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Book Review By Lydie Barquet
Pen Pals by Olivia Goldsmith

Jennifer, a player on Wall Street, accepts to take the fall for her boss when the SEC investigates the company she works for. Her fiance the company lawyer, has convinced her he can get her off easily. Unfortunately, she is convicted, and sent to the Jennings Correctional Facility for Women. A tough world for the designer clad loft dweller that Jennifer used to be on the outside.

Inside, she meets, a group of women that become her friends, while she waits for an appeal: Movita, the crew leader, Cher, the thief about to be paroled, Theresa, the optimist, Suki the cute one, and Maggie, the librarian. Each of them gets to comment on the events in the first person, while some of the story is narrated in the 3rd person.

Jennifer discovers that, Lenny, the accountant in her former company is a nice guy. He is the first one to visit her, and bring her supplies and comfort. On the other hand, her fiance, downgrades to lawyer only, and soon abandons her case without filing the promised appeal.

Movita has discovered (while working at the Warden's office) that the prison will soon be privatized and taken over by a company called JRU, that will have the inmates work like slave-labor, and increase the number of cells in order to make the enterprise profitable.

The ex-Wall Street player is called to the rescue? Giving a new meaning to Insider trading, Jennifer and the group of inmates takes over JRU, and then becomes (indirectly) owner of the prison. They make it a better place to live and be rehabilitated.

In the mean time, on the outside, Cher takes over Jennifer's vacant apartment (and credit cards) and starts an affair with her ex-boyfriend.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - humorous
Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day)
Life of a profession:
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 9 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
Misc setting

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - impregnation/reproduction - rape/molest
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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