Girl, Unframed

 

Girl Unframed

Deb Caletti

Simon Pulse

2020

368 pages

ISBN: 978153442697

     Sixteen-year old Sydney feels on the verge of something big; she calls the something “it.” It is going to happen, and she can feel it. She’s not excited to be spending the summer with her has-been film star mother even though her vacation involves living in a fantastic mansion on the beach. Sydney knows how it will go: her mother will ignore her (mostly), go on shopping sprees, and play the femme fatale for her “fans.” Lila Shore has always been unreachable for Sydney. Worshipped by millions, Lila is enslaved by her beauty and sex appeal. When her star, youth, and beauty begin to wane, and her daughter’s beauty begins to be noticed, Lila feels threatened. To make matters worse, Lila’s living with volatile and abusive Jake, a true bad guy who deals in stolen art and has nefarious connections. 

     One night can change your life. One act. One action.Although this book has been marketed as a “thriller,” it does not have the fast-pace and implosion a thriller is expected to have. Sydney spends most of the book worrying about how people view her (men and boys, mostly). Her thoughts about her body filling out and maturing seem more tween than teen, although her insight is mature enough. The sweetness and swoony-ness you’d expect from a romance is lacking and falls flat. The quality of writing and the author’s prior books will insure teen readers consider this book. 

Recommended for readers of Deb Caletti grade 8 and up. Mature situations.