Review: Oh My Goth

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter
Publisher: MTV
Pub. Date: July 4, 2006
Pages: 256
Age Level: YA

Synopsis
A fiercely individualist Goth girl wakes up to discover that the whole world has gone Goth and she's actually -- gag -- popular.

Jade Leigh is a nonconformist who values individuality above all else. She has a small group of like-minded Goth friends who wear black, dabble in the dark arts, and thrive outside the norm. They're considered the "freaks" of their high school. But when Jade's smart mouth lands her in trouble -- again -- her principal decides to teach her a lesson she'll never forget.

Taken to a remote location where she is strapped down and sedated, Jade wakes up in an alternate universe where she rules the school. But her best friends won't talk to her, and the people she used to hate are all Goth. Only Clarik, the mysterious new boy in town, operates outside all the cliques. And only Mercedes, the Barbie clone Jade loathes, believes that Jade's stuck in a virtual reality game -- because she's stuck there, too, now living the life of a "freak."

Together, they realize they might never get back to reality...and that even if they do, things might never be the same.

Review
Oh My Goth wasn’t quite what I expected. I mainly thought it would just be a quick and funny book, but it was much more than that. Gena Showalter managed to tie-in subtle but important messages about prejudice, cliques, and maintaining a self appreciation for who you are, an individual. She also shows how your opinions on people and ideas can change when you are placed in a totally different scenario. Somehow the author managed to sneak all this in without being preachy about it and still write a sassy and enjoyable story.

The characters, though at times a tad bit cliché, were likeable, relatable, and well developed. Everyone seemed to have their own little secrets, which made things more interesting. Jade really reminded me of a friend I have who is a self declared non-conformist. I liked how the main characters had all changed in one way or another by the end. They weren‘t static like some characters in other books I’ve read.

The only issue I had with the writing was Jade’s vocabulary usage. It just wasn’t very realistic for a seventeen-year-old. It was too developed in my opinion. That being said, I felt everything else was appropriate and fit this particular kind of story.

I positively loved the ending. Everything was tied up nicely and was exactly what I would have hoped for. I don’t think I’d change a single thing about it. I just wish real life situations could end that way, for they rarely do. If you read it, you’ll see what I mean.

This was a wonderful and enticing novel that I definitely plan to re-read. I recommend Oh My Goth to anyone, adult or teen, popular or outcast. It really got me thinking and I love that quality in a book. I’d tell you more but I don’t want to ruin it, so you’ll just have to take my word for it and read it. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy.

Grade
Characters: B
Writing: B
Plot: B+
Ending: A-
Cover: B
Recommendable: A

Overall: B