Again, I found this book from my suki online bookshop, LifeIs Like a Book Page on Multiply Even if Ate Maricar sells second hand books,
they are in great condition and can still pass as brand new because its original
owners know how to take care of them very well, most especially the hardbound
ones. I found this book in another one of last year’s album, and have wanted to
read it for some time now. I saw another copy in another supplier’s album but I
was too late because it was already sold out.
But this time, I was lucky to have it reserved. And now as I
have finished reading it, I can share some insights about Vintage Veronica by
Erica Perl. Now you can see why it attracted me to read the novel in the first
place. It says vintage and the cover sure reflects it.
A healthy dose of vintage clothing for teen/ YA lit
Highlights of the Book
If you are into vintage flannel, embroidered patterns, lace and all things vintage, you might just enjoy reading Vintage Veronica. If you are a confessed collector and frequent "visitor" of the flea market, then this might just be the bedtime reading that you need.
But beyond just the Dollar a Pound vintage clothing store, you can see that the people in it are all a handful of characters that have their quirks and pet peeves. Veronica is a fat girl who thinks that she is doing fine all on her own until her mother encourages her to meet other people and make friends. She sure does meet people and make friends thanks to Zoe and Ginger who think they pretty much run the store in the fitting room areas. However, when they let Veronica in on a secret, confirming their suspicions that Claire and a boy named Lenny are running a stolen goods ring, Veronica feels that she has won friends and have some people to laugh with instead of people laughing at her. Now she is let in on a Secret Spy Girl pact and has to update Zoe and Ginger about Lenny's activities. She even follows him to his house and confronts him!
But there is so much more about Lenny that none of theSecret Spy Girl trio know. Is accusing Lenny of stealing something to be taken seriously?
Each chapter has a fun illustration of vintage clothing pieces, like a pink flannel pajama top, or an embroidered full skirt. Sometimes one might think that Veronica’s character is patterned after the author herself who is equally obsessed with vintage clothing too.
What I also like about the book is that I can closely picture what’s going on, I have a close vision of what the Clothing Bonanza
store looks like, how slim Veronica’s mother is, and I can almost hear Lenny’s voice as he argues in his backyard as he buries beloved Dep.
Conclusion
I picked out this book for light reading, something to look
forward to during weekends or even for some bedtime reading with a lamp (hooray
I already have a lamp with clear light!). Admittedly, there is some fun
dialogues the reader can pick up between Lenny and Veronica in their
conversations but let me not spoil it for you.
I am proud to say though that my copy came with a paper
bookmark and it sure suits the book and the plot. There is magic in the book,
and it comes really subtle and you have to feel it, which probably makes this
book a keeper somehow.
Did I like reading the book? I would have to say yes,
because it touches on what most of us want to feel, and that is having to stop
being lonely. Here, Veronica wants to belong, even if it means spending some
time with two snotty girls, which at first she thinks is cool because she gets
to have “friends”. But as the friendship between her and Zoe and Ginger take
unexpected turns, she finds out who the real friends can be, and they usually
show up in the unexpected persons of Bill and Lenny, and of course, her Mom.
Because Veronica prefers to spend most of her time in Employees Only!, she does
not know what she is missing to where the real action is in terms of vintage
clothing.
Also, just like any teen, Veronica does have a rocky
relationship with her Mom because they tend to see things in a different light,
but the key to resolving this is through some good old, honest girl talk.
Erica Perl’s writing style is a relief, such that it is very
easy to read. It is suitable for teens and young adults who want a refreshing,
easy read. I would not recommend it to pre-teens however, because there is a
makeout scene in the middle of the book and f***k appears too often in the
conflict scenes. There are also behavioural problems that may not be good
examples for preteens but I feel that it is important to show because these
actions contribute to the characterization in the book.
Erica S. Perl is a third generation connoisseur of vintage
clothing, fabric, and collectibles. She honed her thrifting skills at the
fertile resale bins of Vermont, Louisiana, New York and Massachusetts. Erica
was inspired to write about Vintage Veronica after consigning some items at the
Garment District, the legendary Cambridge, Massachusetts second hand store.
Although fans of the Garment District will likely recognize the influence of
some of the store’s customs and characters, Vintage Veronica is mostly a work
of fiction.
A former trial lawyer, Erica lives in Washington, D.C.
Vintage Veronica is her first novel.
(2010)
Winner of the 2011
Gold Star Award and Hall of Fame Placement
“Wonderful novel with quirky characters”-Sara
“Pitch perfect voices”-J. Chessen
“Refreshingly original and quirky story”-Karen
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