Plastic Angel

by Nerissa Nields

A moving, funny first novel by an acclaimed singer-songwriter about friendship, music, and being true to who you are--even if it means disappointing your parents and everyone around you.

That was Angela has been a child model all her life, the baby on the cake mix box, the cutie pie in the toy commercial. She was mom's pride and joy, the celebri-toast of her tiny town. Back then choices, priorities, and rules were made for her. No one thought to ask 'Gellie' what she wanted to do, nor had she asked herself. She was a sweet and obedient cipher, a plastic angel.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this funny and touching book, about a couple of 13 year old best friends who decide to form their own band. Nields captures the narrator's voice really well, as she traces the ups and downs the girls experience on their way to their first gig. The author is one-half of the folk-pop band the Nields, whom I have been following for over 30 years, so I guess it's no surprise I was into this, but I appreciated the her novel-writing voice is as warm and funny as her songwriting voice.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I have read a book that has teen and tween girls as its target audience, but Plastic Angel is such a book. I first heard the music of Nerissa and Katryna Neilds about 3 1/2 years ago through an internet radio station. The album This Town Is Wrong, which has several songs that have become favorites, is essentially a soundtrack for Plastic Angel, and that is what led me to venture into the Young Adult section of the library to pick it up.

Plastic Angel tells the story of Randi Rankin and her best friend, Angela Riddle, during the summer between eighth and ninth grades. Randi narrates the story, and through the course of the novel, she negotiates familiar territory for a 13 year old--friendship, parental demands, and trying to fit in. In addition, Randi's parents fight frequently, and Angela's mother pushes her to become a successful model.

Over the course of the summer, Randi and Angela form a band, and it is the one place where each girl feels that she can be herself. As they practice and write songs, they face some resistance from parents but also encouragement from friends. One of the songs they write together asks the question, "Why don't you make the rules?" By the end of the novel, Randi and Angela discover that making the rules is within their power. I have little experience in this area, but I think girls between 10 and 15 would enjoy this book. I did, anyway. :)

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care for the "Description" of this book at all: not really accurate.

I really enjoyed this book. Some good fodder for teen and tween girls about being yourself, embracing creativity, and finding your own way separate from your parents. My 11 yr old daughter is reading it now and seems to be enjoying it.

I did not realize until I FINISHED the book that this was written by Nerissa Nields, who is part of one of my favorite indie girl bands, The Nields. I had to spend a few minutes just sitting and thinking about that fact. It explains why the lyrics of the music the girls write are so good! A pleasing find, and a pleasing book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes Plastic Angel CD with 2 songs. Thirteen-year-old Randi, an aspiring singer-songwriter, spends the summer forming a band called Plastic Angel with her friend Gellie, and together they also make some decisions about the kind of people they want to be.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. It was ok picked it up at the library if you have nothing to read its fine but dont expect anything from this mainly dry book.

[Angeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this because I put it down and read other things. I read most of it tonight, while waiting for and riding the train on my home. I continuously read. By the time I got out of the train, I was almost done. I officially reached the last page when I got home. That mostly says something about my country's transportation system but this book, if you are into it, you can have fun reading it in one day.

The first two chapters weren't that intriguing (reason wht I stopped reading and just re-read the first two chapters last week) but I couldn't stop reading once Randi and Gellie talked about music. They are basically 13 year old best friends having fun doing the same thing despite their differences and their parents. (They are underage, after all.) It's a light read -- perfect for tweens.

I have to say that I was expecting this to be a book about Angela (Gellie). The back cover talked about her and not much about Randi. I was a bit surprised when the book is in Randi's point of view. This is more about Randi and Gellie rather than just either girl. Not that much of a problem in the very end. Still enjoyed it.

Lastly, I wonder if there is a Part 2 for this book... It would be nice to know what happened after. This is the THIRD -- Better than Perfect by Melissa Kantor and Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy -- music-related novel I read which ended before a performance. Hahaha.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with laughter and tears, Plastic Angel is a wonderful story of two girls wanting to become more than what they are. Angela has been brought up as a child model her whole life. Her mom praises her endlessly, but now Angela is getting tired of it. She wants to do what she wants. She wants to have a normal life. Her friend Gellie wants what Angela has. She wants to be famous and known. The two girls miraculous have stayed friends since childhood. The only thing that seems to help their wants is when they play their guitars and sing.

This book really touched me when I first read it. I really though of myself when I was reading about Gellie. I too had wanted those things. I wanted to be noticed and famous and pretty. As the book goes on and Gellie realizes what she really wants, that's when I found that out about myself too. Readers grow with these two girls. This book is an incredible story of letting go what's holding you back and I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to experience that sense of letting struggles, hardships, and more go.

[D.J. Sylvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really kind of noncomittal as far as this book goes -- it wasn't bad, but it didn't really have anything new / interesting to offer. Admittedly, I'm not the target audience, but I felt like there could have been a lot more depth and originality in the story.

I had trouble believing the main character, too -- a lot of the little touches that would usually provide insight into who she is felt false. For instance, the quotes that are mentioned as taped up on her wall; these seemed more designed by the author to reflect on the action in the story, not really something that a teenage girl would have chosen on her own.

The main message of the book is a good one, and it's very arts-friendly which is great if you have a young one you're hoping to encourage. I just wish it were a stronger novel overall.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about two girls who are different from everybody else who happen to be best friends. They hang out and figure out that they both can play music. The only problem is one of their mothers. She wants Gellie to be famous and rich and a professional model/actress. Anyway, they decide to form a band, but they fight a lot because of the modeling, but of course, they totally make it in the end with a gig for their band and everything. The characters were definitely not Mary-Sues, which is something I'm not used to reading, but was alright in it's own way. The girls had problems and tempers and were selfish and agnostic, but it was really funny so it was okay. I would give this 3/5 stars, because it definitely could have been better , but it wasn't overall bad. I say that people who want to give up should read this.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of YA fiction, but was curious enough since Nerissa Nields of the folk-rock band/duo The Nields has been doing readings from this book forever (since long before it was published) and because it's tied to the themes of several of their recent albums. It's pretty good, I think, although I'm not really capable of gauging by the standards of the genre. There are two girls in their early teens, close friends, tugged by families with competing ideals about life goals. The love of music plays a key role in their story, and Nields describes music-making with genuine joy and apparent insight.

[Kyuwon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plastic Angel, by Nerissa Nields, was one of the best books about friendship I've read over this summer. This books shows a life of two girls, who has totally different lives. What will you do if your mom tries to control your life? You're just a puppet of your mom, doing what your mom wants you to do. Will you take a rist of facing your mom and trying to get your own life, doing what you want to do?

[LouAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book, Nerissa Nields is a song writer/singer and she actually has recorded the songs that the main characters Randie and Angela write and play in the book!
Check out one at--
http://lala.com/zYxE

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for anyone who belives that anything is possible. It about two girls who are besties. Gellie is a model and atress. Her mom will not let her be in a band with her friend. So Gellie and her friend fights to be in a band Plastic Angel.

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute but Nerissa should keep on singing... I gave it to my Yaley sister for Christmas.

[jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.
I am eagerly anticipating The Big Idea and also How to Be a Grownup.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, but there were some issues with keeping the tense the same through out. Worth the read.

[Kendall]

This book was pretty slow in the beginning as well, but got waaaaaaay better.

[Megan Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really liked this book!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty nice story. names of characters were all distracting.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic coming-of-age novel that teaches you how to be your own person. I would recommend it to any young adult.

[Miranda]

This book was amazing it had family,friend, and personal problems incorporated into it. it compared to different worlds.

[Julie Bernstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to discover that your tween daughter checked a book out of the library written by one of your favorite folk musicians. :-)