I know I have more cons than pros here, but it’s a good book besides my nitpicking. It raises some important issues that society will probably always have to some degree, like the control and power of mega-corporations and the choices available to individuals. Verdict: Material Girls was a very interesting and different book than what I’ve read before. Mainly, how did society get to this particular point? Who decided companies should function this way? How was it decided that teens should run the fashion world? And what’s the rest of society like, beyond the bubble that concerns the presented story? Also, I didn’t really know why we had Ivy’s POV until her and Marla’s narratives finally crossed paths. Marla’s chapters were in first person, Ivy’s chapters were in third person.I thought she would have been stronger after all she’d been through, but I guess she didn’t see how going against the grain would give her what she wanted and was afraid of losing. I was sad about the choice Ivy made at the end.The romance was nice enough because I liked the two characters in the relationship, but there didn’t seem to be much buildup and I never really felt that attached to the guy, Felix.I didn’t feel very connected to all of the characters, many of whom were a bit stereotypical.Until then, the book takes its time going anywhere. It took almost halfway through the book for me to see where the plot was going.Material Girls does the terminology and slang well - “Unum,” “prime,” “stay young,” etc. I hate it when books use words that, to me, make no sense because they’re either never defined all that well or they’re just so ridiculous. And not too distracting, either, thank goodness. The terms and slang used were believable.It’s quite harsh, but hooray for culture ruling the world, I guess? They are people who fail to have “enough” talent in the arts and culture and are considered failures in the eyes of society. “Adequates,” as they are referred to, are people designated to office jobs, like being doctors and teachers. I liked how in this world being “tapped” into a culture job is more desirable than getting an “Adequate” job.I was cracking up at the torture trend.I definitely got Project Runway and even Ugly Betty vibes!.Smart, provocative, and entertaining, this thrilling page-turner for teens questions the cult like mentality of fame and fashion. Will their new “eco-chic” trend subversively resist and overturn the industry that controls every part of their lives? Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture.

Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos