laurahorn's review against another edition
3.0
I would say it's more a 3.5 star rating. I received this book through Follett as an advance book. I'm a K-12 librarian and am always looking for books to add to our collections.
First, I will not be putting this in our middle school. With the drug references, domestic violence and sexual elements, I don't feel like this would be appropriate for middle school students. Plus, the characters are older.
It wasn't my favorite book, but I could see a high school student who is interested in fashion liking this book. The two main characters - who are both alternating narrators through journal entries - are realistic in that they make mistakes and aren't perfect. That being said, I didn't like either of them most of the time.
John. Cons. 1. He lied about his abilities to get a chance at a scholarship that was in an area (fashion design) that he didn't care about and had no ability in (somewhat). 2. Yes, he designed the dress, but he had someone else - one of the "helpers" from the school - do the dress for him (cheating, anyone?) 3. Speaking of cheating, he ends up falling into bed with the girl who is creating the dress for him, even though he has a very nice girlfriend. And did anyone else feel like a lot was skipped when all of a sudden he mentioned sleeping with her?! Pros. 1. I loved how he was with Esther. He treated her with respect and really tried to make her feel special. ... yeah, that might be it. I will say he seemed to learn his lesson in the end.
Charlie. Cons. 1. The use of French was ANNOYING. 2. The switching between first and third person was ANNOYING. (Ok those two are writing style, not character issues). Pros. 1. She grew up fast and had a great work ethic (although I did question how in the hell her father was able to keep custody of her). 2. She made mistakes, but she took the consequences.
I felt Charlie's story was much stronger than John's. With both I did find myself thinking "Why don't you just develop a kick-ass portfolio for art school?" (Especially John).
Overall, this was not what I was expecting when I started reading the book. I didn't love it, but I do think some teenagers would.
First, I will not be putting this in our middle school. With the drug references, domestic violence and sexual elements, I don't feel like this would be appropriate for middle school students. Plus, the characters are older.
It wasn't my favorite book, but I could see a high school student who is interested in fashion liking this book. The two main characters - who are both alternating narrators through journal entries - are realistic in that they make mistakes and aren't perfect. That being said, I didn't like either of them most of the time.
John. Cons. 1. He lied about his abilities to get a chance at a scholarship that was in an area (fashion design) that he didn't care about and had no ability in (somewhat). 2. Yes, he designed the dress, but he had someone else - one of the "helpers" from the school - do the dress for him (cheating, anyone?) 3. Speaking of cheating, he ends up falling into bed with the girl who is creating the dress for him, even though he has a very nice girlfriend. And did anyone else feel like a lot was skipped when all of a sudden he mentioned sleeping with her?! Pros. 1. I loved how he was with Esther. He treated her with respect and really tried to make her feel special. ... yeah, that might be it. I will say he seemed to learn his lesson in the end.
Charlie. Cons. 1. The use of French was ANNOYING. 2. The switching between first and third person was ANNOYING. (Ok those two are writing style, not character issues). Pros. 1. She grew up fast and had a great work ethic (although I did question how in the hell her father was able to keep custody of her). 2. She made mistakes, but she took the consequences.
I felt Charlie's story was much stronger than John's. With both I did find myself thinking "Why don't you just develop a kick-ass portfolio for art school?" (Especially John).
Overall, this was not what I was expecting when I started reading the book. I didn't love it, but I do think some teenagers would.
stenaros's review against another edition
4.0
One of the reasons I don't love duel-narrator novels is that most of them don't have distinctly different voices. Not so here, where we have exuberant fashion lover Charlie Dean and reluctant fashion participant John Thomas-Smith.
This amusing novel about a scholarship contest was a delight at every turn. If only the title reflected the novel's brilliance. But also: there are illustrations! I'd love to enter a period we we get illustrations in books again. They'd be good for both YA and grownup novels.
This amusing novel about a scholarship contest was a delight at every turn. If only the title reflected the novel's brilliance. But also: there are illustrations! I'd love to enter a period we we get illustrations in books again. They'd be good for both YA and grownup novels.
quietjenn's review against another edition
4.0
I love this. I love these kids. I love that Susan Juby creates characters who are real and complex. I tried to write more, but it was pretty gushy, so I'll stop, but. SO GOOD.
anikajewel's review against another edition
3.0
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and when I received it in the mail I was absolutely ecstatic to begin reading it! Besides reading, one of my main loves is fashion, so when I read the blurb for this book I knew that this book was meant for me.
The book is written in a journal format and switches between the POVs of fashion lover Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith who loves welding. They both are competing in a fashion competition to get into a super prestigious expensive art school. They were both alright characters, but there was nothing special about them to me. Charlie got on my nerves a little and John ended up being kinda a jerk in my opinion. If I can't connect fully to characters I usually don't like a book as much.
The other problem I had with the book was the lack of fashion. The whole book was practically about fashion and yet the author only gave descriptions of clothing with a couple of fashion illustrations at the end when this book would've been great had it been filled with multiple fashion illustrations. In a book like this I would rather see the fashion rather than just read about it.
Other than the characters this was an alright book and I am glad I read it!
The book is written in a journal format and switches between the POVs of fashion lover Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith who loves welding. They both are competing in a fashion competition to get into a super prestigious expensive art school. They were both alright characters, but there was nothing special about them to me. Charlie got on my nerves a little and John ended up being kinda a jerk in my opinion. If I can't connect fully to characters I usually don't like a book as much.
The other problem I had with the book was the lack of fashion. The whole book was practically about fashion and yet the author only gave descriptions of clothing with a couple of fashion illustrations at the end when this book would've been great had it been filled with multiple fashion illustrations. In a book like this I would rather see the fashion rather than just read about it.
Other than the characters this was an alright book and I am glad I read it!
unusualsnowunicorn's review against another edition
3.0
To start with, I was lucky enough to receive this book as a goodreads giveaway. The story is actually quite good, and improves as it goes along, and if you know any French at all improves the enjoyment you can receive from the book. The two characters are more similar in the beginning, and Susan Juby tend's to use too many exclamation marks within the first couple chapters for both Charlie's and John's point of view.
I had a problem with understanding the setting of the story, as I could not see a school that could not support even an art class (something required at the high school I had attended) having enough people to create a fashion club.
The last problem I had was very nick-picky, as it bothered me they used the American English instead of Canadian English on a story written and based in Canada (example: they use color instead of colour).
I had a problem with understanding the setting of the story, as I could not see a school that could not support even an art class (something required at the high school I had attended) having enough people to create a fashion club.
The last problem I had was very nick-picky, as it bothered me they used the American English instead of Canadian English on a story written and based in Canada (example: they use color instead of colour).
libscote's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoy stories with alternating perspectives, so this one from the view of Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith worked for me in that regard. This is a book about teens trying to escape to a better high school, one that focuses on the arts but is uber-expensive. Charlie Dean is obsessed with fashion and determined to get in, with a Pollyanna-ish attitude about life. John would rather work with metal, but he's determined to get into this school, so how hard could fashion be? Both learn about themselves in the process, and do some growing up. The ending is slightly hopeful, but realistic.
emordnilap's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
the way the gay romance is so subtle and like not a big deal i really liked
re-read!!
also i like truth commission more
re-read!!
also i like truth commission more
mimela78's review against another edition
5.0
Do you like stories told in diary form? If so, this is the book for you. Two students Charlie Dean and John Thomas-Smith (JTS) take turns detailing their lives in diary entries. Each chapter switches from fashion obsessed Charlie Dean and JTS a struggling metal artist. Both are students at a local high school in Canada. Each year in their town the small private art school sponsors a scholarship for emerging talent in a different field of arts for students entering their Sophomore thru Senior year of high school. This year’s competition is a Fashion Show with a scholarship to the fashion school. Charlie Dean feels like its an answer to her prayers when she spies the flyer in the guidance counselor’s office. JTS sees the flyer when he’s in Career Trajectories with Charlie Dean and decides to apply because its his last year to be eligible. Their diary entries chronicle their design process, the struggle to find a model, and the activities that are occurring in their everyday lives. While on the surface it seems like a fluffy piece of fiction one of the students lives with their father who has just recently come out of rehab for the umpteenth time and looks at the struggle to maintain a normal life while living with a recovering addict. The other student lives with their grandparents as their mom travels for work and their father has never been an active part of their lives. The diary entries also introduce several of the other students in the competition from the point of view of the person writing the diary. The prose is very deft, and the main characters have very distinctive voices making the read very enjoyable. The sensitive topics addressed are handled in a way that gives hope that there is something better on the other side and can provide a sense of hope to someone living a similar situation.