Hart Fox may not have the pedigree to be a shoo-in at Stutts, a prestigious Ivy League school, but he has the grades and the résumé. And he does make it in—sort of. His acceptance is hijacked by Burlington Darling III, a wealthy alum who is so desperate to get his hapless son, Trip, into Stutts that he funds a new boathouse. Darling offers to get Hart a spot in the freshman class, and pay his way, if Hart will take all of Trip’s classes for him.
Despite this deal with the devil, Hart arrives on the Stutts campus jubilant. But what awaits him is a strange parallel universe of secret societies, inexplicable traditions, and class hierarchies. Soon, Hart finds himself aligned with the outcasts at an all-but-defunct school humor magazine, where a journalistic stunt catapults him into a mad, escalating guerilla war with the Darlings. With threats of death—and worse—expulsion looming over him, Hart must rely on his wit, and the aid of some very exceptional friends, to save him.
Review This book was a humorous and irreverent look at college life amongst the elite from an outsider's perspective. (The author went to an Ivy League school, so I'm not sure how much of this is his revisionist's history.)
The characters in this book were over-the-top, but they were meant to be. (Hello? One is a vampire. Obvious farce.) And it worked. The caricatures all played off each other--the motivated one, the jaded one, the "President," etc.--and created a campus full of life and color.
The pacing of the book kept you reading consistently with plenty of hijinks spattered throughout to ensure that you didn't have to read too much anti-elitism without a laugh or too along the way.
Hart was a good narrator, he was never whiny, even when any normal person would have been. (Hello? He was dragged behind a hearse in an attempt to kill him. Let the complaining begin.) But he wasn't Mary Sunshine either. He saw the crap that was going on around him, but he knew that griping never really did anybody any good. He had a good (fictitious) upbringing in that regard.
All those things said, an enjoyable book that includes laughs, some thoughts on society's classes, melancholy, and friendships. Nothing ground-breaking, but still a fun read.
Recommendation This book is a mix of Looking for Alaska and Carter Finally Gets It. So if you enjoyed either of those books (like me), then you'll probably like this one as well.
Not the greatest book I've ever read but it did hold my interest at least for a few days. Most of the story was really unbelievable and it all just seemed a bit over the top. What I can't decide is if the author was trying to mock the ivy league system (apparently he attended Yale) or if he was just trying to make up a funny story about freshman year. The whole vampire subplot with Tab was really annoying as well. Until it got to that point it was an alright novel but I think that introducing that into the plot kind of made it really unbelievable and was kind of dumb. It's a good post-finals read though because it is not overly serious and some parts are quite funny. I didn't like the ending either, I felt like the author didn't know where else to go with the book so just decided to end it instead of thinking of something better to write.
I thought the book was good because I was imagining my freshman year.My freshman year was a little rough cam into the High school thinking i ruled the school but there are other people who are in school that are older then me.I became fresh meat to everyone that was in higher grade and get bullied.So i can kinda relate to hart and what he went threw.
This book was funny, strange, interesting, and had little subnotes! Micheal Gerber did an amazing hjob of creating an entire school full of traditions and quirks, and the book as a whole is pretty great! Can't wait to rad Sophmore!
Freshman by Michael Gerber is quite comedic while also expressing important themes of friendship and society. I personally felt that the book was relatable in many ways, especially since I have experienced trying many new things throughout my life.
The book immediately dives into a comedic feel, with some dirty bathroom jokes, some general college jokes, and some characters acting a bit goofy and/or stupid. The characters are all quite unique in their own ways, though they all are undergoing many changes. As the book continues, the characters are well-developed by the author and we learn a lot from their interactions and effects on others as well as their speech and thoughts.
The narrator definitely helps to develop the story, which is done at a good pace. The author did seem to rush some parts and include an excess of comedy where there may need to have been some more understandable plot material. There are also some parts of the book that I feel aren't truly necessary to include (they could be replaced by more pertinent information).
Perspective is also a key factor in this story, as well as the way the readers interpret the events that occur. The story was overall more interesting due to the perspectives I read. The author provides contributions from multiple perspectives to develop a complex plot.
The story could get a little wacky at times, as one character who is pretty important turns out to be a "vampire". Literally. The author almost seems to just randomly include it in there... for some reason?
Towards the end of the book, there was a lot of nostalgia, and the comedy died down a bit... this really seems to affect the meaning and theme of the book, as within the comedic elements there is a general serious feel to this story that makes it so pertinent to so many freshmen student lives. The book is definitely a great book if you are a freshman that is trying to "blend" or at least find your place in your school community.
It was half brilliant, half LSD induced hallucination. And I enjoyed it! I personally felt this was a simultaneous condemnation and ode to the Ivy League. The author himself went to Yale, so he's been "on the inside," which begs the question of how fake were some of the things in the book, really?
I don't even know what genre this was. Like, why was there a vampire? And a legitimate, casual fraternity (Comma Comma Apostrophe was their amusing name) competition to kill someone?! But it was all very irreverent and amusing?! But also full of urination and other pretty gross things??
I actually really enjoyed Hart Fox, the main character. He was just not-so-snobby and trying to get by. His gang was also pretty great. Peter, the wheelchair bound genius inventor (he souped up the chair so it was heated, had a machine gun, a cooler for drinks, a mirror for shaving...), was a personal favorite. I guffawed a few times, I'll admit, and also, I didn't realize the book was written in 2006 until the end; it could've been written yesterday, which is an impressive accomplishment. It had a timeless vibe, is what I mean.
I don't even know what this book was, but I'm glad I read it. Sometimes, it's not half-bad experiencing out-of-the-box entertainment.
I LOVE humor. And I LOVE(d) college. So a book about the two together was very exciting for me. It was funny and I laughed out loud occasionally. But it wasn’t hilarious. In fact, it was, at times, disgusting, predictable, and downright stupid.
But the author claimed nothing else, starting with the direct message conversation between characters on the book jacket. Therefore, I can’t complain or expect anything else. I would even pick up “The Sophomore” if it came out. After all, I LOVE(d) college! 😊
First things first: Mr. Gerber has fantastic comedic instinct. His one liners and wry observations are in and of themselves works of art.
But funny asides do not a novel make. And funny as Mr. Gerber is, his humor isn’t enough to sustain this surprisingly dull, generic tale.
Hart Fox has worked hard his entire life, all with the goal of getting into Stutts (a fictional conglomeration of Harvard, Yale, and the rest of the Ivies). And he is selected for admission, except his spot is taken by his arch nemesis, Trip Darling, a bully with a two-digit IQ (on a good day) … who happens to be a legacy into Stutts. But there’s a catch: Since Trip is an idiot, if Hart is willing to take Trip’s classes (and thus ensure Trip does not fail out), Hart can go to Stutts too. Hart agrees, and off to Stutts his goes …
At which point that entire premise is tossed aside for fairly generic college hijinks that have some weird additions (girl who is a preppy vampire) in order to make it seem “quirky,” but instead had me going “Wait, what about the fun premise? You know, the whole reason I decided to read this book? Why are we ignoring that premise for boring ‘oh, aren’t we all so unique and different than all these other college students’ posturing?”*
Other than a few mentions about having to go to class a lot, Hart could have just ended up at the same college as Trip and the main plot would have ended up mostly the same. Honestly, I’m not sure what the purpose of that twist was other than contributing to the almost 100 pages of unnecessary set up. I’ve read other books guilty of false advertising, and I’m willing to overlook it if the actual plot is good. Here, it’s not only a step down from creative to generic but features bizarre twists of logic that are out of place in a book that’s trying to be a smart satire (and could have been smart satire if it had stayed with the original premise).
Having said all of that, another thing that bugged me: Who is the audience for this book? I don’t think most high school students would appreciate the dry commentary on college life, and I think the adults who would enjoy the commentary expect said commentary to be in a smarter, more complex plot.
Books like this drive me crazy, because all of the pieces are here for a fantastic book. The author is talented. He had a good idea. He had the foundation laid for crafting said idea into a unique book. But the end product is a mess. Not recommended.
*For potential readers who have not had the misfortune of attending college: Everyone in college thinks they are part of the unique and special clique.
Freshmen is about a kid named Hart fox. He was known as one of the smartest people in his high school. One person a year can get picked to go to a great college named Strutts. He was pretty much going to get in. Then the darling family came in. Hart cut Mr. Darlings grass, but he paid his son's Way in. Hart wasn't able to get in anymore. But Mr. Darling didn't want Trip to flunk out so Hart was sent to do all of Trip's homework. Once Hart was at his college he had a roommate named Peter. They were great friends. Hart then got a job at the Library sorting mail. He meant a girl named tabitha, she also works there. Hart found out that see was a 150 year old vampire. Now they are dating and she is a great help. Also Hart joined the newspaper called the Cooku, because he summited one of his articles to the main newspaper, the spec, and they stole it. The paper he worked for didn't have any money, So Peter and Hart designed a plan to take things from the library that were being thrown out and sell them..That was all working untill Hart made an article about Trip and his father. This made Trip made and played a prank on him. This prank made the whole school get sick and Hart was blamed and kicked out of his dorm. Now its the end of simester and Mr. Darling is now the governer and doesn't want to pay for Hart anymore. Now Mr. Darling has placed a contest for Trip's frat. To kill Hart Fox.
So far I really enjoy this book. Its been one of the better books I have read in awhile. It gives a good scoop on college life and what if could be like. The plot is also very interesting.
Read my full review at wadingthroughbooks.wordpress.com!
From Michael Gerber, author of the Barry Trotter parodies and The Chronicles of Blarnia, contributor to SNL, comes a story both hilarious and relatable to anyone who has had to decipher the murky world of freshman year at university. This book is recommended for young adult readers who enjoy satire and an oddball sense of humour. Younger readers may not be able to connect as deeply with the representation of university life, while people who have previously or currently attend post-secondary education may be better able to recognize from their own experiences majors like Study of Things, being ‘rusticated’ or exiled from campus and sent to live in town, and teachers who refuse to acknowledge that not everyone is as passionately interested in their research as they are. There is graphic language, limited sexuality, and violence presented in a comical form. The numerous asides placed in footnotes are entertaining, but the format may not appeal to all readers. This book will not appeal to everyone, but those who like it will like it a lot.
it’s a nice fictional story of a boy who dreams to enter a university. it also portrays the mass’ fight against the corrupt government and the lengths that any politician will do to gain and stay in power.
anyway, it’s just fitting because i finished this last thursday - two days before my graduation. and, just like Stutts University my experiences in the University of the Philippines has been chaotic and wonderful at the same time. UP is a really crazy place and people who cannot adapt quickly to their surroundings will surely drown.
the book was a bit nostalgic for me especially when Hart (the novel’s main character) started to experience the hardships of university life. it was, as if, i was reading through my own biography starting from the moment i entered UP.
it’s a good read. i do hope there’s a sequel to this book.
Sorry, but not a fan. I feel like the story fell too flat and didn't seem to engage me the way that I like when I want to lose myself in a book. With the entire college scandal still currently circulating on the news, I feel like this book falls at a bad time (even though I know this book was published many, many years ago and has been sitting on my shelf for that length of time.) I hate that the main antagonist gets into an "elite" college just because his father pays his way into it instead of the kid actually earning the spot at that college. It really bothers me.
However, a redeeming item that made the book bearable to read: 1. Tabitha, Peter, Ellen, and Reed: I love the friendship and the antics this group gets into. It was fun to read and imagine the shenanigans this group got into.
Not an expensive investment- spent 25 cents for it at a garage sale.
I would first like to comment on the map on the beginning of the book. There are several 7's on the map, mostly clustered in the academic buildings but one randomly in the medical school. When I look at the key, I see that 7 is a student having a panic attack. I had to laugh on that one.
The actual book followed that example with over-the-top humor. Of course, because of this, it was extremely realistic, but I thoroughly enjoyed this mocking of the Ivy League colleges. It's all in good fun.
I felt that some of the attempted humor missed the mark or tried too hard, but I still got a good amount of laughs from this.
I passed this along to a friend to see if others will share in this humorous book.
This book was bad and good in some ways. The main character has to deal with a rich person who got his son in by money and not his grade. The rich person son causes many trouble toward the main character and tries to get him expelled by the school. The worse thing is the main character can't afford the college bill(paying it which is 75 thousand dollars). Luckily for the main character he meets new people who eventually becomes his friend. He even has a vampire girl friend. Together he and his friend works together to help each other out. Overall great book just hate that rich boy I feel like killing his family just because he is rich. Being rich doesn't always mean anything. You have to work with what you got to be rich.
This book was okay, but kind of all over the place. The protagonist mocks the ivy league-type school and the rich, spoiled, and entitled kids that go there, but then makes it clear at every turn that he belongs there for some reason. He wants to "make it" but has no goals and didn't even decide his major until he was already enrolled. Throughout the whole book, he never really explains why he wanted to go to this school so badly except that it was the best. So the school was a status symbol? Again, I was never sure if the author was mocking the rich or really wanted to be one. Plus vampires! Mummies! Secret Societies! An erotic musical revue! It was a little too much.
Reading this felt a little like re-living freshman year--and not always in a good way. It started out fresh and exciting, but by the end, I felt like the book was something I *had* to finish out of obligation and not out of joy.
I liked some of the secondary characters better than than the main characters. And while there were some funny parts to the book, there were an equal number of parts that made me uncomfortable or that I skipped.
I suspect I'll transfer to another story and not spend my sophomore year reading book two.
So far this book is pretty good. It is about Hart Fox a college freshman going to Stutts university. The top university in the country. He was going to be a shoe in but the guy he mowed laws for, Mr.Darling a Stutts grad. himself, wanted his son Trip to go to Stutts. So with all the money Mr.Darling had he "persuaded" Stutts to take his son instead. But Mr.Darling was going to let Trip take Trips quizes notes and Testsand Hart didn't like that but he really wanted to go to Stutts. So he made Mr. Darling make him a student too. and thats as far as i got so far.
An enjoyable satire with a little touch of the paranormal. I'm not really sure this one should be classified as YA; I don't think it has a YA voice, even though the hero starts out in high school. Looking forward to reading Sophomore too.
I really want to give this a 4 or 5, but I don't think it get there as a book overall. It is hilarious and creative but somehow seemed to take longer to read than it should. However, it is intriguing enough in a David Foster Wallace sort of way that I'll look out for other books by him.
I was confused through a good portion of the book but it had an interesting story line. Probably one of those books you need to read a few times to full appreciate.