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- ISBN13: 9781416579939
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If life were a fairy tale, Oribella Bettencourt would have a "happily ever after" kind of future ahead of her. A Hollywood producer has come to Des Moines in search of a perfectly modern Princess Rapunzel, and Ori -- a model, dancer, and star of the beauty pageant circuit -- lands the part. And why shouldn't she? With her hardworking, self-sacrifi cing mother guiding her career, Ori is stunning, dedicated, poised...and then there's her hair. Breathtakingly lustrous blond hair that sets her apart from all the other girls at school. So what if she doesn't have any friends her age, or anyone to talk to other than her mother? She's on the verge of having everything she's ever dreamed of.
But in this fairy tale, the beautiful princess wakes up to her worst nightmare -- when almost overnight, Ori begins to lose her hair....
Customer Reviews
A Great Debut! (2010-02-26)
First of, I absolutely love MTV books. So, I was ecstatic when I got the chance to read Fairest Of Them All, because I knew I was in for a great read.
Fairest of Them All opens up just when Oribella's modeling and movie career is just starting to go well. Though, soon she begins to loose her hair causing drama and suspense about what is happening to her throughout. I thought Jan Blazanin perfectly captured how it feels to be diagnosed with cancer in Oribella. Also, I give props to Jan for getting this little know disease out there. Since, I certainly knew nothing about alopecia until I read this and I know there are many people out there in the same deal as me.
The other main characters such as Phil, Oribella's mom, and the girls from volleyball, were great adds to the story. Since, even though the main focus was on Oribella, you got to find out their back stories. The only problem I had with a character was with Oribella's mom. I understand that she was scared for Oribella, but also mad about how Oribella wouldn't be able to start her career again for a while. Though, she treated Ori like crap once she was diagnosed.
Jan's writing was endearing and compelling. She definitely wrote a cute little story with many layers of well developed characters, plot, ex. I'm looking forward to reading more by her.
Overall, Fairest Of Them All was great debut that I'm sure many teen girls will come to enjoy.
Grade: B+
Fairest of Them All (2009-08-17)
Fairest of Them All is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. Ori's story hooked me right from the beginning, and I really connected with her as a character. The world of beauty pageants sounds like a pretty scary one, and I'm glad I have absolutely no interest in anything like that. The pressures of glitz and glamour would be too much for me, not to mention the constant self-doubt and esteem issues that inevitably arise.
The way Ori deals with her alopecia is nothing but inspiring, though less can be said for her mother's reactions. She's so obsessed that she looks past her daughter's pain and suffering, and instead focuses on herself. Ori makes new friends, finds herself liking old ones, and manages to create a new life outside of pageants and appearances. She goes through a complete personality change, and is all the better for it. I loved this aspect of the novel; that in the face of her worst nightmare, Ori still carries on with day to day life, and doesn't let anything hold her back. Sometimes change is a good thing, and Jan Blazanin does a brilliant job of conveying the importance of family and friendships, rather than careers and looks. It's a powerful message, and is one that I hope a lot of people will learn from.
I can't wait to see what Blazanin comes up with next. If it's anything like Fairest of Them All, it'll be a must-read for me.
A Great Read! (2009-07-14)
Fairest of Them All takes the reader behind the scenes of beauty pageants, teen modeling, and what happens to a beauty queen when her "outer" beauty is taken away. I was fascinated by Oribella's transformation from an isolated model/actress to a normal teenager as she discovered that beauty isn't necessarily skin-deep. This book has it all: humor, fame, family deception, and a theme that is very prevalent in today's appearance-obsessed world. A must read!
What If (2009-07-13)
What if your dream were almost within your grasp, only to slowly drift away? What if your life-long goal suddenly seemed unattainable? How would you feel? What would you do?
Ms. Blazanin presents just such a problem for 15-year-old Oribella Bettencourt. A life-altering change forces Ori to forgo her prize, face rejection from her mother, and ridicule from her peers. With the support and friendship from someone she'd least expect, she comes to recognize what really is important. Ms. Blazanin does an excellent job painting Ori's psychological journey.
Highly recommended.
The Big Bad (2009-07-11)
Teen beauty queen, Oribella Bettincourt, is a focused, driven, easy-to-hate-because-she's-beautiful girl. Yes, maybe she's a little lonely. But she's on the verge of movie stardom. Until the Big Bad (hair day, that is). Eventually, she loses everything: her hair, her mother, her modeling gigs, her movie contract, her agent. And this is stressful. But what really kept me deeply engrossed in this story was Ori's attempt at metamorphosis. Can she become a friend? Be part of a group? Play as a team member? Will it make her truly happy? The story is never predictable, and the ending feels just right. A good read. A worthwhile read. I loved it.
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