10. The Fold by An Na

The Fold by An Na
ISBN: 0399242767
Putnam Juvenile, New York, 2008
192 pages

Teaser: What would you do if you could have free plastic surgery? Joyce must answer this question when her aunt wins the lottery and offers to pay for Joyce to have plastic surgery to give her the western eyelid fold that most Korean girls lack.

Summary: Joyce’s aunt wins the lottery and offers Joyce’s whole family expensive gifts that will help them improve themselves. Father gets special lifts for his shoes to help him look taller. Mother gets permanent makeup tattoos. Elder sister gets a membership to a matchmaking service. Brother gets shark oil pills that are supposed to make him grow taller. Joyce is offered plastic surgery to give her the western eye fold, to make her prettier and her eyes bigger. Unfortunately, most of these offers backfire. Father twists an ankle, Mother has an allergic reaction to the ink, brother gets the runs, and sister really doesn’t want to be set up with any of the boys. Joyce debates over the choice throughout much of the book. She really likes the idea of looking prettier, as she has always felt plain, especially compared to her beautiful older sister. She can see how ridiculous her parents’ and brother’s gifts turned out to be, but still can’t decide. Along the way she finds out why her sister wasn’t interested in the matchmaking service, and the family comes together to support each other. In the end, Joyce realizes she has to make the choice that is right for her, no matter what anyone else says.

Evaluation: I found the book a bit predictable, as I knew that like most teen beauty-issue books, Joyce would decide that she didn't need surgery to make her truly beautiful. Despite this, I did find myself wondering a few times if she would actually go through with it, and there were a few plot twists I hadn't expected.
The emotional struggles Joyce experienced were well-written, and I found myself understanding why Joyce was considering taking the plastic surgery, as well as why she ultimately declined. Her sister coming out as lesbian was a surprise, though I could see the foreshadowing after the secret was revealed. The lesbian issue was not a major issue, despite how controversial it is. The family pulled together and supported the older sister, and became closer for it. In the end, the "improvements" paid for by the aunt only really benefited the mother who got the permanent makeup, and even then, it did not turn out quite as planned. This book really was about learning to accept yourself as you are, and it isn't nearly as preachy as most books of this sort are. Joyce may not get the eyelid surgery, but she does get a special glue from the surgeon that will let her create a temporary fold for special occasions, or just when she needs an emotional boost. So it isn't about not paying attention to beauty ideals, it is more about not doing dangerous things to your body in search of these ideals.

Challenge issues and age group: Most of the book is focused on a teenager deciding if she wants to have plastic surgery in order to become closer to a female beauty ideal. The Joyce’s sister also admits that she is lesbian, though that is really more of a side issue, and is not the main issue. This book would be suitable for those twelve and up, though I think slightly older teens might get more out of the book.