Gloss by Marilyn Kaye

Macmillan Children's Books, 2013. ISBN 9781447223979.
(Age: Teenagers) Recommended. Gloss written by bestselling American author Marilyn Kaye brings forth a deep and meaningful story set in 1963 about four American girls who have won a competition to become interns at a famous national fashion magazine called Gloss. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela all step out into an amazing big city called New York where the head of Gloss magazine is situated. Sherry is a southern belle who has her future planned out and ready to go. But, in the city of dreams, not all of their dreams come true or turn out as expected; the big adventure begins with the dream job of thousands of teen girls and four girls with totally different personalities and ideas about their future.
The way author Marilyn Kaye alternates between the four girls throughout chapters is ingenious and insightful; it helps the reader familiarise themselves with the back story, personal information and personality of each character while having an overview of the storyline. The language used, even though some terms and words may be slightly out dated - the novel being set in the 60's - is all still understandable and relatable to current language. The novel itself is a fantastic read and a definite recommendation for teenagers.
(Sarah Filkin, Student)