Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan, 256 pages. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2021. $18.
Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
As the youngest of four daughters, Primrose knows exactly what her privileges will be now that she’s sixteen years old and making a debut -- not the least of which includes leaving the nursery. Those hopes are quickly shattered when her mother announces that Prim must wait for her last single sister to find a match before Prim can have her entrance to society. Disappointed and hurt, Prim takes matters into her own hands and sneaks out.
I recognize that the word scandal is literally in the title of this book, but I didn’t expect Prim to be as daring as she was; her story felt like a race from bad to worse decisions. While somewhat entertaining, I was embarrassed for Prim as I read her determination to make poor choices under the flimsy excuse of this one night being her only opportunity to do so. Overall, Jordan’s book is well-written and ends in a satisfying way, despite Prim being frustrating. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and innuendo.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
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