Never in my life have I played into the "boys will be boys" mantra. Not before I had three sons, and certainly not after I had them. I am all about human decency and kindness. In this story, Nina's son, Finch (named after Atticus Finch) is accused of taking a disturbing picture of Lyla, a classmate at the prestigious Windsor Academy. Finch is wealthy; Lyla, being raised by her single father, is there on a scholarship. Lyla is passed out in the picture, laying on Finch's best friend Beau's bed. Her breast is exposed and she is holding a green Uno card. ("Green card") Lyla's mother is Brazilian. The picture is sent to Finch & Beau's friends via Snapchat. And then of course, everyone else sees it, including all the parents involved.
What is interesting is all of the different reactions. Kirk, Finch's dad, was mostly concerned how this act may affect Finch's recent acceptance to Princeton. Nina was appalled because of the act itself. "You took a photo of a half-naked girl who was passed out, and then made a racist joke about her." Finch doesn't think it's that big of deal and stated that he didn't even think Lyla would be mad about it. Lyla begged her dad, Tom, to just let it go. Basically, "this happens all the time to people" so don't make a big deal of it please. Tom was furious about the picture and reported it to the headmaster at Windsor Academy. The Academy has a Honor Code that the students are expected to follow.
One complication is that Lyla has always had a crush on Finch. Finch decides to use this to his advantage. Then Finch throws his girlfriend Polly under the bus, so to speak, and reports that Polly took the picture because she was jealous. As things unfold, Nina questions Kirk & Finch's characters and her relationship with Kirk. She realizes that her husband is not an honorable man and she has "allowed" her son to become just like his father.
We find out what happens to everyone in an Epilogue written by Lyla, ten years after the actual event happened. No one actually "changes" from the experience. The honorable are still honorable. The less honorable are still waiting for karma to strike them. Lyla, Nina & Tom are the true "success stories" in this book because they do the right thing, no matter the cost. Finch is the only question mark. He seems to finally be truly sorry at the end, but we don't really know what he is sorry about.....
Wendy's Rating: ****
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