The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
April Bowers is a not very well known sophomore at her high school. Her best friend Haley moved over the summer and April is not looking forward to her sophomore year totally friendless.
She is completely surprised when she is paired with super-popular Britney Taylor in gym class and even more surprised when Britney asks if April is new to the school. So what does April do? April lies: Yes, this is her first year at Penford High. For some inexplicable reason (to April), Britney takes a shine to April and decides that she will be a new project to work on. April is brought into the spotlight as a friend of Britney and followers Erin, Jessica, and Brianna. After a month or so of being Britney's "friend-in-training", Britney decides it's time for April to take the Lipstick Oath. This means following Britney's 7 Lipstick Laws (including not gaining more than 3 pounds, choosing fashion over comfort, revealing all your secrets upon initiation, and doing what's best for the popularity of the group, despite individual wants) and April has grown so addicted to having friends and being popular that she agrees.
Oh, April. April tries to follow the Lipstick Laws and though she's uncomfortable with certain aspects of her "friendships" with Britney & the gang, she does what she's told because she knows Britney can make her life a living hell. Finally, at a party that April doesn't want to be at, with people she doesn't want to be with, April escapes the cops and ruins clothes borrowed from Britney. A misunderstanding (and total bitchiness on Britney's part) results in April being kicked out of Britney's circle of friends and back to loserhood.
She calls Haley (whom she has been in touch with and who has told her to stay away from Britney) and hears the Britney Taylor saga from Haley, including revealing a chubby childhood, a messy parental divorce, and Haley's own booting from Britney's friendship. April & Haley determine there MUST be other girls at Penford High who were once involved in the Lipstick Oath and now resigned to social outcasts, and April finds a way to get in touch with them. She meets three other girls this way and they share their Britney horror stories. They decide they have to get even with Britney for making their lives hell. The plot goes well for the Lipstick Lawbreakers then Britney turns her evil powers on April and it goes back and forth like this.
Now, I know high school is no picnic, it's an awkward time for everybody, and that some people are downright mean, but I wonder just how realistic this is. Why would a sophomore rule the school's social hierarchy? Are students really that mean? I got really worried when one of the pranks involved someone's peanut allergy. Even if it's not a bad allergy (that you know of) it's definitely not something to encourage messing with. I was glad that that aspect didn't come to pass. I was also a little disappointed that when one of the characters took the high road, her antagonist did not follow suit or end up looking ridiculous herself but had to give April one last embarrassing moment. I really appreciated that April did end up taking the high road, and that she realized she was also doing the same thing as Britney had once done (that was painfully obvious to everyone but April; she came around though).
While I found some of the treatment of the girls a little cringe-inducing, The Lipstick Laws (published in April) is still a good story. I was really concerned April was not going to let all this meanness go, and I'm really happy she did. I know it's difficult to, and it can't always be done gracefully, but I think it sets a good example. I'd recommend The Lipstick Laws to readers as young as middle school as I'm not sure some of the language ("boobicle cubicle") and actions would translate to older high school students. It comes out with a positive result, lessons learned, and comfort with being one's self.
She is completely surprised when she is paired with super-popular Britney Taylor in gym class and even more surprised when Britney asks if April is new to the school. So what does April do? April lies: Yes, this is her first year at Penford High. For some inexplicable reason (to April), Britney takes a shine to April and decides that she will be a new project to work on. April is brought into the spotlight as a friend of Britney and followers Erin, Jessica, and Brianna. After a month or so of being Britney's "friend-in-training", Britney decides it's time for April to take the Lipstick Oath. This means following Britney's 7 Lipstick Laws (including not gaining more than 3 pounds, choosing fashion over comfort, revealing all your secrets upon initiation, and doing what's best for the popularity of the group, despite individual wants) and April has grown so addicted to having friends and being popular that she agrees.
Oh, April. April tries to follow the Lipstick Laws and though she's uncomfortable with certain aspects of her "friendships" with Britney & the gang, she does what she's told because she knows Britney can make her life a living hell. Finally, at a party that April doesn't want to be at, with people she doesn't want to be with, April escapes the cops and ruins clothes borrowed from Britney. A misunderstanding (and total bitchiness on Britney's part) results in April being kicked out of Britney's circle of friends and back to loserhood.
She calls Haley (whom she has been in touch with and who has told her to stay away from Britney) and hears the Britney Taylor saga from Haley, including revealing a chubby childhood, a messy parental divorce, and Haley's own booting from Britney's friendship. April & Haley determine there MUST be other girls at Penford High who were once involved in the Lipstick Oath and now resigned to social outcasts, and April finds a way to get in touch with them. She meets three other girls this way and they share their Britney horror stories. They decide they have to get even with Britney for making their lives hell. The plot goes well for the Lipstick Lawbreakers then Britney turns her evil powers on April and it goes back and forth like this.
Now, I know high school is no picnic, it's an awkward time for everybody, and that some people are downright mean, but I wonder just how realistic this is. Why would a sophomore rule the school's social hierarchy? Are students really that mean? I got really worried when one of the pranks involved someone's peanut allergy. Even if it's not a bad allergy (that you know of) it's definitely not something to encourage messing with. I was glad that that aspect didn't come to pass. I was also a little disappointed that when one of the characters took the high road, her antagonist did not follow suit or end up looking ridiculous herself but had to give April one last embarrassing moment. I really appreciated that April did end up taking the high road, and that she realized she was also doing the same thing as Britney had once done (that was painfully obvious to everyone but April; she came around though).
While I found some of the treatment of the girls a little cringe-inducing, The Lipstick Laws (published in April) is still a good story. I was really concerned April was not going to let all this meanness go, and I'm really happy she did. I know it's difficult to, and it can't always be done gracefully, but I think it sets a good example. I'd recommend The Lipstick Laws to readers as young as middle school as I'm not sure some of the language ("boobicle cubicle") and actions would translate to older high school students. It comes out with a positive result, lessons learned, and comfort with being one's self.
Labels: contemporary fiction, female characters, high school, young adult
posted by austentatious at 4:05 PM
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