Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this book covers some questionable medical procedures and discusses the question of when life actually ends. A teenager is thrust into a very adult world where there's little supervision, but plenty of money to purchase high-end goods. This is handled better than in many other teen books with a fashion focus.
Families can talk about what it would be like to live another person's life. What do you think would be easy? What would be hard? Also, what do you think of the medical procedures Emerson endures? Are they ethical?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Terreece Clarke
Meg Cabot, Princess Diaries author, brings teen readers yet another makeover story -- but here the fantasy twist is that a regular girl gets a model's life after an accident and some much more invasive procedures. It's a fun ride, made more entertaining by the model-in-the-making herself. Emerson Watts is witty, sensitive, and slightly offbeat -- and her humorous take on her new life keeps the usual fashion and high school cattiness and snobbery in check.
The downside of this teen fantasy is the stretch the author asks the readers to make -- the kind you would usually only make for mad-scientist horror movies. Adding a slight edge is an underlying mystery that feels just sinister enough to keep it from dissolving into a Scooby-Doo caper. A few intriguing loose ends set readers up for more in the series.
From The Book
To most people, zombies are the undead. But to Christopher and me, zombies are the popular people at TAHS, who are very similar to the undead, in that they have no soul or personality. But they are, technically, alive.
However, because they have no actual interests of their own (or if they do, they squelch them in order to fit in), and merely pursue those that they think will look best on their college apps, they're zombies.
Ergo, the Walking Dead are what make up the majority of the student population of Tribeca Alternative High School.
It was kind of frightening to watch your own sister turn into one of the Walking Dead. But unfortunately, there really isn't anything you can do to stop it from happening. Except try to embarrass her as much as possible in public.
Plot Summary:
Emerson Watts is trying to get her best friend Christopher to realize she's actually a girl, keep her little sister from becoming a clone of the popular kids, and maybe, just maybe, survive high school. When her mom makes her supervise her little sister's trip to the mega music store, an accident changes her forever -- into someone totally different and someone her best friend and the world will definitely notice.
Related Books:
More Cabot Books:
How to Be Popular
Jinx
All -American Girl
More Teens Tackle Body Image:
All About Vee by C. Leigh Purtill
The Fold by An Na
Pretty Face by Mary Hogan
Fix by Leslie Margolis
Reviewed: 06/16/2008
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentThere are crushes, kisses, and a girl describes her body wanting to do more than kiss. |
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ViolenceA girl is injured in an accident. There's talk of what is technically alive and legally dead. |
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Language"Bitch," "slut," "loser," and other slightly saucy teen language is used. |
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Social BehaviorA teen searches for her true identity and worth in a world that emphasizes looks -- more specifically, the fashion world and high school. While there are some issues of questionable judgment and medical ethics, the author handles them well. |
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CommercialismPart of the novel takes place in the fashion world, so naturally there are plenty of labels and brands: Marc Jacobs, Vespa, Google, Doritos, Sports Illustrated, Sketchers, Victoria's Secret, etc. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoA teen disguises her drink to look alcoholic when it isn't; other teens are let into a club even though they're underage. One is described as being drunk. |
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