Book review - Material Girls

Title: Material Girls
Author: Elaine Dimopoulos
Genre: dystopian fiction
Similar books: Feed by M T Anderson
                     So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld
Rating:

pretty attention-grabbing

Summary: In Marla and Ivy's world teens are at the top of the heap. At age 12 a handful of kids get "tapped", selected for careers in the creative industries. Tapped teens design video games, become musicians, and decide what clothes will be produced. When Marla loses her position in a fashion label's court, relegated to drafting in the basement, and a new pop star threatens to take Ivy's place, both girls begin to question the system that they've always believed in whole-heartedly. A new "eco-chic" trend binds the girls together and might just have the power to tear their world apart.

My opinion: This turned out to be an excellent, thought provoking read. The base plot is not particularly ground breaking; for the first 3/4 it follows the same direction as most dystopian fiction, that of discovering and defying a system that one once believed in. The ending, though, makes it stand out from the crowd. Not only does Dimopoulos point out the flaws in the fashion industry and our image obsessed culture she also does not pave and easy road for her revolutionaries. While the fashion angle won't appeal to many readers, it's worth a read for those with an eye towards social justice and mindful consumption.

More information: Material Girls releases May 5th.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.