First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

Model by Cheryl Diamond. Simon Pulse, 2008. Genre: Memoir

Model is the true story about Cheryl Diamond’s early life as a model. Cheryl went to New York at sixteen to become a model. Her life consisted of go-sees, runways, and dealing with the characters and attitudes that came with the people in the modeling industry. She had to live on her own and at the tender age of sixteen, grow up and take control of her life.
"A job by job story of a street-savvy young woman navigating New York's cutthroat modeling world." LA Times.
Model shows how Cheryl made good decisions and carried herself with grace in an industry where people will do anything to get booked. She breaks the typical stereotype of the stupid ignorant model, thinking every decision through and coming back with witty comments and comebacks for every situation. She can find humor in every situation which isn’t hard with all the crazy characters and egos that come with being in the modeling industry.
Although she acts with wisdom beyond her years you can still tell that Cheryl is a teenager by the way she writes. The description and vocabulary isn’t especially extensive or over-the-top. You can tell that her real job isn’t being an author. Still, Cheryl grabs the attention of readers with her witty comebacks and her explanations on how New Yorkers and people in the industry all act. Her teen-like way of writing also helps other teen girls relate to her. If the story was told by the point of view of someone older I’m not sure if I would have liked the book as much.
“I stood in the middle of the studio with a stupid grin on my face, amazed that three people-adults, no less-had shown up to take my picture. Then, thinking I should at least try to act cool, I wiped the smile of my face and watched Erica, who was unzipping a large black suitcase. It was filled with every imaginable variety of makeup.” (13)
I would say that I have a love hate relationship with this book. On one hand, the book contains an inside look on the modeling industry diminishing any stereotypes written by a girl who seems fun, smart, and a cool person. On the other hand, the book does fall a bit flat. It is a little misleading, on the back it makes you think that Cheryl was living alone at 14 when really she was living alone at 16. Also, the horrible disastrous thing that happens to Cheryl that ‘end her career’ isn’t really that bad and could have been handled better. So in conclusion, it’s a decent book that could have been better