A review by chrissymcbooknerd
Fix by Leslie Margolis
4.0
I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed FIX by Leslie Margolis -- not necessarily because I was expecting it to be bad, but because I expected it to be shallow -- or maybe even a bit preachy in a teenage fable type story. But, I was pleasantly pleased by how fun and realistic it felt to see the story from both sides -- that of Cameron, the beautiful blonde sister who was extremely pro-plastic surgery throughout the tale, and that of sporty girl Allie, who took the position that plastic was less purposeful and necessary to her life...
But let me back up a bit and start with the plot. Cameron is your typical prom-queen high school socialite -- except, that is for one fact. Cameron was once considered an "ugly" girl .. back in the days before she had the plastic surgery that drastically altered her appearance and seemingly enhanced her life in ways that she would have never imagined. After changing schools near the start of her high school experience, Cameron was able to reinvent herself as a popular girl, befriended by the prettiest girls in school and admired by the hottest guys in her classes. Nothing could be better, right?
Except, Cameron will be going to college soon -- and the school of her choice is known for churning out students with perfect Barbie bodies. Cameron knows that she has a gorgeous face -- but what about her stick-thin figure that seemingly obviously lacks the curves that are called beautiful by the world? She's already gone under the knife once -- what's one more time?
On the flipside, her sister Allie has been scheduled by her mom, a former model and actress, to undergo the same nose job that catapulted her big sister into high school bliss. Sure, Allie is teased for her large, semi-crooked nose, but if she has this surgery she will miss out on the chance to make Varsity this year. Allie watches her sister become more and more obsessed with her quest for perfection and begins wondering if this surgery will really make her life better -- or is she trying too hard to fix something that's really not broken in the first place?
Sure, the characters here may seem overly stereotypical -- but at the same time, the girls did feel incredibly familiar. I mean, stereotypes aren't entirely grounded in fantasy, right? In fact, I have a friend who is so eerily similar to Cameron that I could swear she was the inspiration for the characters-- so while yes, they do seem a bit cliche at points in the story, they still remain interesting and relatable to the reader throughout the novel.
I think what I enjoyed most about the story, besides the alternating viewpoints between the sisters, was the way that each side was presented fairly and delicately without the author seeming to push one side or the other at the reader. While we can certainly understand Allie's position that plastic surgery may be frivilous and purposeless in the grander scheme of things, we can also understand Cameron's assertion that a person may be intelligent and complex while also making a choice to surgically alter onself to create a greater confidence or peace of mind. Of course, it's inevitable that the reader will take a position in the story, but it's not one that feels forced down their throats by the author.
For the same reason, I probably would not give FIX to a younger, more impressionable teen girl who might feel compelled use one position or the other to justify impulsive decisions. But, for the typical teen crowd, I think this is a decent pick for an interesting, contemporary novel.
So overall, I did geniunely enjoy FIX by Leslie Margolis. I always enjoy a good teen novel that takes a stab at social issues that impact young people, and I definitely don't think one will disappoint like minded readers at all.
But let me back up a bit and start with the plot. Cameron is your typical prom-queen high school socialite -- except, that is for one fact. Cameron was once considered an "ugly" girl .. back in the days before she had the plastic surgery that drastically altered her appearance and seemingly enhanced her life in ways that she would have never imagined. After changing schools near the start of her high school experience, Cameron was able to reinvent herself as a popular girl, befriended by the prettiest girls in school and admired by the hottest guys in her classes. Nothing could be better, right?
Except, Cameron will be going to college soon -- and the school of her choice is known for churning out students with perfect Barbie bodies. Cameron knows that she has a gorgeous face -- but what about her stick-thin figure that seemingly obviously lacks the curves that are called beautiful by the world? She's already gone under the knife once -- what's one more time?
On the flipside, her sister Allie has been scheduled by her mom, a former model and actress, to undergo the same nose job that catapulted her big sister into high school bliss. Sure, Allie is teased for her large, semi-crooked nose, but if she has this surgery she will miss out on the chance to make Varsity this year. Allie watches her sister become more and more obsessed with her quest for perfection and begins wondering if this surgery will really make her life better -- or is she trying too hard to fix something that's really not broken in the first place?
Sure, the characters here may seem overly stereotypical -- but at the same time, the girls did feel incredibly familiar. I mean, stereotypes aren't entirely grounded in fantasy, right? In fact, I have a friend who is so eerily similar to Cameron that I could swear she was the inspiration for the characters-- so while yes, they do seem a bit cliche at points in the story, they still remain interesting and relatable to the reader throughout the novel.
I think what I enjoyed most about the story, besides the alternating viewpoints between the sisters, was the way that each side was presented fairly and delicately without the author seeming to push one side or the other at the reader. While we can certainly understand Allie's position that plastic surgery may be frivilous and purposeless in the grander scheme of things, we can also understand Cameron's assertion that a person may be intelligent and complex while also making a choice to surgically alter onself to create a greater confidence or peace of mind. Of course, it's inevitable that the reader will take a position in the story, but it's not one that feels forced down their throats by the author.
For the same reason, I probably would not give FIX to a younger, more impressionable teen girl who might feel compelled use one position or the other to justify impulsive decisions. But, for the typical teen crowd, I think this is a decent pick for an interesting, contemporary novel.
So overall, I did geniunely enjoy FIX by Leslie Margolis. I always enjoy a good teen novel that takes a stab at social issues that impact young people, and I definitely don't think one will disappoint like minded readers at all.