Johnson, Mauree. Devilish. Penguin/Razorbill, 2006. 288 pages. ISBN-10: 1595140603. ISBN-13: 978-1595140609.Plot:
Ally is one of the few things that makes St. Teresa's Preparatory School for Girls bearable for Jane. They have been best friends for years, even though they couldn’t be more different. Jane is sarcastic, non-conformist, and outspoken. Ally is shy, spastic and obsessed with the school’s events and traditions, especially that of getting a good “little sister” at the school’s annual ceremony. At the ceremony, Ally vomits front of the school and humiliates herself, but still ends up with a little sister after a mysterious new student, Lanalee, offers to pair up with her. When Ally starts acting weird, Jane soon figures out that there is something going on with her and Lanalee. It turns out that Lanalee is a demon and Ally has sold her soul for popularity. Jane offers to take Ally’s place, hoping that she can make a deal with Lanalee that will save both of them. Her decision puts into motion a series of events that will rock their school and possibly end up with Jane losing her soul in the process.
Critical Evaluation:
Devilish’s cover and premise are misleading. Upon seeing the book, a person might think that this would be another substanceless teen chick book. If they were to pass it over because of this, they would be missing out on a quick, thrilling, and intelligent read. Johnson presents an interesting twist on legend of Faust. The emissary of the devil is in the body of a teenage girl, the ambition is that of poise and popularity, and the setting is high school. What better set up could there be for that kind of bargain? Johnson’s writing is snappy and clever. Jane is a humorous and sarcastic narrator. Setting her up as narrator rather than Ally was a smart choice.
One of the most refreshing aspects of the story is Jane’s skepticism. Many novels, young adult and otherwise, contain an unrealistic level of acceptance in their characters when presenting fantastical elements. The characters are rarely shocked or disbelieving when encountering creatures that supposedly don’t exist. When Jane is confronted with the idea that her best friend has sold her soul to the devil, she assumes that Lanalee is simply manipulating Ally. Even after several unusual things happen directly to Jane, she still refuses to believe. It’s only after she has reached the point that she can no longer deny what’s happening that she begins to reluctantly accept it. Throughout all of this, though, her devotion to Ally is admirable. Even as their relationship becomes more strained and Ally betrays her, Jane is still determined to save her. This book is a wonderful example of the powerful friendships that can develop between teenage girls and one that readers will enjoy.
Reader's Annotation:
When Jane's best friend sells her soul to the devil in exchange for popularity, Jane must figure out how to save her before it's too late.
Author Information:
Maureen Johnson was born February 16, 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though not Catholic, she attended a Catholic Prep school for girls. She enjoyed high school and made several great friends while there. She used this experience as inspiration for her book Devilish. She then attended the University of Delaware to study Writing and went on to study Theatrical Dramaturgy and Writing at Columbia University. While there she worked several jobs to pay for her schooling, including working in a Las Vegas show, as an employee of a haunted house themed restaurant, and as a fake employee of a company to increase its employee numbers. She currently lives in New York and frequently travels to the UK, including time spent in Scotland on a writing fellowship.
Her first novel was published in 2004. She has since published 6 other novels, 2 compilations, and has 2 more novels set to be published in 2011. Though most of her books are not frequently challenged, her novel The Bermudez Triangle was challenged in 2007. Johnson has been noted for her quick response to the challenge and for her criticism of the typical practices that schools use when banning books.
Genre:
Chick Lit
Curriculum Ties:
English: Modern comparison to Faust
Booktalking Ideas:
- Compare Jane and Ally.
- Talk about what made Jane believe what Lanalee really is.
- Introduce Lanalee as a character.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
13 and Older
Challenge Issues:
Selling of souls to Satan
Violence
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
I discovered this book while working on our genre project. Though I had a fairly negative view of chick lit before, this book is one that helped change my mind.
