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emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meet Harriet Manners, a 15-year-old girl who knows the definition of the word ‘geek’ by heart, and finds facts about Russian history much more interesting than fashion. Ironic, considering she ends up being discovered by a high-profile modelling agency during a school trip.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book, the plot moved at a brisk pace and didn’t linger unnecessarily, so it was easy to fly through a decent chunk of the book at a time. Smale’s writing style is very clear and easy to read, but still detailed, and did a wonderful job of seamlessly immersing you into the world and mindset of Harriet Manners.
Unfortunately I found the majority of the chapters to be too short. The scene would just start to develop for me, only to end abruptly and I’d struggle to stay engaged with the story each time a chapter closed, and a new one opened.
Our dear protagonist Harriet is a very relatable, empathetic character, and a very realistic teenager, which is quite rare when it comes to YA protagonists in my opinion. Her internal monologues and informative rambles took me back to when I was a teenager and also felt like an outcast amongst my peers. Holly Smale did a wonderful job of portraying Harriet’s teenage voice and mindset which was simultaneously humorous but casual, a true likeness to how a teenage girl might write this story if they were in Harriet’s position.
Harriet gradually developing confidence in herself was heartwarming to read - the realisation that she can enjoy modelling while staying true to herself and proudly embracing her geeky personality and interests. However, there were many times I found Harriet to be lacklustre in terms of personality, though this may be because I read this as an adult and many of Harriet’s existential anxieties seem trivial as an adult.
Richard Manners plays the typical dad role, bringing in the necessary comedic relief with his childish but loving persona, and I loved how encouraging he was about his daughter’s dreams. Enter Annabel, the supportive but pragmatic stepmother to Harriet. Despite her strict, slightly overbearing demeanour, she loves Harriet with her whole heart and only wants her daughter to be happy. Then there’s Nat, Harriet’s best friend (and only friend, it seems), who has always dreamt of being a model. Due to the lack of Nat moments in the book, I do not have much of an opinion about her, which was disappointing.
I loved Harriet and Nick’s interactions, though I would have enjoyed a few more sprinkled throughout the book, and I found their budding romance refreshing. These two youngsters act their age, and despite experiencing her first serious crush (who just happens to be a charismatic model beloved by every teenager with a pulse), Harriet doesn’t spend the entirety of the book daydreaming about this boy she’s only met a handful of times. This book provides a good assortment of various characters - most lovable in their own way, while still being very believable and realistic.
Moving onto my one and only major grievance about this book - the “friendly” neighbourhood stalker, Toby. I’m sorry to any Toby lovers out there, but his character just made me flat out uncomfortable. Even though he’s deemed harmless by each parental figure in this story, his behaviour would’ve disturbed me as a teenager and it disturbs me as an adult.
While there were some predictable twists and turns, I would recommend that any young person struggling to find their position on the proverbial high school food chain read this book. Overall, this was a sweet, enjoyable read that made me cackle many times, and I loved all the important teachings that I think every young adult would benefit from hearing.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book, the plot moved at a brisk pace and didn’t linger unnecessarily, so it was easy to fly through a decent chunk of the book at a time. Smale’s writing style is very clear and easy to read, but still detailed, and did a wonderful job of seamlessly immersing you into the world and mindset of Harriet Manners.
Unfortunately I found the majority of the chapters to be too short. The scene would just start to develop for me, only to end abruptly and I’d struggle to stay engaged with the story each time a chapter closed, and a new one opened.
Our dear protagonist Harriet is a very relatable, empathetic character, and a very realistic teenager, which is quite rare when it comes to YA protagonists in my opinion. Her internal monologues and informative rambles took me back to when I was a teenager and also felt like an outcast amongst my peers. Holly Smale did a wonderful job of portraying Harriet’s teenage voice and mindset which was simultaneously humorous but casual, a true likeness to how a teenage girl might write this story if they were in Harriet’s position.
Harriet gradually developing confidence in herself was heartwarming to read - the realisation that she can enjoy modelling while staying true to herself and proudly embracing her geeky personality and interests. However, there were many times I found Harriet to be lacklustre in terms of personality, though this may be because I read this as an adult and many of Harriet’s existential anxieties seem trivial as an adult.
Richard Manners plays the typical dad role, bringing in the necessary comedic relief with his childish but loving persona, and I loved how encouraging he was about his daughter’s dreams. Enter Annabel, the supportive but pragmatic stepmother to Harriet. Despite her strict, slightly overbearing demeanour, she loves Harriet with her whole heart and only wants her daughter to be happy. Then there’s Nat, Harriet’s best friend (and only friend, it seems), who has always dreamt of being a model. Due to the lack of Nat moments in the book, I do not have much of an opinion about her, which was disappointing.
I loved Harriet and Nick’s interactions, though I would have enjoyed a few more sprinkled throughout the book, and I found their budding romance refreshing. These two youngsters act their age, and despite experiencing her first serious crush (who just happens to be a charismatic model beloved by every teenager with a pulse), Harriet doesn’t spend the entirety of the book daydreaming about this boy she’s only met a handful of times. This book provides a good assortment of various characters - most lovable in their own way, while still being very believable and realistic.
Moving onto my one and only major grievance about this book - the “friendly” neighbourhood stalker, Toby. I’m sorry to any Toby lovers out there, but his character just made me flat out uncomfortable. Even though he’s deemed harmless by each parental figure in this story, his behaviour would’ve disturbed me as a teenager and it disturbs me as an adult.
While there were some predictable twists and turns, I would recommend that any young person struggling to find their position on the proverbial high school food chain read this book. Overall, this was a sweet, enjoyable read that made me cackle many times, and I loved all the important teachings that I think every young adult would benefit from hearing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking
Minor: Fatphobia, Vomit, Death of parent
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven’t reread this book in years but I’m glad I still like it a lot and it’s still funny 😌
Harriet has a lot of growing to do and I wish we got to see and learn more about Nick😪 but overall I enjoyed the book and this book could open up discussions like bullying, feeling different as a teen, wanting to become someone else, pursuing your dreams and more
Harriet has a lot of growing to do and I wish we got to see and learn more about Nick😪 but overall I enjoyed the book and this book could open up discussions like bullying, feeling different as a teen, wanting to become someone else, pursuing your dreams and more
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Vomit