Poseur by Rachel Maude
Publication: Poppy (2008), Paperback, 304 pages / ISBN 0316065838
Genre: Chick lit, Teen
Rating: 4.75/5
Find @ Amazon
First sentence: It was still there when she woke up, hanging neatly on the back of her closet door.
The cover! Is so bright! And that, my dears, is why I initially picked this book up– not because the outfits were, um, good. (I also tend to pick up anything shiny.) After admiring the colors on the front, I checked the inside and then decided to get it, even though it was a little more expensive than what I normally buy. I was so happy that it turned out to be good!
Summary from Amazon:
Charlotte Beverwil, Janie Farrish, Melissa Moon, and Petra Greene attend exclusive Winston Prep in the Hollywood Hills. And that’s all they have in common. But hang out together? They’d rather be hanged. Borrow one another’s clothes? They’d sooner borrow a zit. So when these four sophomores are forced into a class to create their own fashion label, they Clash with a capital C. Janie thinks Melissa and Charlotte are Beverly Hills brats. They dismiss Janie as a Valley rat in sheep’s clothing. And Petra, well . . . Petra couldn’t care less. Can a cool coquette, a shy punk, a hippie goddess, and a ghettoglam egomaniac make beautiful couture together? At Winston Prep, survival of the fittest comes down to who fits in-and what fits.
In a lot of ways, Poseur is like a more light-hearted Gossip Girl. I’ve only read about 12 pages of Gossip Girl, but from my impression of it, it seems kind of like a teen soap opera with fabulous clothes? Poseur is more like a sitcom (but still with fabulous clothes). The emphasis is partly on fashion, but it’s also on the four main characters themselves and their adjustments to being in a new social group. At the beginning of each chapter is a rundown of what the POV character is wearing, and yes, I did feel smart when I recognized brand names! There’s also sketches, the typical rundown of what kind of cliches the school is divided up into, plus the solitary gay character with a penchant for wearing gold bikinis and headbands (can we have a gay character who loves fashion but ISN’T a walking stereotype? Please.).
And humor? Oh yeah, there’s lots of it. One of the character’s father is called “Seedy Moon,” a rap artist who put out a Christmas album titled “Roasting Chestnuts and I Open Fire.” Oh yeah, I lol’d. And there’s lots more where that came from!
There’s some serious issues in the story, of course, including drug use (although it’s only pot) and mentally unstable parents, but since it’s a chick lit book it doesn’t get too deep into the angst. I appreciated that, since I abhor angst in my books.
As this is the first book of a series, it mostly spends time getting us used to the characters and their quirks, plus setting up the bases for the next book(s). A lot is left unresolved, including the boy issues, but I have no doubt that’ll get worked out in subsequent books. It didn’t even really bother me that so much was left untied because I enjoyed the book so much.
My solution to any over-the-top ridiculousness? Lol, baby, lol. Then drink some more coffee, be careful not to snort any accidentally, and enjoy. It’s crack, and I love it!
Other reviews: 3 Evil Cousins | Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf | Y.A. New York
Loading ...
