Starred review from February 27, 2012
The eponymous list, which mysteriously appears on the walls of Mount Washington High each year before homecoming, has the power to lift or break the spirits of eight female students: on it are the names of the “prettiest” and the “ugliest” girl in each grade. In this insightful and provocative novel, Vivian (Not That Kind of Girl) explores the effects the list has on the most recently chosen girls. While some results—self-doubt, shame, pressure—are to be expected, some of the girls respond in surprising and unconventional ways. Rebellious sophomore Sarah takes her “ugliness” to a new level by refusing to bathe or change clothes. Senior Jennifer, deemed ugliest four years running, works her way into a circle of popular girls, a group led by “prettiest girl” Margo, who used to be her best friend. Offering a well-differentiated cast of complex characters and a thoughtful focus on femininity, sisterhood, relationships, eating disorders, and what it means to be singled out, Vivian proves that beauty and ugliness aren’t always a matter of appearance. Ages 13–18.
Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management.
Starred review from February 1, 2012
This riveting exploration of physical appearance and the status it confers opens a cultural conversation that's needed to happen for a long time. Every year during homecoming week, a list is posted anonymously at Mount Washington High naming the prettiest and ugliest girls in each class. Abby, who finds it easier to get credit for her looks than hard work, and Danielle, whose swimmer's physique gets her labeled "ugly," are this year's freshman duo. The list confers instant status, transforming formerly homeschooled sophomore Lauren from geeky to hot while consigning her counterpart, pretty-but-mean Candace, to pariah. But what the label mainly confers is anxiety. Prettiest junior Bridget despairs that she'll ever be thin enough to merit her title; Sarah takes refuge in anger, vowing to earn her ugly label big-time. Jennifer, four-time "ugliest" winner, tries to relish the notoriety. Margo's title should make her the slam-dunk choice for homecoming queen, but will it? Whether clued in or clueless to the intricate social complexities, boyfriends reinforce the status quo, while moms carry scars of their own past physical insecurities. The issue is seldom front and center in books for teens, but Vivian refuses to falsify or avoid the uncomfortable realities that looks alone confer status, and their power is greatest when obscured by the pretense that "looks don't matter." (Fiction. 12 & up)
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March 1, 2012
Gr 9 Up-All hail the List: the annual unveiling of the names of eight girls, one deemed prettiest and one ugliest, from each grade at Mount Washington High School. The last week of every September-for as long as anyone can remember-brings the plastering of the anonymous list all over campus, and with it the scrutiny of the named girls' humiliation and triumph. While the principal wants to get to the bottom of its creation and put an end to the cruel, shallow judgment it represents, the teens themselves react in both expected and unexpected ways. Vivian attempts to introduce her characters and some of the important people in their lives, but that asks for perhaps more differentiation in readers' minds than comes quickly or easily. Eventually, the cast is clarified but rarely emerges from basic sketch to live action. Instead readers are given caricatures: a mean sophomore called "ugly" on the inside gets her comeuppance from an unstudied homeschooled girl named prettiest; freshman swimmer Danielle, called "Dan the Man" for her jockette looks, is shaken by the disloyalty of her embarrassed boyfriend, while a pretty ninth grader faces grounding on Homecoming due to failing grades. The best-looking junior is pressured back into anorexia, no less miserable than ugly Sarah who refuses to bathe or change clothes for nearly a week after she's named; and four-time loser Jennifer, enjoying infamy over anonymity, is counterbalanced by her childhood friend but now unapproachable homecoming queen. Worthwhile social commentary for readers to consider still emerges in this too-bland narrative.-Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 15, 2012
Grades 9-12 Every year at Mount Washington High, there's a list published. It categorizes eight girls into two groups: the prettiest and the ugliest in her grade. Only girls could be this cruel to each other, but no one knows the true originator of the list. And only the girls on the list know what it's like to be singled out. Vivian casts her net wide, finding the most broad female high-school archetypes to play in this saga, but she manages to create depth for each one. For the rebel who, according to the list, is trying to make herself ugly, this is the height of her achievement. She comes across as tough, defiant, but so utterly deluded and insecure that one can't help but feel sorry for her. Part of the fun is the whodunit, and when the creator of the list is revealed, the surprise will make readers think twice about their own prejudices and opinions of self.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2012
Every September, a mysterious list of the four "ugliest" and four "prettiest" girls appears at Mount Washington High. Alternating chapters feature the eight girls, detailing the complex and painful consequences of this public judgment. Although the issues of popularity, anorexia, and mean girls are familiar, the diversity of perspectives and experiences create an unexpectedly raw portrait of contemporary teen girls.
(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)