Ok, who else had that sweater Shannon is wearing on the cover? I know I totally wore that in middle school, good times.
So, this is the one where we are supposed to learn that all that glitters is not gold, or basically, that Shannon's life isn't so perfect. Sorry, AMM, I'm not convinced, can the readers request a mulligan on this one? I guess the least I can do is break it down for you and let you decide if we should feel sorry for Miss Shannon Kilbourne.
Shannon attends Stoneybrook Day School, aka the rich kid private school. Her best friends are Meg Jardin and Greer Carson (sounds like a Real Housewife's name or something. I would totally watch a "Real Housewives of Stoneybrook," that would be epic), and they all just adore school. Seriously. They are all taking advanced French, and the school is sponsoring a big class trip to Paris for a week at the end of the school year. In order to be allowed on the trip, one must have a B average overall and at least an 85 in French, which Shannon is, of course, nailing. Plus, this takes place on one of Dawn's extended stays in Cali, so we actually see Shannon attending some BSC meetings in this one.
However, Shannon's home life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her dad is a lawyer, works crazy hours, and is rarely home. What's with all the dads being lawyers? Stacey's dad is a lawyer, in fact his work schedule is one of the reasons her parents got divorced, Mallory's dad is a lawyer (at least before he got laid off), and Mary Anne's dad is a lawyer. How many law firms does Stoneybrook have? Anyway, Shannon's mom is a housewife (not a Real one, more like a Desperate one) who is pretty spacey and bored with life, and her two younger sisters, Tiffany and Maria, are also Stepford kids who are good students and super involved in school activities and hobbies. Mrs. Kilbourne starts getting clingy with Shannon, or "Shanny" as she likes to call her, constantly babying her and hovering around her at home. Her mom even buys matching Laura Ashley dresses for herself and Shannon, which annoys the crap out of Shanny Shan (seriously, she acts like an entitled brat in this one). Aww...remember the floral awesomeness of 1980s Laura Ashley dresses?
Just add some Sam & Libby's and you're all set. Like this one? Buy it here.
Shannon starts getting more and more annoyed with her mom, especially when Mrs. Kilbourne interrupts a BSC hangout at Kristy's house and calls her "Shanny" in front of the girls. Seriously, Shannon? Of all the childhood nicknames out there, you are embarrassed by "Shanny"? One of my mom's favorite nicknames for me was "Tootie," so count your blessings, girl. Shannon begrudgingly gets her mom a gift for Mother's Day, but then feels sorry for her when her dad forgets all about it. He comes in that night (because yes, he worked on Sunday), and brings Mrs. Kilbourne a bouquet of flowers and a card that reads "Happy Birthday." Methinks you will be sleeping on the couch tonight, Mr. K. However, any goodwill Shannon had toward her mother disappear when she finds out the Mrs. Kilbourne has been asked to be a replacement chaperone on the Paris trip. Shannon is so pissed off by the thought of going to Paris with *gasp* her mother that she deliberately fails her French final so that her grade will be too low to go on the trip. Ooh, I really wanted to slap the girl here. Instead of actually talking to her mom, she just tanks her grades. For a smart girl, she's freakin' stupid. Anyway, Mrs. Kilbourne goes on the trip without Shannon, and Shannon has to keep control of the house while she's gone. Shannon has the major epiphany about why her mom has been so clingy, because she realizes how easy being a housewife is (of course it's easy when you have a maid and grocery delivery, sweetie. Now shut up before I slap the entitled right out of you). When her mom gets back from Paris, Shannon and her mom have a heart to heart, and Mrs. Kilbourne says that she is going to get a job so that she can get out of the house more. And somehow Mr. Kilbourne realizes that he has been a bad husband and mends his ways. Cause this is "Leave it to Beaver" in the 'Brook.
Oh, and there was this subplot about the BSC organizing a mother-child softball game for Mother's Day, but it was pretty lame (in fact, I'm bored even typing this sentence). So yeah, this book was hard to get through, I think Shannon might be my least favorite now.
Fashion: Special Edition!!!
What Stacey wore: "For example, today Stacey looked ultra-city in black: black leggings, a black sweater, a big black belt with an oversized buckle, black Doc Martens, and her hair pulled back with a black and gold scarf that picked up the gold of the gold chain earrings she was wearing."
What Claudia wore: "Claudia was beyond the city, maybe into outer space and looking outrageous, artistically terrific: an enormous pair of pants help up with neon purple suspenders, an enormous purple t-shirt over a tie-dyed long-underwear top, her long black hair pulled back into a braid clipped at intervals with little kid barrettes, and these dangly peace sign earrings."
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