Review: Modelland

Modelland by Tyra Banks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I watch America's Next Top Model. Last season they had a challenge based on this book and I turned to my husband and said, "Tyra Banks wrote a book?" and we both laughed. A few minutes later, though, I was on my library site and had the book requested. I apparently have no pride or I wouldn't have made these confessions as I am certainly not the demographic the show and book are designed for. Oh, and for the record, the final reveal of the Tookie stand-in on the show was totally wrong. Just saying... I'm still irritated about who they choose as the original winner.

Back to the book, however. Any ANTM fans out there probably think the same thing my husband and I do (and if you think I'm embarrassed to admit I watch the show, imagine what a deep, dark secret this is for him!!) and ask yourself, "Her? A model? She's weird/freaky/odd looking." This book is Tyra's long-winded (this is a very, very long read for the genre) explanation of how those girls are chosen. It's easy to rely on typical beauty but to see beauty in faces that normally aren't considered beautiful is harder. Each season Tyra chooses unique faces and some extreme personalities and it's always worked. This book is very much designed with the same theory - be unique and love yourself for how you are different. Be beautiful by being yourself.

All the negative reviews based on the names are completely legit. Her names are lame. Tookie, Myrracle, Creamy, Ci~L, Zarpessa, Chaste, Bravo, Deco, etc. All are in this book and each is more outlandish than the one before. The people names have NOTHING on the place names, though. And the oddities that are apparently birth defects are just weird - someone with a hand instead of a head and a doctor with roller skates for feet are just two examples.

All that said, it was a book I actually felt compelled to finish. I was able to ignore the crazy stuff and enjoy the story, which is a fantasy retelling of what is very likely the process of forcing yourself into the modeling world and managing to rise above the others. If there is a book 2 (which her acknowledgments suggest but the reviews have me doubting), I will read it.





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