The Daughters by Joanna Philbin

Release Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 288
Review Source: Library

Synopsis: (from Amazon.ca)
The only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, witty and thoughtful Lizzie Summers likes to stick to the sidelines. The sole heir to Metronome Media and daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen, outspoken Carina Jurgensen would rather climb mountains than social ladders. Daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones, stylish and sensitive Hudson Jones is on the brink of her own music breakthrough.

By the time freshman year begins, unconventional-looking Lizzie Summers has come to expect fawning photographers and adoring fans to surround her gorgeous supermodel mother. But when Lizzie is approached by a fashion photographer that believes she's "the new face of beauty," Lizzie surprises herself and her family by becoming the newest Summers woman to capture the media's spotlight.

My Thoughts:
Joanna Philbin is quite the talented writer, and probably because of being the daughter of Regis Philbin, she writes the character of Lizzie (and her friends Carina and Hudson) with an honesty that is full of emotion and heart. This isn't just another Clique or Gossip Girl series. It may involve the daughters of the rich and famous, but the book is really a coming of age experience for Lizzie, becoming comfortable with who she is. The whole concept of "ugly modeling" which was brought up in the book sticks out for me. I think it's actually quite an interesting and positive thing, when it's looked at from the perspective of those like the character of Andrea. She sees everyone as unique and beautiful, and wants to challenge the fashion industry, changing the true definition of beauty. Overall, The Daughters was a very fun, quick read that also contained emotional honesty. It is a promising start to a trilogy about these daughters of famous people who, underneath their privilege, are just normal kids.

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