to an exclusive private school.

Ahhhh, fiction.

Read the book and do some wondering of your own! Leave a comment over at Parent Bloggers for a chance to win a free copy of the book.