It's often said that "clothes make the man (or woman)." But Zoe, the lead character in this funny and powerful novel, has a different take on the issue than most of us are used to encountering. She's the sister of Chloe, the main character in Lessing's last novel, She's Got Issues, and Zoe is definitely the opposite of her shoe-obsessed sibling. For Zoe's about to unleash a feminine revolution!

Her ideas pivot around debunking society's devastating effect on girls who don't look or dress pretty. How will she do it? She'll empower these traumatized girls into owning the fact that dressing (and acting as well as thinking) differently from everyone else is a statement of individuality that can plummet them into success in whatever relationship or situation that arises!

Zoe is weird, spunky, incredibly funny, and not afraid to confront any brick wall that threatens to obstruct her visionary goals. But what she hasn't counted on occurring are the opposition of her own sister and the nasty behavior of a jealous and angry co-worker, not to mention the antagonism of her boss's mother (who just happens to be Chloe's mother-in-law, ahem!).

The antics start out seemingly silly but then flesh out into a full-fledged war that first degenerates and then turns into a most unlikely soft touch that transforms everyone involved. Ah, what could it be? You won't want to make plans for evenings while you're reading this novel. Yet you will be both sad that the story's over and yet so happy about the unexpected ending you meet as you turn the last page.

Chick lit is changing! It's got plenty of light, fun-hearted laughs still but is beginning to get some meat over it's plot-driven bones! Congratulations, Stephanie Lessing - you're helping the genre acquire some definite, sophisticated class!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on January 12, 2007

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