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What Tyra won't tell you: a book review of 'Model Student' by Robin Hazelwood
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For a book that should be a light read, ‘Model Student’ does a good job being informative and serious. Even if you aren’t into modeling/fashion tales you still might enjoy this book. Unlike the Cinderella theme the title implies, ‘Model’ is far from a fairytale. Obviously semi-autobiographical by first time novelist Robin Hazelwood, ‘Model’ is more about the dark side of the profession than about all the glamour starry-eyed teens would hope for.
Emily Woods is one of those starry-eyed teens from the Midwest when the story begins. Raised by hippy parents who are proud their only daughter got into Columbia, they see her part-time job as something that will help her pay for college but not be her full-time profession. Like any co-ed faced with a world of temptation, Woods soon finds herself exposed and submitting to drugs, eating disorders, and sexual exploitation – along with living what appears to be a double life juggling demands between being a student and being a model.
What I liked about this book was that it didn’t sugarcoat the seduction of modeling. Woods is sucked up by the profession with promises of becoming the next Cindy Crawford along with making pretty good paychecks, yet she is never quite at the right place at the right time. Like a heroin addict chasing a high she follows professional advice even though such advice takes her further from her life as a student…and most of the time her goals for being a model.
Unlike most chick lit (in this case chic lit) there is not a central romance although a few chapters are devoted to a romantic adventure. Woods is primarily struggling with an inner conflict which does make a compelling read. The weaknesses of ‘Model; include an ending which was cliché-ish and secondary characters that were as well drawn out as an average kindergartener’s depiction of their house.
I would recommend ‘Model’ for anyone interested in the fashion biz – it is far better than most of the offerings out there which use ‘Vogue’ magazine as plot device. And for the starry-eyed teens who may still aspire to the world of modeling ‘Model Student’ is definitely a cautionary tale.
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