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flaire's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
alizalondon's review against another edition
2.0
Cute enough, and I did enjoy one side of the dual perspective. Other than that, it was just a tad too shallow to make s lasting impression.
emjay2021's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this. I had all kinds of preconceived notions of what it would be about and how it would go, and almost all of them were upended. Of the two narrators, Charlie was my favourite by a mile—she stole my heart and broke it too. This is so much like the author’s previous book, [b:The Woefield Poultry Collective|10366979|The Woefield Poultry Collective|Susan Juby|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333418645l/10366979._SX50_.jpg|13626687], in that it’s quirky and funny, but actually about some pretty serious, dark stuff like addiction and domestic abuse/stalking. Don’t let that scare you off, though; it’s beautifully balanced and will leave you feeling uplifted but not in an unrealistic way. If you like good YA dramedy you will like this.
molly_dettmann's review against another edition
2.0
2.5. This book started off wonky with a very pretentious protagonist, Charlie, and an equally unlikeable boy, John, both trying to win a fashion competition for a scholarship to a super fancy art school for their senior year. The story is told through alternating POV diary entries. The plot got a little better towards the middle and I did like all the fashion, but John was a miserable character and Charlie never completely won me over. Her backstory was interesting, but her random French and third-person way of narrating her side of the novel was barely tolerable. Overall it would be an okay recommendation for teens interested in fashion, but not sure who else I could sell this one to.
sita28's review against another edition
4.0
John i'm mad at you yk, charlie darling you represent me. Fashion above everything.
bizzybee429's review against another edition
It took me a whole thirty minutes of reading this book to know it wasn't for me.
John fell into the angsty teen male trope I avidly hate and I'm not interested in a book that is narrated (albeit only half-narrated) by a character that so flippantly talks about self-harm and eating disorders. It's a book I may have liked when I was twelve but that was over five years ago and I have different tastes and standards now.
Also, no high school junior talks like Charlie talks. The writing felt like a yappy chihuahua.
John fell into the angsty teen male trope I avidly hate and I'm not interested in a book that is narrated (albeit only half-narrated) by a character that so flippantly talks about self-harm and eating disorders. It's a book I may have liked when I was twelve but that was over five years ago and I have different tastes and standards now.
Also, no high school junior talks like Charlie talks. The writing felt like a yappy chihuahua.
onsn's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so aesthetically pleasing. It had my yearning to be a fashion designer again like I was as a kid and I loved it for that.
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
"Find something that makes your heart sing and your brain expand, and let it carry you past all the ugliness and low spots."
--
"Measuring someone is borderline invasive. You have to touch them and record their physical presence in the world. It's a pretty specific way to understand someone."
Charlie Dean lives and breathes fashion and she strives for style in all things. John Thomas-Smith is a metal sculptor and he could not care less about clothes. They have one thing in common: they desperately want the chance to attend the Green Pastures Academy of Art and Applied Design on full scholarship.
When Green Pastures announces that this year's scholarship will be awarded to a fashion design student, Charlie thinks the stars have finally aligned to make her dreams come true. John, meanwhile, is disappointed that the scholarship isn't for metalwork but he also knows that fashion is a joke. How hard can faking his way into the competition really be?
Charlie and John have nothing in common except for art and ambition. They are both determined to win and they won't let anything stand in their way. Not a soul-killing job at Salad Stop or an unsympathetic girlfriend. Not a dad's girlfriend's drug-addicted ex-boyfriend. And definitely not a very minor case of kidnapping.
Two very different artists. One life changing competition. And only one winner in The Fashion Committee (2017) by Susan Juby.
Although set in the same world as The Truth Commission, Juby's latest novel is a standalone contemporary with an entirely new cast of characters (and illustrations by Soleil Ignacio).
This epistolary novel features alternating chapters from Charlie and John's fashion journals written over the course of the competition. Charlie's sections each start with one of her signature bright ideas ("Dress for the life you want!") while John's sections finish with quotes from the fashion industry and his own scathing indictments. Although Charlie and John often share physical space, their narratives have little overlap as the plot focuses on their own paths through the competition from developing their concepts and designing their garments to the final fashion show.
Juby introduces two very different characters in The Fashion Committee. Charlie Dean has been curating and shaping her own persona from a very young age. She values fashion above most else and she believes in deliberate sartorial choices to create a facade to present to the world. Charlie uses that facade to offset some of the things she'd prefer to forget like her father's struggle with drug addiction. John, meanwhile, considers himself a straight shooter with a hard knock upbringing. He is very aware of the privileges of those around him (especially those attending Green Pastures) but turns a blind eye to his own good fortune being raised by two loving and conscientious grandparents. Despite their differing opinions of fashion (and almost everything else), Charlie and John's journeys mirror each other well with a variety of ups, downs, and even a littler romance for both protagonists.
Charlie and John both have to deal with some stereotypes and preconceptions about themselves and, through meeting the unique group of students competing in the fashion show, they also learn to acknowledge their own biases. Does everything go perfectly in The Fashion Committee? No. Not even with Charlie's efforts to impose beauty and positivity on the world through sheer force of will or John's deliberate choice to always expect the worst.
The Fashion Committee is a thoughtful novel about fashion, privilege, and perspective where Charlie and John learn to appreciate what they have and also strive to get what they deserve. A must-read for fashionistas of all levels of expertise and anyone who seeking a book that will leave them laughing. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer, Don't You Trust Me? by Patrice Kindl, Black Friday: The Collapse of the American Shopping Mall by Seph Lawless, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 1 by Hope Nicholson (editor), Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith, D. V. by Diana Vreeland
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
--
"Measuring someone is borderline invasive. You have to touch them and record their physical presence in the world. It's a pretty specific way to understand someone."
Charlie Dean lives and breathes fashion and she strives for style in all things. John Thomas-Smith is a metal sculptor and he could not care less about clothes. They have one thing in common: they desperately want the chance to attend the Green Pastures Academy of Art and Applied Design on full scholarship.
When Green Pastures announces that this year's scholarship will be awarded to a fashion design student, Charlie thinks the stars have finally aligned to make her dreams come true. John, meanwhile, is disappointed that the scholarship isn't for metalwork but he also knows that fashion is a joke. How hard can faking his way into the competition really be?
Charlie and John have nothing in common except for art and ambition. They are both determined to win and they won't let anything stand in their way. Not a soul-killing job at Salad Stop or an unsympathetic girlfriend. Not a dad's girlfriend's drug-addicted ex-boyfriend. And definitely not a very minor case of kidnapping.
Two very different artists. One life changing competition. And only one winner in The Fashion Committee (2017) by Susan Juby.
Although set in the same world as The Truth Commission, Juby's latest novel is a standalone contemporary with an entirely new cast of characters (and illustrations by Soleil Ignacio).
This epistolary novel features alternating chapters from Charlie and John's fashion journals written over the course of the competition. Charlie's sections each start with one of her signature bright ideas ("Dress for the life you want!") while John's sections finish with quotes from the fashion industry and his own scathing indictments. Although Charlie and John often share physical space, their narratives have little overlap as the plot focuses on their own paths through the competition from developing their concepts and designing their garments to the final fashion show.
Juby introduces two very different characters in The Fashion Committee. Charlie Dean has been curating and shaping her own persona from a very young age. She values fashion above most else and she believes in deliberate sartorial choices to create a facade to present to the world. Charlie uses that facade to offset some of the things she'd prefer to forget like her father's struggle with drug addiction. John, meanwhile, considers himself a straight shooter with a hard knock upbringing. He is very aware of the privileges of those around him (especially those attending Green Pastures) but turns a blind eye to his own good fortune being raised by two loving and conscientious grandparents. Despite their differing opinions of fashion (and almost everything else), Charlie and John's journeys mirror each other well with a variety of ups, downs, and even a littler romance for both protagonists.
Charlie and John both have to deal with some stereotypes and preconceptions about themselves and, through meeting the unique group of students competing in the fashion show, they also learn to acknowledge their own biases. Does everything go perfectly in The Fashion Committee? No. Not even with Charlie's efforts to impose beauty and positivity on the world through sheer force of will or John's deliberate choice to always expect the worst.
The Fashion Committee is a thoughtful novel about fashion, privilege, and perspective where Charlie and John learn to appreciate what they have and also strive to get what they deserve. A must-read for fashionistas of all levels of expertise and anyone who seeking a book that will leave them laughing. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer, Don't You Trust Me? by Patrice Kindl, Black Friday: The Collapse of the American Shopping Mall by Seph Lawless, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 1 by Hope Nicholson (editor), Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith, D. V. by Diana Vreeland
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
michelle_pink_polka_dot's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars. This was a bright shining star of a surprise!! I wasn't expecting to love it so much, but the characters in this book crawled into my heart.
This book took me by complete surprise!! I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into it, but it became this fun, entertaining, happy little daffodil of a book for me.
First, we have Charlie Dean. She's--- well, she's odd and driven and lives for fashion. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure I was going to like Charlie and I kind of understood why she didn't have many (or any) friends. But after a while, her quirks and optimism grew on me. Also, she's brutally honest and it's hard for me to fault someone for that kind of honesty.
I really liked Charlie's backstory and her relationship with her addict father. She wasn't angry at him like a lot of kids would be in that situation. She had clarity and vision that was beyond her years, and I think that's when I really started rooting for her.
Next, there was John-- he was flawed for sure. He's not into fashion, but wants to go to Green Pastures Art School for metal work. I liked him despite his negativity and weaknesses. I didn't always agree with his actions, but he had redeemable qualities that made up for them.
What I wanted more of: FASHION. So yes, this is a book about a fashion show, and we DO get descriptions of what goes down the runway-- but I wanted outfits throughout. There is some description of Charlie Dean's suits that she always wore, but after a while I got bored with those. If she's so fashionable, why is she always wearing the same thing?
The ending also didn't blow me away. This book felt a little like a Cinderella story and I didn't get my fairy tale ending.
OVERALL: The perfect book for a Project Runway junkie like myself. It's the story of teens competing for a fashion school scholarship and what they're willing to do to win. It somehow took 2 unlikable characters and made them people you want to succeed. Definitely recommend!
My Blog:
This book took me by complete surprise!! I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into it, but it became this fun, entertaining, happy little daffodil of a book for me.
First, we have Charlie Dean. She's--- well, she's odd and driven and lives for fashion. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure I was going to like Charlie and I kind of understood why she didn't have many (or any) friends. But after a while, her quirks and optimism grew on me. Also, she's brutally honest and it's hard for me to fault someone for that kind of honesty.
I really liked Charlie's backstory and her relationship with her addict father. She wasn't angry at him like a lot of kids would be in that situation. She had clarity and vision that was beyond her years, and I think that's when I really started rooting for her.
Next, there was John-- he was flawed for sure. He's not into fashion, but wants to go to Green Pastures Art School for metal work. I liked him despite his negativity and weaknesses. I didn't always agree with his actions, but he had redeemable qualities that made up for them.
What I wanted more of: FASHION. So yes, this is a book about a fashion show, and we DO get descriptions of what goes down the runway-- but I wanted outfits throughout. There is some description of Charlie Dean's suits that she always wore, but after a while I got bored with those. If she's so fashionable, why is she always wearing the same thing?
The ending also didn't blow me away. This book felt a little like a Cinderella story and I didn't get my fairy tale ending.
OVERALL: The perfect book for a Project Runway junkie like myself. It's the story of teens competing for a fashion school scholarship and what they're willing to do to win. It somehow took 2 unlikable characters and made them people you want to succeed. Definitely recommend!
My Blog:
herlifewithbooks's review against another edition
Alert! Super-fun realistic YA! Teens with authentic, passionate hobbies! A delightful lack of a driving romantic plot line! Alert alert!