The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson

The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson
224 Pages (Hardcover)
A. Levine Books
July 1, 2011
*An ARC  of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

For anyone who's ever survived a rite of passage or performed a mating dance at Prom . . .

The Japanese hold a Mogi ceremony for young women coming of age. Latina teenagers get quinceaneras. And Janice Wills of Melva, NC ... has to compete in the Miss Livermush pageant.

Janice loves anthropology--the study of human cultures--and her observations help her identify useful rules in the chaotic world of high school. For instance: Dancing is an effective mating ritual--but only if you're good at it; Hot Theatre Guys will never speak to Unremarkable Smart Girls like Janice and her best friend, Margo; and a Beautiful Rich Girl will always win Melva's annual Miss Livermush pageant.

But when a Hot Theatre Guy named Jimmy Denton takes an interest in Janice, all her scientific certainties explode. For the first time, she has to be part of the culture that she's always observed; and all the charts in the world can't prove how tough--and how sweet--real participation and a real romance can be.

Funny, biting, and full of wisdom, this marks the debut of a writer to watch.

(From Goodreads) 

The premise of this novel immediately interested me. I've always said that anthropology would be an awesome job... not a job for me, but I find people in general very interesting. Especially how different cultures can seem so unique, but at the core, most share the same values and archetypal roles. Because of this, Janice Will's anthropological studies set in an American high school is something everyone can relate to. I was cracking up by how true her observations are. Her observations and more make this novel a great, quick, fun read.

You know those stories where you can't help but think, "Really? Not this freaking plot again!" I had a bad feeling that this book was going to end up like that. I am happy to say I was proved very wrong. Janice has always been an observer, watching others take part in teenagerly things. Janice's transformation from observer to participator was not cliche or overdone. Actually, I thought it was pretty well written. It was different, and it was also very witty but strangely touching. This book surprised me by exceeding my expectations. 

If you've ever sat on a bench and found yourself immensely entertained by watching people walk by, being perplexed by their appearance, automatically sorting them into groups, or even pondering over their life story, then this is a book for you. If you're looking for a light read, I'd definitely recommend this one.