If you were a fan of Election and curious what Tracy Flick might be like now, softened by age and circumstance, this is a must-read. It’s sharp, witty, and extremely entertaining.

I'm sure I already posted this review, but the transmission must have got corrupted. I really liked this book.

Unfortunately, I read it last month and the details aren't so fresh in my mind as they were when I wrote my initial review.

I did appreciate the fact that the times have changed and with the #MeToo movement Tracy Flick's relationship with her teacher in high school was wrong, no matter how ambitious she was. She was a child and that it is addressed here.

I also like that this book shows a realistic future life for Tracy. She didn't become the lawyer she had planned to be because life happened, but she's good at what she does. And she's still ambitious and a bit of a schemer, but the men are finally getting their comeuppance.

I also really liked the description of the town. It was spot on. The school and the people and all the candidates for MVP were awesome. It was fun and funny and sarcastic book and I read it one day! I loved it. I only wish my original review, which was much longer and more detailed, could have been posted. I was really excited to be granted access to this book and it did not disappoint. It gently skewers the town and its people, while also praising Tracy and Front Desk Donna and most of the women. The men don't come off very well, but the women finally get their due in a showstopping (literally!) ending.

I’m a huge fan of Tom Perrotta and I loved Election. I tore through this and read it in about 12 hours. It’s not just Tracy’s story however. Its about where Tracy is now and others that are in her orbit. I will also say, I didn’t see the ending coming at all.

Another great novel from Tom Perrotta! After Election, this was a great sequel that I really enjoyed. It was interesting to see Tracey middle-aged. This was a really believable story.

Who hasn’t seen Election with Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick? And if you haven’t - stop right now and go watch it. This is an amazing sequel into the life of Tracy Flick and her life as an Assistant Principal. Yet now she has the opportunity to be a Principal with an unexpected leave from her current Principal. And in typical Tracy fashion she will do WHATEVER it takes to get to the top and - let me tell you the end had me yelling out NO WAY!! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was very excited to get a chance to read Tracy Flick Can't Win, a long overdue follow up to Election. I am a huge Tom Perrotta fan and it's crazy to think that Election was published over 20 years ago. It has also been about 5 years since Tom Perrotta's last book, so I was anxious to dive into his newest book.
Tracy Flick is an adult now and the assistant principal at a local NJ high school. So she's still playing runner up and once the current principal announces his retirement, she is pumped at the chance to take over as head principal. But as the title suggests, she just can't win. I love the book cover design and title.
This is signature Tom Perrotta and he does suburban angst so well. It's a very character driven novel with each chapter from a different character's point of view. He executes this perfectly and I was never lost or confused as to which point of view I was reading. And with so many characters, he still manages to fully develop them all. I generally prefer shorter chapters, but some of these chapters are TOO short and it started t0 read like diary entries at times. It could certainly use some tightening up in places, but that is expected for such an early look at this novel. It's a very fast paced and witty read and I devoured it over the course of 2 days. It tackles many current themes such as racism, adultery, bullying, addiction, LGBTQ, and gun violence.
Many thanks to NetGalley for an early copy for review. Publication date is June 2022.

A great page turner in the covid era... a great escape for an afternoon, a day at the beach, a vacation or plane read to divert ones thoughts from everyday life.

📚𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
4.5/5🌟

𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 is one of my favorite movies ever - was there ever more perfect casting than Reese Witherspoon as the prissy, ambitious Tracy Flick? And now she’s back, in her middle-aged iteration, as a single mother and a vice principal at the very high school that she attended, in this sequel to be published next year.

Perotta delivers a delightful read that’s engaging and darkly funny, with his signature incisive wit and sharp observations on human behavior. Chapters alternate between the viewpoints of multiple characters, delving deep into their lives and past experiences serving to quickly evoke empathy for them. I loved peeking into the lives of this menagerie, and seeing how their circumstances intertwined.

I finished this one in nearly one sitting and it was nice to catch up with Tracy Flick. I only knew her from the movie version of 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, not from Perotta’s book, which seems to have been a bit different, but the essence of Tracy’s personality as an adult is identical to what was translated to the screen years ago as her younger self. And, I always love an epilogue that shows where the characters are months or years later!

My thanks to @netgalley and @scribnerbooks for the opportunity to read the e-ARC of this one! Are you planning to read this one when it comes out next year?

This was 4 stars for me until the ending which I felt came fast and didn’t mesh well with the rest of the book. While this book lacked the wit, fun, and originality of Election, it is still an enjoyable read.

Did not finish. Could not get interested in the plot or the characters. More of a flow and less dialogue would be helpful.

Follow-up book provides a view into how the protagonist has grown and how various, sometimes humorous, events take place in her life.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Tracy Flick Can't Win is a follow up to Tom Perotta's "Election." Tracy is all grown up now and still, in her mind, can't achieve the goals and kind of life she thought she would be leading by now. The single mother of an 11-year old daughter, she is the vice principal at the school where she was once a student. Things haven't changed much at the school. She's still playing second fiddle as the vice principal of the school. An announcement of the retirement of the principal leads Tracy to hope and aspire once more to be the leader she's always thought that she was. Unfortunately, fate has a way of interjecting itself into her plans. Mr. Perotta's writing is immensely witty and cutting, dark and sharp. Tracy Flick was the type of book I have come to expect from Tom Perotta - nothing less than a great story.

Tom Perotta has a gift for developing what might otherwise be cliched characters into fully-formed people. The 12-stepper making amends, the school’s dutiful front-desk attendant. And even Tracy Flick - super-striver from Election. These and other supporting characters tell their stories in this brief but engaging novel.

The joy isn’t in Perotta’s plotting - this series of largely monologues is tied up a little bit too tidily by an event whose foundation was barely established in the book and was hardly necessary, in many respects. Rather, you read Perotta for the economy of his writing and the profound empathy for all of his characters.

You don’t need to have read Election to enjoy this book wholly, though reading the earlier book gives this slight but highly enjoyable book just a little more resonance.

Perotta’s writing is so expert and his characters so well-rounded that any book of his - and most definitely including this one - is well worth reading.

I have enjoyed Perrotta’s earlier novels, but I’m unsure this is a novel. It seems like a novella with a lot of air pumped in. Obviously I was disappointed. Tracy Flick certainly made quite an impression in the past but here she is just an undeveloped character lost among other underdeveloped characters.

I found it rather predictable as well. If the reader isn’t familiar with the Tracy character from an earlier encounter there is little explanation for her self recrimination in this one. There is nothing in this book that would excite a reading group or create discussions.

If you’re a Perrotta fan, you might enjoy this book, but it’s certainly not the one I would recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Tracy Flick is one of those iconic characters that will never be forgotten. It has been some time since I have read a book from this author and I am glad I gave it a shot. There was just such good cadence, story telling, and character development throughout the book. I really struggled with the ending with this one. It just came across as seeming to just cut off out of exactly nowhere. It just did not work for me, however I did enjoy the rest of the book. Thanks for the ARC,NetGalley.

This was a super-fun read, and I didn't see the plot twist coming. Clever and entertaining.


Review copy provided by publisher.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Scribner and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Tracy Flick’s back! Tom Perrotta did it again. Tracy Flick’s life isn’t where she thought it would be so she’s going to make it what she wants. With Tom Perrotta’s signature style Tracy Flick is exactly who we remember and more.

I usually read books that involve mystery and suspense. This author is an exception. Although this book involves no suspense and no real mystery, it is a book that keeps the reader turning the pages to see what happens next. Another masterful writing from the author. This is a book which I would recommend to all.

Although I didn't read Election, I do remember watching and enjoying the heck out of the movie adaptation. So when this popped up I was thrilled to score a digital copy! Thanks Scribner! Tracy Flick is back and starring as her middle-aged self who had a few bumps on her way to achieving the goal of being come President of the United States. Now she's back as an assistant principal and a hopeful slam dunk for taking over as Principal upon her bosses retirement. Tom Perrotta writes such believable characters, exposing their inner flaws and insecurities. Tracy Flick Can't Win is funny, sad, and an exposing reality of the good ol' boys network in academia. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I am positive Reese fans will read this and be hopeful for a movie adaptation.

Tracy Flick is a beloved character, the long-time Assistant Principal at a New Jersey high school. Tracy is a single mom, dedicated and hardworking. And taken for granted. She is not a glory hound, quite the opposite, and the powers-that-be seem to just want to keep her in her place. This becomes an issue when the Principal announces his retirement. Much of the plot in this book revolves around the search for a new Principal, the job Tracy covets.

The other main plot line in this book is the creation of the high school's Hall of Fame. Tracy is part of a team that is selecting the first inductees. One of the candidates is a former quarterback for the school, a questionable (at best) human being who went on to a brief career in the National Football League. Does a self-centered egomaniac deserve to be in the new Hall of Fame?

This a a fast-paced book with multiple narrators providing multiple points of view on both main plot lines. The novel begs the question: Where is justice in this world of ours? Do rewards always go to those most deserving?

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley.