Book Review: “Beauty Queens”

By Libba Bray
Scholastic Press, 2011

Reviewed by Tasman Anderson, 18
Australia

There is no guilty pleasure as good or as shameful as making fun of beauty queens.  So when I received New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray’s novel, Beauty Queens, I was skeptical as to whether it had any real depth. Fortunately, I was wrong.

Bray’s hilarious novel is about a group of Miss Teen Dream pageant contestants struggling to survive after their plane crashes on a deserted island, killing a majority of their fellow contenders. From the very first page of the book, we are invited into Bray’s hilarious world, where plane crashes and death come in a distant second to torn designer threads. As the story progresses, we see each young lady transform from a shallow, self-absorbed girl into a strong, charismatic, and tenacious woman.

Bray’s ability to show each contestant’s individual personality makes it easy for readers to connect with the characters and pick a favorite. After reading the first three chapters, I fell in love with Miss New Hampshire, Adina Greenberg. Out of all the other women, she seemed to be the most aware of herself. As the story continued, I saw her flourish and provide strength to those who needed it most, while those around her fell apart.

Even though I had my reservations at first, I was impressed by the quick wit and inner turmoil that the women had to face. Bray has shown that there is more to the beauty queen world than just lipstick and bright bikinis. I recommend this book to anyone who finds it hard to see the true beauty that lies beneath the surface.

This book is part of our Summer Book Buzz series. Click here to read more reviews of our summer reading recommendations!