Review | The End of OZ & Size Zero

 

These two books are quite different from each other but I found enjoyment in reading them both. One is the last book in a series which is a sequel to a classic story while the other is an account of a young woman and her experience as a model. If these minimal descriptions interest you, read on.

The End of OZ by Danielle Paige*

This is book four of the Dorothy Must Die Series. As of yet, I've only read book 3 of the series so am still unaware of the whole story. The End of OZ picks up where the last book finished with Amy, Nox & Madison being taken for a ride by the yellow brick road. They are dropped off in Ev, the home of the evil Nome King who has rescued Dorothy and wants to make her his bride. The trio must work with an old friend of Nox's in order to defeat the Nome King as well as their old enemy Dorothy.

I really enjoyed the book, I just think it's cool how the author came up with a creative sequel to a well-known story. While I haven't read the first two books I liked how Amy & Madison's relationship became more mature in a way. They put their differences & history aside to work together in a dangerous situation. Also, have to commend Madison who got thrown into a world she thought wasn't real and managed to keep herself together and was willing to help.

4 stars

Size Zero by Victoire Dauxerre*

This is an account of the author's experience as a fashion model. We've all heard the stories of what it is like for a model and this book really affirms that. It sounds horrible, honestly. Young girls are seduced by the glamour of it all but the realities are just awful. Victoire shares the pressure of being able to fit in a size 4. She only ate 3 apples a day to get her weight down and also used laxatives to keep it off. Alongside that pressure was how the models were treated, as live mannequins and walking clothes hangers. Made to stand for hours for a casting that they may not even get. The thing that really struck me was the loneliness of it all; the designers, hairdressers & makeup artists rarely spoke to them as well as the animosity between the models. The industry came off as cold and alienating. I would definitely recommend this book if you wanted a models perspective in the fashion industry.

3 stars

Have you read these books?

Ashley xx

* Review copies from HarperCollins NZ