Review by Darcie Czajkowski
Is there such a thing as having it all? It seems like there is for the
Hawthorne family. The leader of the clan, Gabe Hawthorne, is a partner at a
management consulting firm. His wife, Nora, is a prominent real estate agent in
a well-to-do region of San Francisco. Their children are thriving as well: the
eldest, Angela, has a stellar GPA and an accomplished list of extra-curricular
activities; the middle child, Cecily, is the star of her Irish dance class; and
the youngest, Maya, is a happy, well-adjusted seven-year-old.
But beneath the patina of idealistic suburban life are secrets, lies, and
a family struggling to keep up with fast-paced, do-more mentality of modern society.
Will the Hawthorne family fall apart at its seams, or will they all bind together
when dreams are crushed, long-buried secrets come to light, and acts of
desperation threaten careers?
Meg Mitchell Moore in The
Admissions offers up several questions for reflection: Is more always
better? Is the rat race worth it? Is there only one route to success? Is it
acceptable to live by our own definition of success or should we abide by
society’s rubric?
The Admissions tackles age-old issues with a fresh, contemporary perspective. It’s humorous, lively, and on-point in
sharing sentiments that we all face in modern America. To be better. To amass
more money. To attend the best colleges. To raise the brightest, happiest, most
well-rounded children. To be the most successful at our jobs. These things, in
and of themselves, are not unworthy goals, but when our lives become consumed
by comparative living and working ourselves to the bone, the payout becomes
less sweet. We lose sight of the things that matters most, the aspects of life
that we hold closest to our hearts. In the end, it’s not the material things
that matter, or the diplomas we’ve mounted on the walls that keep us warm at
night. When we are gray-haired and wizened, it’s those who are sitting next to
us, those who have enriched our lives along the way, and the experiences we’ve
shared with family and friends. Those are the memories that will confirm that we’ve
lived a life that will leave behind a legacy that we can be proud of.
Mitchell’s novel is a highly enjoyable read, one that will stick with
you long after you’ve read its final page.
Purchase the book at:
About the Author:
Meg Mitchell Moore began writing as soon as she figured out how the
cursive 'T' and 'F' were different and hasn’t stopped since. Her debut novel, The Arrivals, was published in 2011 by Reagan Arthur Books, then an imprint
of Little, Brown. Her second novel, So Far Away, was published in 2012 and was named one of the
year’s best adult novels for young adults by Booklist. Her third novel, The Admissions, is due out in August 2015 from
Doubleday. Before turning to fiction Meg worked as a freelance journalist
for a variety of business and consumer magazines, where she often managed to
pitch stories involving dogs. Before that she worked on the staff of a family
of technology magazines. (Despite all of her time there, she is still trying to
figure out what a server is.) Meg received a B.A. from Providence College and a
master’s degree in English Literature from New York University. The daughter of
a naval officer, Meg moved around every few years as a child, including a move
her senior year of high school, which she is totally and completely over.
Totally and completely: no scars. In 2012 Meg, her husband, their three
children and a beloved border collie moved from Massachusetts to northern
California. Despite California’s many charms (including the settings that
inspired much of The Admissions), they lasted exactly one year and returned to
the beautiful coastal town of Newburyport, Massachusetts, where they now live.
The characters in The Admissions have many juicy secrets, but Meg’s own secrets are not so
newsworthy. (Or are they?)
Connect with the author at:
Doubleday is giving one lucky winner a print copy of
The Admissions by Meg Mitchell Moore
Open internationally
a Rafflecopter giveaway
