This story opens with an interesting high school play rehearsal scene. Actor David Ellison is the story's first-person narrator and the reader soon learns he hopes to do well on his upcoming audition to attend Julliard. Other characters are aptly introduced afterwards. His family -- parents and sister. His longtime girlfriend, Ellen. His schoolmates, beautiful co-star, Vanessa, and her brother, among others. The setting, Palo Alto CA, and its affluent surrounding community is significant, and its high school's rich-kid student body is likely reason for the book's title. What, in my opinion, keeps things moving forward and makes it interesting is how everything builds and carries through the middle parts as David realizes the hypocrisy (it only appears to be a perfect world) that surrounds him. Even the affluent have private woes. David struggles with his feelings between girlfriend, Ellen, and his co-star, Vanessa. And although he's been the star of every school year's play production, he worries that he's not good enough to make Julliard or to pursue an acting career. Any young adult grappling with a decision about what path in life to take can truly identify with David.

It's a story about finding one's self-worth and I couldn't help rooting for David right up to the surprising conclusion. For me, all the build-up to that is what made David's character and the book so special. ( )