Scooter Chronicles

Back on Thursday I finished reading “One Model Summer” by Paulina Porizkova.

Thanks to Publishers Weekly and Amazon.Com, here is a quick rundown about the book:

Set in 1980, this smooth, predictable first novel by model, actress and children’s book author Porizkova tells the story of Jirina, who arrives in Paris a beautiful 15-year-old aspiring model. A Swede of Czech background, Jirina escapes teasing classmates when she’s discovered and shipped off to a well-known modeling agency. Leaving behind divorced, unsympathetic parents and a beloved little sister, Jirina moves into the apartment of agency head Jean-Claude; his depressed ex-model wife, Marina; their neglected baby daughter; and another Swedish teen model. As household tensions rise, Jirina strikes out on her own, befriending the famous model Evalinda (also from Sweden), a gay makeup artist and a rich, cultured man who worships her—all while nursing a crush on a dashing Australian photographer. Jirina slowly gains confidence; meanwhile, those around her abuse drugs, have abortions, attempt suicide, get gay-bashed and die tragically. Jirina loses her virginity, finds disappointment in love and learns to use sex to forward her career.

Now this isn’t my usual type of reading. Most of you reading this already know this. But there was one main reason that led me to read this, but it was followed by a few smaller ones. That main reason was that the author Paulina Porizkova was once a famous model. (For those that don’t know, she is married to former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek.) And it was thanks to her image on the COVER of the 1985 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue that I developed a boyhood crush on her. The smaller reasons were that some have said that this book is pretty good and that she can write. Another was to see the modeling world from the inside. (Though I had heard it wasn’t all “peaches and cream” before.)

The obvious reason that this book is believable is Porizkova’s close association to the trade. To go a few steps further, she is also of Czech descent, one time lived in Sweden, and was 15 years old when discovered and shipped off to Paris. So part of this may be autobiographical, who knows. (I would have to read more about that.)

The book as a whole makes an interesting story. But there are flaws. One that is pointed out in a couple of reviews I read is the fact that the narrator is 15 years old, yet she has the voice of a 35 year old. Also, there are times when Jirina doesn’t question serious things going on around, yet at other times is caught up in the happenings that probably shouldn’t be important.

Author Paulina Porizkova

The real zest to this book though is what she discovers as she goes on. How rudely she is treated by some, and how others embrace her as their own. How fast people turn on her, and her self doubt that she will even survive. All that happens to her and her friends makes for an entertaining story. Some of the characters are more believable then Jirina herself.

Another issue some have had with the story is the ending. It leaves a lot of issues open. One of them is HUGE. It did leave me feeling a little cheated, but then again the idea at the start of the book (and it’s blared out clearly in the title) that Jirina is only planning on working through the summer and will return to school in Sweden that fall. So when you get to the end of the story, though there are things left up in the air, it is also the end of the prescribed time the story is said to cover. And in some ways this is a good thing. What does Jirina do about these issues? Who knows? There are times when it is good not to know the outcomes of some issues in a book. If everything was wrapped up nicely at the end, it would make a boring read. Given the timeline that is stated at the start, though a bit unsatisfying at the end, it stuck with the plan.

I am not sure if I would run out to buy Porizkova’s next novel, but I would probably read it if found used or traded through BookMooch (not an intended plug, but there it is anyway). Her prose was good enough to show that if she works on executing the story, she can make it as a good novelist.