500 WORDS OR LESS

Narrator Annie Q portrays Nic Chen, the protagonist of Rosario's novel in verse. The plot revolves around high school seniors who are obsessed with obtaining admission to their Ivy League college of choice--so obsessed that they pay Nic to write their admissions essays. Annie Q captures Nic with an increasingly angst-tinged realism. Known as the girl who cheated on her boyfriend, Nic feels increasingly guilty with each additional paper she writes and continues to regret the mistake that cost her the boy she loved. Annie Q turns this slightly maudlin plot into something meaningful through the conviction of her delivery, particularly her first-person portrayal of Nic. She also excels at revealing the desperation that causes Nic's classmates to resort to hiring her to do their work. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]