The Dirt by Lori Culwell Review

Title: The Dirt
Author: Lori Culwell
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Publish Date: November 22, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 206
Source: Publisher

Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It’s not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school – and practically the whole town.

Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy’s dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect – as long as the wedding goes smoothly.

Lucy lives in the shadow of her sister, Sloane. Pretty and popular, Sloane dominates the school with her posse of mean girls, while Lucy feels like she lives in the dregs. But while she might be the black sheep, Lucy's certain that life is about to change, and she's on the cusp of the something new. Her father's remarrying, her dream to leave Palm Desert is about to become a reality and all that stands between her and freedom is one little wedding. It will all go smoothly. It has to...but will it?

Ok, fine, I'll admit it. I'm starting to have a bit of a soft spot for the occasional contemporary story, but I will adamantly maintain that I am always looking for something that steps outside the mold into something just a little bit more than the average book. Veteran author, Lori Culwell, has crafted a sweetly fun, sardonically hilarious and dangerously biting novel with The Dirt, perfectly capturing two radically different sisters in an engaging light. With her fast-paced plot and delicately crafted prose, The Dirt resonates into a fun story that reads almost like a film, capturing your heart from start to finish.

Lucy is one of those characters that just brings the story to life. She's a full-bodied character that leaps from the pages with every emotion, action and inaction throughout The Dirt. She wants nothing more than to escape because she can't possibly see a way to making life in Palm Desert with her practically perfect sister, Sloane, around. In perfect contrast, Sloane was the embodiment of popularity. Conceited and snotty, she resonated disdain, perfectly deflecting Lucy's character. The Dirt, though perhaps hugging a bit too closely to stereotypes was a fun and fast read that locks you into the story of the characters and gives you a reason to read through to the very end. It begins with a bang and spirals through, giving you all the best of contemporary in a slim and engaging read - love, coming of age and a touch of wit and humor to lift your spirits.

The Dirt was a surprisingly fun read for me. It's not my normal cup of tea, but I actually really enjoyed it, in large part because it was so well crafted. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all YA fans, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.