Adrienne Maria VrettosBesprekingen

Ehh.

A surprisingly great book. It really stayed with me this one.½

I thought The Exile of Gigi Lane would be a cute, fun read. It was, but it was also so much more.

We experience Gigi's popularity downfall in a rigid social hierarchy that is more clearly defined than the structure of most large companies. It's hard to like Gigi, as she is completely delusional in the way she believes others view her. Her delusions make it all the more meaningful when reality begins to set in. Self-esteem is necessary to a healthy life, but in realistic proportions. Gigi's manta - "I'm Gigi Lane and you wish you were me." - speaks volumes of her opinion of herself and others.

Teen girls live in a volatile bubble where flippant an offhanded remark by one can alter another's life monumentally. The Exile of Gigi Lane is an exaggerated inside look at this bubble. We see how mean girl bullying can take on a life of its own, while also leading a person to learn what's truly important in life. Gigi is hugely hurtful to others under the guise of helping. She seems to truly believe that making mean comments is the appropriate way to teach someone how to change their life for the better. The most shocking part of the novel is that I really did sympathize for her once she got her priorities straight.

The Exile of Gigi Lane contained a bit of mystery and a twist ending I never saw coming. This book is extremely fun with some real life lessons to be discovered. The school itself was unrealistic in my mind, but the story itself was truly engaging. The Exile of Gigi Lane is deliciously evil, very funny and surprisingly touching.

I can sum this book up in one word: ridiculous. But strangely, I enjoyed it all the same.

Gigi Lane, our narrator, is an over-the-top caricature of herself. She is the mean girl. The top-dog. The future prom queen. I'm sure you know the type, if not from real life experience, then from pretty much every teen movie ever made.

Anyway, the book starts off at the end of her junior year at Swan's Lake- an all-girl private school run by the beautiful, powerful Hot Spot. The Hot Spot is a trio of flawless, uber-popular seniors which make sure the schools stays in order. They assign the first years tasks (such as cleaning window, vacuuming, etc.), they keep the cliques in line (the Cheerleaders, the Glossies, the Vox Foxes, etc.), have a mysterious Den of Secrecy, and are part of The Network- powerful connections that will have you set for life. Sounds awesome, right? Gigi, who is next in line for the Head Hottie throne, is super excited for her senior year. But as you can imagine, and correctly assume from the title and premise, things go wrong.

I loved this book, though I didn't start out that way. By Chapter Three, I was convinced this was the most unrealistic bag of BS I've ever read. Had the writer ever been to high school in the least? I wanted to stab the very unlikable Gigi with a fork. Then Gigi came back from Alaska (read the book and find out), and a light shined down from the heavens as I finally understood what this book was. It was supposed to be over-the-top bullshit. It was sattire! Ohhhh

After that, the book was a whole lot more enjoyable as I laughed at Gigi's bizarre antics and the absurd plot. Even though it was sort of predictable in the beginning, some of the twists at the end genuinely surpised me. And Gigi changed for the better.....sort of.

So overall, I don't know. This will either be a hit-or-miss for some people. You'll either appreciate the humore, or give up on Gigi from the start. Most of the negative reviews on here complain about Gigi being "unrelatable", to that I say well, duh.½

Well written with an interesting premise

Dionne stands on the sidelines as his parents' marriage dissolves and his sister struggles with anorexia.
Between Kate's anorexia and Dionne's depression, there isn't a more angsty novel than this one. It is compelling, though. The choice to tell the story through the eyes of the victims younger brother is an interesting one, and it really brings the pain of anorexia into focus. It also shows the pain of not fitting in and not knowing how to deal with fighting parents. In other words, this book is trying to tackle a lot of separate issues, but manages to succeed for the most part.
This is definitely a book for high schools. It's very dramatic and could upset younger children.½

I really like this book. The main Character in this book deals with a lot of stuff in this book. She is a physic and she has to deal with the guilt of lying to her best friends. She is definitely dynamic character. She changes a lot, at the end she tells her friends about her power and that took a lot of gut that she thought she never had. I also like the fact that She doesn't just see the future she sees Kids that have been kidnapped.

Kearsten says: I quite liked this one, despite it being a little short for my tastes. Dylan is a very sympathetic character - she's got a horrible "talent" for being able to 'see' the last things a murdered child sees before death, and therefore is able to lead police to find their missing bodies (and to possible clues to solving the murder). She's still understandably haunted by the first murder she saw: the death of a kindergarten classmate, whose murderer was never found. When another child is murdered and both clues and hints in Dylan's vision suggest that first murderer, dubbed the Drifter by her small town, has returned, Dylan's determination to keep her ability secret from everyone gets shakier as her nerves become more and more frayed by the fear taking over the town.

Dylan's struggle with keeping her secret, plus the somewhat overwhelming attention from the new girl in her class all combine to twist Dylan into a jumble of nerves, and she and her best friend's relationship becomes strained to breaking with the secrets kept from each other.

The identity of the murderer and the twists it reveals are a bit unbelievable, but the sparseness of Vrettos' writing is quite wonderful. It feels stark and desperate, conveying Dylan's feelings very well.½

I quite liked this one, despite it being a little short for my tastes. Dylan is a very sympathetic character - she's got a horrible "talent" for being able to 'see' the last things a murdered child sees before death, and therefore is able to lead police to find their missing bodies (and to possible clues to solving the murder). She's still understandably haunted by the first murder she saw: the death of a kindergarten classmate, whose murderer was never found. When another child is murdered and both clues and hints in Dylan's vision suggest that that first murderer, dubbed the Drifter by her small town, Dylan's determination to keep her ability secret from her best friends gets shakier as her nerves become more and more frayed by the fear taking over the town.

Dylan's struggle with keeping her secret, plus the somewhat overwhelming attention from the new girl in her class all combine to twist Dylan into a jumble of nerves, and she and her best friend's relationship becomes strained with the secrets kept from each other.

The identity of the murderer and the twists it reveals are a bit unbelievable, but the sparseness of Vrettos' writing is quite wonderful. It feels stark and desperate, conveying Dylan's feelings very well.

Recommended.½

Not a bad book! It was a really quick read and I liked the characters and their relationships with each other. It was really obvious who the killer was, but other than that this book was great.

Grade Levels: 8-11
Category: Realistic Fiction
Read-Alouds: 7-8 (Porch sitting); 21-23 (Chris and Bean); 96-98 (Food journals); 150-154 (Rehab); 170-172 (The discovery)

Summary:
Donnie’s sister has always taken care of him. When his parents fought or he got awful earaches, he could always count on Karen being there for him. Donnie struggles to watch his older sister grow up and move on, making new friends without him. He eventually falls in love with Karen’s best friend, Amanda, a bond that, later, helped him cope with the worst event of his life. Karen grows increasingly distant and one day Donnie finds out the secret she’s been keeping---Karen is anorexic. Karen’s eating disorder affects the entire family and Donnie finds that for once Karen can’t be there for him and he’ll have to do the rescuing.

Themes:
The central theme of the story is eating disorders, specifically anorexia. Karen’s battle with this disease is detailed at length and describes her family’s struggle to cope with her ailment. Because eating disorders are extremely prevalent and are becoming more so, this book would be a vital asset to a classroom and a great starting point for discussions on tough issues. Family dysfunction also plays a role as do other teenage problems such as love/lust, friends, social interactions, etc.

Reader Response:
I loved, loved, loved this book. It was very sad, but the tragedy of the situation served as a vehicle to help readers consider deeper points. This book would be excellent in middle and high school classrooms as well as for teachers. It not only talks about anorexia from the standpoint of the suffering individual, but provides insight to the ramifications eating disorders cause to entire family units. In most of the books I chose I wanted to find material on real, tough issues that teenagers, specifically teenage girls, go through. Eating disorders, body dysmorphia and other body image issues, and self-esteem are huge in the lives of teenage girls in our society. This book is an asset to teachers who want to do more than just teach reading, writing, and math. It provides the opportunity to look deeper into the lives of students and closely examine things they deal with on an every day basis. The author’s choice to use a male narrator served two purposes: there is equal coverage of males and females in the book allowing it to appeal to a broader spectrum, and providing the insight of a person who, because of his gender, would not normally be considered when discussing eating disorders. As I mentioned before, the book was heartbreaking, but well worth a few tears.

Outstanding - 1st person male (teenage) narration who battles with a family nightmare. Would suit either boy/girl. S. McK

I really don't have much to say about this book. I thought the plot was good, I liked the characters... it was just a good book. I didn't quite understand the father and wish he was explained a bit more, but otherwise, no complaints here!

"Skin" tells the story of two siblings, Danny and Karen. Danny is a nobody at school. Karen wants to be somebody, but won't be unless she's the perfect weight. Their parents seems to spend more time on hurting each other with words than trying to find out about their kids.

They have skin, yet are they really there?

Overall, a good read for young adults. For those a bit older, I highly recommend Jillian Medoff's "Hunger Point."½

Sight is an interesting story and good for children who like suspense with a little bit of horror. There is nothing gory or gross in this book, but explores the creepy side of a homicide in your own hometown. Deals with main character, Dylan and her friends Pilar, MayBe, and . These friends have had to grow up with the fear that the Drifter is going to return to their town after killing their classmate, Clarence. New girl, Cate, shows up in town and is immediately interested in their lives and the information on Clarence. This book will keep the kids reading, anxious to find out Cate's real interest and who the Drifter really is.

This is a well-written and different take on eating disorders as it focuses mainly on the sibling of the ill person. I thought the ending was a bit too neat and easy, but other than that a good handling of this important subject.½

The story of a teenage girl's battle with anorexia told from her brother's point of view. Donnie feels invisible: his friends at school have deserted him, his parents fight all the time, and his sister Karen suddenly has a new best friend, Amanda. For reasons that are not fully revealed, Karen becomes anorexic and goes through several episodes of recovery and relapse. Through it all, Donnie struggles with his perceived responsibility to take care of her, his disappointment with their father leaving them and blaming their mother for Karen's condition, and the realization that maybe he's not invisible after all.

Horrifying look at what can happen when a family falls apart. Will this help any girl who is trying to self-destruct? probably not, but it can help the sibling who is trying to cope.

this book was pretty good
it was about
"a boy's perspective in his life. The main character, fourteen year-old Donnie, tells us his experiences in life and what are the causes and effects of them. As he struggles to save his sister, sixteen year-old Karen, from dying of a serious case of anorexia, he is becoming more isolated from the world. He is so isolated that he has no friends whatsoever. With Donnie's parents arguing, his sister dying, and him becoming more isolated, what can get any worse?"
anyways...

This book explores what happens to other members of a family when someone has a problem, in this case anorexia. Donnie's family is pretty dysfunctional. His parents fight just about constantly and his dad moves out. The book begins with Donnie finding Karen dead and goes back to tell the story of how they arrived at that tragic moment. Donnie works very hard to watch out for Karen who continues to shrink in size throughout the narrative, but at school he just tries to get by through becoming invisible.
The constant bickering and fighting between family members was tough to read at times. Although I kept hoping that they would be able to pull together enough to help Karen get well.
Although Donnie has been through an incredibly rough time, I finished the book with some hope that he would be ok. This book kind of reminded me of My Brother's Keeper in that it took at look at the sibling who was trying to keep things together.½

Fourteen-year-old Donnie and his older (and more popular) sister, Karen, have a ritual that helps them avoid their parents' fighting. Donnie depends on Karen to get him through their fighting and the fallout from his own unpopularity. But when Karen develpos an eating disorder, Donnie struglles to keep his entire family afloat.

I loved everything about this book. Donnie is a fantastic character with his analysis of unpopularity ("We're the end of the line. We're the ones people look at and think, At least I'm not them....and there's something really wrong with all of our personalities, because nobody likes us, not even the teachers"), and the relationship between Karen and Donnie is spot-on for its showcase of sibling love and rivalry. The relationship between their parents is well-explored also. I also liked that the reasons for Karen's illness were never blamed on any one facet of their family life, or on her parents at all. It could have just as easily been another girl, and I liked how Vrettos treated that issue while still keeping it critical to the story. I challenge you not to love this book!½

14-year-old Donnie's family is messed up. His parents fight all the time and his sister has a serious eating disorder. He does what he can for them, but what he tries to do for himself is hide. If no one sees him, no one talks to him, no one even acknowledges he's there then somehow the problems will go away. When disaster strikes, Donnie realizes he needs to take action to save himself and he finally jumps out of his skin.

Although it's clear how part of the story will end from the very first page this book is still gripping. The family situation is emotional and complex. The characters, too are complicated and real. Even Donnie's cousin who breezes in at the end of the book isn't the hero we hope he might be for Donnie, but it's through him that Donnie realizes he has to help himself. Kids who like realistic fiction and books about sick teens will like this one.½

Donnie has always had his sister to rely on. Through their parents' fighting, through his unpopularity at school, and through his loneliness. But when his sister develops an eating disorder, it is Donnie that starts to look out for everyone, even though as he does it he loses himself, turning invisible in school and at home.

This is a stark, vivid portrayal of an eating disorder from the point of view of a sibling who is also damaged by the disease. The writing pulls you into Donnie's world filled with loneliness and confusion. Even as you realize that Donnie is disappearing, you are struck by the quality of the writing that can create a main character who is becoming nearly invisible. Yet Donnie's voice and point of view are never compromised. Karen, the sister, is equally well-written as the reader and Donnie both continue thinking, hoping that she has defeated her demons and overcome her disorder. The author has created a book with a unique perspective that is one of the best eating-disorder novels for teens that I have ever read.

This book will be an easy sell with teens who enjoy problem novels or books about eating disorders. But it will also be enjoyed by boys who may not usually pick up problem novels. It is a searing look at a serious issue, so boys looking for reality books will enjoy it.

This story is told by a boy whose sister has anorexia. Although her family tries to do anything they can to help her, she keeps getting worse. It's a very interesting look at how family members are effectied by the disease.

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

"I'm Gigi Lane, and you wish you were me." This is the affirmation that Gigi Lane recites to herself every morning and in times of deep stress. The daughter of the Girlie Bird self-help guru, Gigi has been taught to develop a confirmation that she can believe in and boost her confidence and self-awareness.

All is going beautifully for Gigi towards the end of her junior year. She attends Swan's Lake, and is slated to be the next Head Hottie. The Head Hottie and her two cohorts unofficially run the school from the Hot Spot. Handpicked by the current Head Hottie, Fiona, and cohorts, Gigi, along with her best friend, Deanna, and transfer student, Aloha, spend their junior year pretty much as indentured servants - as well as continually trying to find the infamous DOS (Den of Secrecy) before the Founder's Ball at the end of the term.

But all comes crashing down for Gigi when she mistakenly puts down a nothing girl, Daphne, one too many times, and at the most inopportune moment - as Fiona is to be crowned Founder's Ball queen.

From that point on, Gigi's life is far from one that anyone would wish for. To save face, Fiona and the "Network" behind the Hot Spot ship Gigi off to an Alaskan fish plant for the summer. With no fashion but for overalls, and little to occupy her time, Gigi bides her time in exile. But when she arrives ill-prepared for the first day of senior year determined to take her rightful place, Gigi enters an alternate universe...one where Aloha is now the Head Hottie, and that nothing girl, Daphne, rules by her side.

It's not until Gigi fights for a "severance" package from the Network to make her time of servitude worthwhile does the story really pick up and get entertaining. In order for Gigi to receive payment for her troubles, she has to get one of the other cliques in the school to fully accept her as a member. Trouble is, Gigi has stepped on more than one person to get to the top. But Gigi thinks she will easily become the head cheerleader, the star Mr. T, a Vox Fox, even a Gizmo. All to no avail. Through all her trials, she slowly comes to learn that her current affirmation may not be what it's all about.

THE EXILE OF GIGI LANE is a great story of self-discovery of one girl who truly doesn't realize the world around her until she's pushed outside of everything she knows. It isn't until her love for her school comes through that Gigi learns who she is and what truly does make her happy.