From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–Though Lauren never knew her mother, Paula, she is haunted by the story of the rising model who died so young in prison. When she is scouted by a London modeling agency, Lauren sees an opportunity to understand a part of her mothers promiscuous life that led to violence and abuse, and she is surprised to learn that her guardian, Nessa, is supportive, if cautious, of Laurens interest. Her newfound recognition, though, brings them to the attention of a person from Paulas past who is a danger to them both. Alternating chapters tell the stories of 15-year-old Lauren and of Nessa 16 years earlier. As both stories develop, readers learn more and more about how Nessa came to raise Paulas daughter, and how the choices that she made as a teenager shaped both her life and Laurens. Though this is a suspense story, and a good one, Nessa and Laurens relationship is what really makes it stand out. Young adult novels seldom let readers see how their teenage protagonists turn out. Seeing the adult Nessa through Laurens eyes, however, allows them to do so in a unique way that will be appealing to teens.
–Stephanie L. Petruso, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Odenton, MD Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 9-12. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Bogle has just been discovered by the RAIN modeling agency, and she can't understand why Vanessa, her guardian and her mother's best friend, is so worried about following up on possible leads. She knows that her mother was once a model before her imprisonment and death, but she still can't fully understand Nessa's uneasiness; Lauren feels savvy and smart and ready to face the modeling world. Told alternately from Lauren's and Nessa's perspectives, the sordid, sad story of Lauren's mother, Paula; her gradual descent into drugs and high-class prostitution; and Lauren's potential parallel path is revealed. The violence and sex are veiled yet always present, and they run as an undercurrent to Lauren's stable, contemporary life. The intriguing modeling world remains an enigma, and readers will be aware that they know little more about the inner workings of the modeling trade at the story's end. But the allusions to a world that's never fully spotlighted creates a tension that adds to the story's suspense and continues to the satisfying conclusion.
Frances BradburnCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
