Indie Girl

November 12, 2007
In her first YA novel, fashion correspondent and author Daswani (The Village Bride of Beverly Hills
) offers a sometimes moving, often funny glimpse of Indian-American family life along with a look at the cutthroat world of fashion journalism. Her 15-year-old heroine, Indie, has lived and breathed fashion for years, and dreams of being a fashion journalist. Now she has a chance at an internship at Celebrity Style
magazine—if she can make an impression on its owner, the infamous Aaralyn Taylor. Indie does indeed win notice (after chasing Aaralyn’s limo) but ends up with a different job: baby-sitting Aaralyn’s tantrum-prone two-year-old. Despite the setback (and her parents’ strong misgivings), Indie is determined to wow her boss with her fashion finesse and ability to get the scoop on what celebrities are wearing. Some of her efforts prove fruitful, but along the way she learns some hard lessons about racism and nepotism. The exaggerated show-down between sincere, youthful ambition and fashion-insider ruthlessness and self-absorption can make this novel read like The Devil Wears Agatha Ruiz De La Prada, derivative and far-fetched, but those who share the protagonist’s passion for trend-setting fashion will willingly suspend their disbelief in hopes that Indie will eventually come out on top. What sets this novel apart is Daswani’s nuanced take on her character’s Indian-American subculture, the pressure she feels to be like her more conventional cousins, her desire for independence, American-style, and her pride in her heritage. Indie is a heroine worth meeting. Ages 12-up.

December 1, 2007
Gr 7-10-When Indira Konkipuddi learns that the editor of her favorite fashion magazine will be speaking at her school, she knows that this is her great opportunity to make connections. She's sure that a conversation with Aaralyn Taylor will guarantee her a coveted internship at "Celebrity Style", so she is crushed to learn that one of her schoolmates is Aaralyn's niece and the more likely shoo-in for the internship. However, when she corners the woman after her presentation, she is offered a different opportunity. Glossing over Aaralyn's comment that "people from your part of the world are good with domestic duties," Indie accepts a job babysitting for Aaralyn's two-year-old son. The novel continues in what seems like a "Devil Wears Prada" direction (complete with a trip to Milan) until Indie learns some insider information that allows her to deliver more than one scoop to the fashion editor. The breezily written novel's conclusion is a mixture of wish fulfillment and compromise that brings the chick-lit fantasy aspect of Indie's story back down to earth in a satisfying and affirmative way."Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2007
Born and raised in a Los Angeles suburb by her upper-middle-class Indian immigrant parents, Indiras passion is fashion and celebrities. Forget about saving the world, even if Dad thinks spending her vacation helping the poor in Calcutta would look good on her Harvard application. Instead, the 16-year-old gets a job with fashion editor Aaralynnot as an intern, but as a babysitter for the editors toddler. Aaralyn turns out to be bitchy and prejudiced (people from Indiras part of the world are good at domestic duties). The mystery tangent in the plot is totally contrived, but Indiras irreverent, fast, funny narrative will grab readers, as will the fashion details. The author a fashion editor, writes about the world from the inside, and what celebrities wear, designer labels, and Indiras fashion sense are part of the funeven though the trends here now may be dated by tomorrow.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)