I was excited to read this book after winning a copy through Goodreads, but did not expect it to become one of the best books I’ve read this year.

A fascinating account of a young girl’s experience in a fictional Australian private girls school, Alice Pung’s Laurinda is impossible to put down. It has such a unique story line, that of a Vietnamese immigrant on scholarship, and a clever ending that perfectly wraps up this multi-faceted account of her first year at the prestigious school. It also gives readers a glimpse of living in suburbs of Sydney that many people, even locals, may not know.

Laurinda touches upon familiar themes for a book about high school aged children — boys, mean girls, family life, status, class, authority — but does so in a contemporary way. We see and feel things, quite clearly, from the viewpoint of the smart, no-nonsense protagonist, Lucy and root for her all the way.

Highly enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Title: Laurinda
Author: Alice Pung
ISBN: 978-1863956925
Availabie at Amazon and Boomerang Books

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