Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans by Zoe Gaetjens (Penguin) PB RRP $19.99 (PB) ISBN 978 1 76135 801 2
Reviewed by Jude Mullen
Cleo Markson is in her final year of high school and trying
to navigate the uncertainties and insecurities that often accompany this stage
of life, especially when doing something new. Having a plan helps, and thanks
to her sister Emmy, Cleo has several plans, including one for her final school year.
Step 5 in this plan is “find your friends. Your real ones”.
Attending a four-week art school program during the
holidays is a courageous move for Cleo.
Although she is anxious and insecure at first, she is determined to stretch
herself and sit with her discomfort, even if it means having to look at and
draw live nude models. Making friends
with self-assured Remi and outgoing and gregarious Lachlan really helps Cleo to
feel more comfortable and at ease with herself and with being around others.
And then there is Mattias – quiet, attractive, and somewhat aloof. Cleo is instantly both attracted to him and unsettled
by the effect he has on her, and she isn’t sure how to read him let alone how
to talk to him.
This novel is much more than a teenage first-love
story. We discover that each of the characters is grappling with some tension
in their lives. We see Cleo work through issues around grief and anxiety and
emerge more confident and assured. The novel also subtly touches on pertinent
teenage concerns such as body positivity, consent and bullying.
It is a comfortable and fairly light read with nothing
too heavy or disturbing for teenage readers, but there is certainly enough to
keep them interested. The setting and context feel familiar, and the characters
are well-formed and very relatable. It would be suitable for teens aged
14-years and older, who are looking for a traditional, contemporary romance
story.
