Publishers Weekly
Two sisters-both born with "long and hooked" noses-act as protagonists in this book about teenage plastic surgery. Cameron, on her way to college in California, became popular after her nose job, but still feels unable to "keep up" with the perfect girls she sees around her, and now wants breast implants. Meanwhile, younger athletic Allie is not sure that her own rhinoplasty, mostly her parents' idea, will be worth skipping a week of soccer camp, and a chance of playing on her school's varsity team. There's no missing that this is an issue-oriented book; even secondary story lines are designed to get readers thinking about the meaning-and price-of beauty: Cameron struggles to make a point with her photography portfolio, the girls' mother, a former actress, schedules her own face-lift, and Allie meets a retired movie star at the senior citizens home where she volunteers who tells her, "No one ever thinks they're beautiful enough." Readers also learn that there were more than 11.5 million cosmetic procedures performed in this country last year, and get gritty details about procedures and risks. Teens can draw their own conclusions, but they may find it easier to root for Allie, who realizes "Lots of people had big noses. They didn't all get them fixed. Somehow people managed." In the end, this is a provoking, if somewhat scripted, novel. Ages 14-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
VOYA
- Ria Newhouse
The wildly popular FX show Nip/Tuck has worked its way into teen fiction. Fifteen-year-old Californian Cameron "Beakface" Beekman moves from La Jolla to Bel Air just two weeks after her first encounter with plastic surgery-a wildly successful rhinoplasty that transforms Cameron "into one of the beautiful people." Three years later, Cameron grapples with the reality of leaving high school and starting college. Throughout the story, Cameron and her family question the myths and realities surrounding plastic surgery. Is beauty real? Can beauty age? When Cameron informs her parents that she is having a breast augmentation, the rest of the family cannot resist the urge to be beautiful as well: Mom Julie signs up to have a face lift, and sister Allie signs on (somewhat reluctantly) for her very own rhinoplasty. Although teens (girls especially) will likely clamor for this book, they will be savvy enough to hear the preachy undertones of this first novel. In a discussion about Vogue, Allie asks, "So those pictures don't mirror reality at all?" and Cameron responds with a simple "nope." Margolis is uneven in her approach to this hot topic; she simultaneously asks teen readers to recognize that beauty lies within, but also perpetuates the idea that beauty is bought and sold as a commodity. Asking readers to fully see both viewpoints is a tall task. The book is a fun, light read and the cover and subject matter will literally cause the book to fall into the hands of teens, but they will quickly realize that "drop dead gorgeous is [not] just a surgery away."
Children's Literature
- Ilene S. Goldman
"It hurts to be beautiful," says the blurb on the back of Fix. The protagonist, Cameron Beekman, basks in the glory and popularity won by having a nose job and dying her hair before she changed schools for ninth grade. Now graduating, she is determined to have more surgery to make her pretty enough to attend UC "Santa Barbie." Meanwhile, her sister Allie struggles against having the nose job that her mother has scheduled for her. Yes, indeed, it hurts to be beautiful when you are a teenager raised with values that seem to offer nothing beyond wealth and beauty. Fix picks up on our society's valuation of sex appeal beyond all else; it offers a version of Nip/Tuck that might get teenagers to read, and it provides a compelling storyline that keeps the reader turning pages. Although the book seems to fight against this culture of beauty above all, the subject matter should give any parent pause. Is this really how we want our children to fill their minds? Are these the words we encourage them to read? How can we hope to raise children who value something other than sex and money if that is all they read about?
KLIATT
- Amanda MacGregor
Allie is about to enter 10th grade and her parents have her present picked out for her: a new nose. Like her sister Cameron before her, Allie is to get a nose job to be more beautiful, like their ex-model/actress mother. The only problem is that no one has even asked Allie if this is what she wants. Everyone assumes that since Cameron's new nose changed her life, naturally Allie would want this, too, so she could become popular and cash in on her good looks. Allie isn't convinced she'll be any happier with a different nose—she's already happy—and has priorities other than beauty that take precedence. Cameron, on the other hand, is fixated on getting a breast augmentation, convinced that this is the next step to making her feel better about herself. She can't help but wonder if she would have the life she does if she had her former nose, but that doesn't stop her from making other changes. Their mother, in a bid to look younger and reinvigorate her acting career, decides to go in for a face lift. The saving grace of this book is that all three women look at plastic surgery from different perspectives and make choices that feel right for them. This keeps the story interesting and forces a deeper look at the reasons anyone would consider going under the knife. Many issues are examined, such as self-esteem, ageism, and media ideals. The women weigh the opinions of friends and boyfriends/husbands against their own, knowing that everyone feels differently about this controversial topic. Solid writing and a unique subject make this book a great addition to any collection, with plenty of material for discussion.
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-Cameron, 18, and Allie, 15, have inherited their father's nose. However, thanks to their mother, Julie, an ex-model and former movie star, Cameron had her nose fixed three years earlier. She is thrilled with the results and contemplating breast augmentation. After years of being ridiculed by her peers, she was catapulted into the world of the beautiful and popular at her new school, Bel Air Prep. Allie, an avid soccer player, is not bothered by her appearance and already has self-confidence and friends. Still, now that she is 15, her mother insists on making appointments for her with the plastic surgeon, with little consideration of Allie's thoughts on the matter. Characters are more complex than they first appear, and a subplot involving Allie's befriending a now-elderly Hollywood starlet nicely contrasts with the beauty-obsessed Cameron and Julie. Margolis deals with the topic of plastic surgery evenhandedly, showing how it can be positive, but also excessive and extremely painful. She is never preachy, making this quick read entertaining and thought-provoking. Readers will relate to each sister's point of view.-Michelle Roberts, Merrick Library, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
