I set this down around 127 pages. It's perfectly fine, and I think fans of Ally Carter and Robin Benway's caper type books will enjoy. This one is a lI set this down around 127 pages. It's perfectly fine, and I think fans of Ally Carter and Robin Benway's caper type books will enjoy. This one is a little confusing and not quite as strong in the characterization department, however, and I smell a love triangle as well. Those don't always bother me, but in this case I don't really know enough about any of the parties involved to care that much either way. I wish we'd seen more of Paris, too--though if you're only going to see Prada while you're there, that's not the worst thing. :P
May keep an eye out to see if other friends end up loving this, though, in which case I might pick it up again.
Also, if I've read at least 100 pages I'm usually comfortable in leaving a rating, but in this case I still haven't formed enough of an opinion for it to be fair.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review....more
I've pushed through to 100 pages, but I just can't go on. For all its braininess, this book feels very juvenile to me, except that girls in most middlI've pushed through to 100 pages, but I just can't go on. For all its braininess, this book feels very juvenile to me, except that girls in most middle grade books are rarely this boy-crazy--and few of them have so little else going on their lives.
Here are some things that make it feel very young to me:
--the story seems to be centered around a "caper" in which Frankie tries to infiltrate a secret boys club --three boys who don't recognize Frankie after her body develops (or pretend not to, anyway) --a full page about boogers --occasional overuse of exclamation points --and above all else, the writing style
Written in the third person with an occasional interruption by some unknown narrator, it's all done in arch prose that strives very hard to be humorous and clever without being very smart. Or deep. Or interesting. At least to me, because this book certainly has its share of fans.
I'll leave you with just one paragraph so you can decide whether this writing floats your boat and if you want to read any further:
Most young women, when confronted with the peculiarly male nature of certain social events--usually those incorporating beer or other substances guaranteed to kill off brain cells, and often involving either the freezing-cold outdoors or the near-suffocating heat of a filthy dorm room, but which can also, in more intellectual circles, include the watching of boring Russian films--will react in one of three ways.
Honestly, the whole premise of this felt like a brain candy book disguised as something much more smart or meaningful. Boys aren't paying attention to you? Who cares? Not me.
Wendy Darling
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