Book Review: So Yesterday

Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque is a Trendsetter, on the second level of the pyramid. His job: find the newest, coolest thing for the retail market. His MO: observe, don't get involved. It's a pretty sweet deal until Hunter's boss disappears. Soon Hunter and his crush, Jen, become ensnared in a web of brand-name intrigue - a missing cargo of the coolest shoes they've ever seen, ads for products that don't exist, and a shadowy group dedicated to the downfall of consumerism as we know it.

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Imagine you've found a pair of shoes. THE AWESOMEST PAIR OF SHOES YOU HAVE EVER SEEN. And then they disappear. And THEN your boss goes missing. You think she's been kidnapped but you can't prove it. All you have is her phone and two tickets to a high level party that could lead to the answers but could also lead to danger.  What do you do? Well if you're like Hunter and Jen you disguise yourself, head to the party, and then uncover a group of fashion underworlders!

Sound kind of crazy? Sound kind of random? Sound kind of INSANE? Well that's So Yesterday in a nutshell. Its a weird mix of espionage and fashion with a little dash of romance. Its like a fluffy teen novel for boys. There's not a whole lot of substance to it, but So Yesterday still manages to be an okay book.

I'm one of those readers who really likes her stories to be character driven. If a book has great characters then I will probably love it. Unfortunately So Yesterday is definitely more plot driven. Its all about the spy elements and uncovering the secret behind an awesome pair of shoes. The characters are an afterthought. Hunter is a bit one dimensional. He's a Trendsetter; someone who spots trends and makes them "cool." Hunter could be almost anyone. He's not particularly unique. Jen on the other hand is all kinds of unique. She's an Innovator: someone who unwittingly starts trends. I liked Jen. She was fearless and apparently her taste in shoelaces is pretty rad. Overall I would have liked Hunter and Jen to have a bit more character development.

The main plot of So Yesterday is a bit confusing and also kind of cheesy. I mean who kidnaps people over cool shoes? Apparently people in the fashion industry. Hunter and Jen spend the whole story trying to discover who the "anti-client" is. They disguise themselves, watch seizure inducing cartoons, and break and enter into an office building, all to find the makers of a cool pair of shoes. All I can say is those shoes must have been REALLY COOL. Because honestly who risks their life and limb for a PAIR OF SHOES?! I don't know it just didn't really make sense to me. :/

One thing I loved about this book was the random interjections of fashion knowledge. Or just knowledge in general. My personal favorite was one section talking about the history of the Phoenicians and purple dye. Random, but enlightening! I'm a sucker for strange facts.

I give So Yesterday 3 out of 5 ice cream cones.

It was definitely an interesting read. I mean how many times do you read a book that mixes fashion with spy elements? Not very often. So Yesterday is, in a word, unique. If you like spies, fashion, or just really awesome shoes, then pick it up. You'll probably enjoy it.
5 Words to Describe This Book
Awesome shoes, espionage, fashion underworld

Julia :)