Sunday, January 26, 2020

Review - Meat Market by Juno Dawson





Title: Meat Market
Author: Juno Dawson
Pages: 416
Publisher: Quercus Children's Books
Release Date: 23rd March 2019


Blurb from Goodreads:
 
Jana Novak's history sounds like a classic model cliché: tall and gangly, she's uncomfortable with her androgynous looks until she's unexpectedly scouted and catapulted to superstardom.


But the fashion industry is as grimy as it is glamorous. And there are unexpected predators at every turn.


Jana is an ordinary girl from a south London estate, lifted to unimaginable heights. But the further you rise, the more devastating your fall ...


Honest and raw, this is a timely exposé of the dark underbelly of the fashion industry in an era of #TimesUp and #MeToo. It might just be Juno Dawson's most important book yet.

 









My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley*




 


Jana Novak doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin and is often teased because of how tall she is.
But when Jana's height and androgynous looks lead to her being scouted, Jana finds herself going from an average girl living in a London estate to a face that everyone knows.
Modelling isn't the future that Jana would have chosen for herself, but can she enjoy it and make the most of the opportunity she's been given?
Is modelling as glamorous as it seems?



Reading Meat Market was a bit of an eye-opener, especially as I'm someone who dreamed of being a model when I was younger. There's definitely a lot more to it than I thought and I don't think I could cut it.
Jana was a likeable and relatable protagonist and there were times when I just wanted to hug her.
I liked reading her interactions with her friends and other models. It was so crazy that Jana went from being a normal teen to someone that people recognised in such a short space of time.
The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped.
The writing style was very easy to read and follow - I somehow read this in two days!
This is my favourite book by the author that I've read so far and I could definitely tell that a lot of research had gone in to writing it.
I thought the messages and themes explored were handled well and were important. In a way this felt like quite a powerful book.



Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.
 




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