Author - Lisi Harrison
ISBN - 9780316115049
Publication Date - August 2006
Plot - Generated from the Clique series of novels, the story Dial L for Loser is a rather uncomplicated tale, despite the complications that the characters try to throw at each other. The plot consists of the girls heading out to Los Angeles to audition for a part after being expelled from OCD. Dylan's mother ends up getting them the opportunity to audition for the part after the lead of the films quit. Claire ends up landing the lead role in the movie and the other two auditioned, Massie and Alicia, pretend to be happy for her. Claire works hard and does well but her "friends" have something special in story for her. They end up ambushing her on a segment of Dial L for Loser, humiliating her on live TV.
Critical Review- Complexity is not the name of the game when it comes to much of the Chic Lit genre. Most of what is interesting about them is not about the major plots, but about the minor subplots and gossip that is being bantered about. The curiosity comes from understanding what each character is thinking and how they are going to react to the other characters in the novel. Although the reasons for doing certain things seem to not be all that complex after gaining an understanding for who each character is. Massie is the leader and gets upset when attention is drawn away from her. Alicia is the second in the group although she is the lead gossip and will go along for whatever Massie wants. Claire is the one who is kind of the outsider as she is not one who has money, and yet she is beautiful and has a pleasant personality which ingratiates her to the rest of the group. However she is also the one who is more innocent, and thus others have the ability to trick her more often. While one can easily understand the novels by understanding the motives of the characters, it is a creditable enough entry in the series to be mildly amusing.
Critical Review- Complexity is not the name of the game when it comes to much of the Chic Lit genre. Most of what is interesting about them is not about the major plots, but about the minor subplots and gossip that is being bantered about. The curiosity comes from understanding what each character is thinking and how they are going to react to the other characters in the novel. Although the reasons for doing certain things seem to not be all that complex after gaining an understanding for who each character is. Massie is the leader and gets upset when attention is drawn away from her. Alicia is the second in the group although she is the lead gossip and will go along for whatever Massie wants. Claire is the one who is kind of the outsider as she is not one who has money, and yet she is beautiful and has a pleasant personality which ingratiates her to the rest of the group. However she is also the one who is more innocent, and thus others have the ability to trick her more often. While one can easily understand the novels by understanding the motives of the characters, it is a creditable enough entry in the series to be mildly amusing.
Reader's Annotation- Claire is going on an all expenses paid trip to Hollywood and has landed the lead in a picture. Will everything go smoothly for her? Not if Massie has anything to say about it.
About the Author- Lisi Harrison was born in Toronto Canada, and raised Jewish for much of her young life. She continued in Hebrew school all the way til the ninth grade. From there she went to a public high school. Her education then continued as she went to be a fill major at a school in Montreal. After being in there two years she was convinced she would be a better writer than a film maker and dropped out. She would then pursue a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Writing.
From there she moved on to working for MTV in a casting position, eventually putting her writing degree to use writing for the network, finally becoming head of network development. While working at MTV she developed the idea for the Clique series and began writing the novels. Eventually she was able to quit and pursue her goal of being a full-time writer.
From there she moved on to working for MTV in a casting position, eventually putting her writing degree to use writing for the network, finally becoming head of network development. While working at MTV she developed the idea for the Clique series and began writing the novels. Eventually she was able to quit and pursue her goal of being a full-time writer.
Genre- Chic Lit
Curriculum Ties - Compare and contrast to the novels of social manners by Jane Austen. How are the themes different. Would these people have ended up disgraced in a Jane Austen work?
Booktalking Ideas - How is the Clique Series and much of the Chic Lit works in general a more modern day novel about manners?
Reading Level/Interest Age - Grade 9+
Challenge Issues - Backbiting, gossip and just a little sex can get a novel banned.
Overcoming challenges - Have a comparison chart with a good Jane Austen novel. Discuss the characters of ill repute and how they are impacted negatively, and compare to what happens in a novel like Dial L for Loser.
Overcoming challenges - Have a comparison chart with a good Jane Austen novel. Discuss the characters of ill repute and how they are impacted negatively, and compare to what happens in a novel like Dial L for Loser.
Why Included - I just decided I would get a final chic lit novel, as I wanted to have a wide variety of Chic literature included.
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