Book of the Moment: Populazzi by Elise Allen

Title: Populazzi
Author: Elise Allen
ARC: 400 pages
Publisher: Harcourt
Released Date: August 1, 2011
Source: local bookstore friends
Interest: Blogg Buzz




Synopsis:

 Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.
 
Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.
~Goodreads

My Thoughts:



I was very excited about picking up this book because I knew that Elise Allen had worked with Hilary Duff on her YA novel, Elixir and I was very impressed by it so I just had to check out Elise Allen's debut.

First off you can tell from Elixir to Populazzi that the writing styles are pretty different. Elixir had this mellow but slowly brewing chaotic-ness that would follow you through the story. Hilary Duff probably had more to do with the book then I accounted her for.  It didn't have a super girly narrative and wasn't all dolled up in teen slang and I appreciated that.

However...Populazzi was the epitome of a teen novel with a totally teen voice. Even in the first chapter I found my self rolling my eyes on several occasions, just annoyed by the teen chatter. Sure, I talk about those things but I'm positive I don't sound like that much of an air head when I do.

I've read books about girls climbing the social ladder to become the "It Girl" but frankly, I didn't really see anything different. The only thing that really made me finish this book at all was the humor. Cara cracked some jokes here and there and well I do admit I was a little curious on how Cara was going to turn out.

Although this book was realistic fiction, it really shouldn't be. I'm officially in high school and stuff like this doesn't happen in real life! Sure there are those popular kids but it just seemed so off to me! I felt like Cara was a little pathetic because of her need to be the cool girl and I felt like her friend, Claudia, was just NOT a good friend. She was the one who encouraged the obsession and I found myself just not impressed with these two at all. Cara completely changed hereself for a boy and that was probably the lowest point for me. It was so enraging... and funny, I do have to say. You can't get anymore pathetic. But atleast she realizes her mistakes in the end. I liked how she exentually handled her self in the face of extreme embaressment and admired her strength.

This book was an ok read and didn't have me rushing to devous every page. But if your looking for an easy realistic fiction read about popularity and mean girls, then by all means, pick this book up. It's total chick-lit.