Getting Even

Perfect Image #2

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

People think Annie can handle anything, and she can—but only because the alternative is worse

Annie’s summer in New York City was every teenager’s dream. Being chosen as a summer intern at Image magazine meant the chance to work on real articles during the day and enjoy the independence and excitement of city life outside office hours.
 
But now, going back to her high school routine feels like punishment—especially when the promised editorial job at the school paper doesn’t work out the way she planned. Annie knows she’s ready for bigger challenges, but it feels like every time she keeps her calm and saves the day, she gets punished for her own success. Suddenly she’s tired of being the boring old dependable honor student that everyone thinks is getting along just fine.
 
Annie tells her mom she has a right to get angry sometimes, and at first it does feel good to tell people what she really thinks. But can Annie keep her job, her boyfriend, and her family close when getting mad turns into getting even?

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1986

About the author

Susan Beth Pfeffer was an American author best known for young adult and science fiction. After writing for 35 years, she received wider notice for her series of post-apocalyptic novels, officially titled "The Life as We Knew It Series", but often called "The Last Survivors" or "Moon Crash" series, some of which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Reviews

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

GETTING EVEN is typical of the young adult books published in the 1970s, books I read as a tween and teen. The only way to read this today is in the context of historical fiction.

Readers may question a high school senior dating a college freshman, but in my day girls dated older guys routinely and nobody freaked out about it. We had a lot more independence, like how Annie went out to get a job and had mature responsibilities.

Annie isn’t a likable character and GETTING EVEN isn’t a stellar book, but I enjoyed it very much for the nostalgia factor.

[Steen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just meh. At first I found it a bit interesting but then it got a bit way to much teenie girl for me. I probably would have loved it when I was still a young teen lol.

[Ebony Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a girl trapped in her thoughts, and learning about the ways of the world. To begin with, I think this book is great but to me the topic is just a little uneasy in the beginning. If it told more about Anne's life and how she lived in the beginning it would be way more understandable. As a matter of fact, it talks about how Anne worked at Image (a magazine company) over the summer with her used to be close cousin who is now like a distant memory. Now I want to know why the relationship is the way it is. I would not recommend this book in my opinion it's just a little to rocky/unstable.