Vintage Veronica

Erica S. Perl's VINTAGE VERONICA tells of a vintage clothing place and fashion-minded Veronica Wash, who is fat and has no friends. Her summer job at the clothing store will change her life in more ways than one in this fine story.

When I first read the plot summary for VINTAGE VERONICA, I classified it as a cute and didn't really expect it to have any depth, but that first impression was entirely off! Erica Perl has written a novel full of quirky characters that captured my heart and has managed to tell a story that the Veronica in all of us can relate to. The setting and characters of VV were colorful and utterly unforgettable. The only way that I can really describe the feel of the book as is off beat. The easiest way I can describe the novel is by referencing Ellen Page films, like JUNO and WHIP IT. The characters in those films are quirky and seem to stick in your mind as if held there by superglue. Veronica is the star of the novel, but I was most drawn to Len, the mysterious and awkward stock boy. He is so much more than what he seems when the reader is briefly introduced to him at the beginning of the novel. I loved discovering the magic of Len as Veronica spends more time with him. I really liked that he isn't the normal heartthrob character or the tortured bad boy; he's just Len - and that's all he needs to be. Given that I adore Len, it is understandable that I'm a fan of the romance between him and Veronica. However, it wasn't simply my feelings about Len's character that pulled me into their love story, it was the truthfulness. Len and Veronica's relationship is not perfect, but it is awkward, painful, and so, so tender. There are some romances that take you by storm and you are so totally enraptured in one another that there really isn't very much awkwardness. This is not the case in VV, partly because Veronica tries so hard to keep a cool head about the whole situation and doesn't allow herself to be overwhelmed by her feelings, in the beginning at least. And when one overanalyzes as much as Veronica, there is always going to be some uncomfortable moments. I think that in real life, people generally fit into that second category, so I found this love story particularly touching.

I must confess that I was first attracted to the book because of its cover. It had a vintage dress on a hanger, and very happy colors. When I started reading it, however, I was not able to put it down. I cannot say that I was a fat girl as a child or a teenager, but like Veronica, I felt different, and I did not always find common ground with kids my age. Veronica is a very smart, and very lonely girl who has been passed on by her parents and by her peers. She is shy and at times defensive, but she does not know that she is braver than she thinks she is. It takes courage to dress in '50s clothing. It takes courage to take on a new job and to find new friends. She does it all. At the end she finds courage to stand up for herself, and most importantly she starts believing in herself. There is only one con to this book: namely, that it sucks you in. Once you start reading it, you will not be able to put it down.

Vintage Veronica is a refreshingly original and quirky story with characters that I would actually want to be friends with. Veronica's parents are divorced, she's overweight and her mom is always trying to fix her. The one highlight of her life is vintage clothes. Drawing them, going to the "fleas" to buy them, and putting everything together to make the perfect outfit of a poufy skirt with a vintage guayabera shirt, men's bowling shoes and cat eye sunglasses. She's thrilled when she gets her dream job at the Clothing Bonanza, a vintage clothing Mecca, working in the Consignment Corner sorting through vintage clothes. What I loved about Veronica is that yes - she's overweight and she doesn't have the greatest situation at home but she never feels sorry for herself, she's confident and marches to the beat of her own drummer! That's not to say she's not susceptible to peer pressure at times. Salesgirls Zoe and Ginger take Veronica under their wing and ask her to spy on the stock boy whom she also suspects of stealing and she does. What she finds is a kindred spirit in Len, an awkward boy who collects reptiles. When Zoe & Ginger plot against Len, Veronica has to make some tough choices to save Len's job and his beloved pet skink Violet. I am not someone who is into fashion, vintage or otherwise, but Perl's descriptions of the raw deal - dollar a pound and other store lingo were so vivid, it had me wanting to find a vintage clothing store to check out. This is a great little story with a sweet romance. The Clothing Bonanza is a character all its own!

I related to this first novel by Erica Perl in so many ways. The lonely "fat girl" told the story from her point of view but Perl has an amazing ability to use Veronica's voice to describe the mean girls, "geeky" boys and struggling parents in a way that makes us relate to all of them - and understand why they act the way they do. Veronica's voice was pitch perfect - lonely but strong and I fell in love with her character almost immediately. Her first true love affair with the "Nail" was sweet and innocent and real. There are no stereotypes in this book - everyone will surprise you. It is very difficult to believe that this is Perl's debut novel. I also think a mature fifth grader could read this book.