{"id":38,"date":"2007-06-30T14:26:25","date_gmt":"2007-06-30T19:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.canarynoir.com\/sn\/?p=38"},"modified":"2022-10-16T13:50:52","modified_gmt":"2022-10-16T18:50:52","slug":"the-plain-janes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canarynoir.com\/sn\/2007\/06\/the-plain-janes\/","title":{"rendered":"The Plain Janes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"I’m not sure why I didn’t order this title with my monthly comics when it was advance-solicited in Previews<\/em>, but I finally <\/em>picked it up at Barnes & Noble yesterday, and am I glad I did!<\/p>\n

I could not put it down.\u00a0 I had to, though, because my errand-running ran late, and I had to rush to meet my\u00a0friend for dinner (“one more page… okay, ONE more page… AIGH! LATE!”)<\/p>\n

Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a doldrums as far as reading is concerned.\u00a0 I haven’t found too many books that capture my attention enough for me to just want to sit and read them.\u00a0 I get distracted and go off and do other things, but THIS book not only held my attention, it riveted it.\u00a0 I’m sitting here typing this and thinking about just rereading it, because it was that<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

The Plain Janes <\/em>tells the story of Jane, a high school freshman from the big city who, after a very traumatic incident, decides to become someone different, someone stronger and able to face up to anything. Her also-traumatized parents take her and flee the city for the “safety” of a very distant suburban setting.<\/p>\n

But this is not an angsy, typical girl-against-world story.\u00a0 This is the much more subversive and moving story of a girl who wants to change the world and herself by making those around her happy.<\/em><\/p>\n

On her first day at her suburban-boring school, she’s invited to join the cool-girl table–shades of Buffy <\/em>and any number of other teen-girl stories where the potentially cool girl is offered her entree into the Popular Crowd.\u00a0Jane rejects this, but that isn’t the story. This isn’t the story of Jane and her new uncool friends versus the popular crowd. Like Buffy<\/em>, this story is much too good for that. Jane <\/strong>herself is much too good for that.\u00a0Jane wants her life to be more interesting and meaningful and artistic.\u00a0Jane also does not find new friends; she literally makes <\/em>them by the force of her great personality, determination, and the charm and beauty of her ideas.<\/p>\n

I can’t really do justice to this title.\u00a0 It is such a fantastic story starring such appealing characters, especially Jane herself, and coupled with simple, clean, consistent artwork that never overwhelms nor detracts from the story, that you’ll just have to read it. It is surprising, moving, funny, and never over-done.<\/p>\n

If every Minx title is even half as good as Plain Janes<\/em>, DC Comics has a great thing on their hands.\u00a0 But even if\u00a0this were the only title they ever published under the Minx imprint (it isn’t; I’m just making a slightly hyperbolic declaration here), it should be considered a success for having brought this delightful story to the world.<\/p>\n

Buy it. Read it. Give it to every YA-aged person you know. And hope that every YA-aged person you know is lucky enough to either be or know someone like\u00a0Jane.<\/p>\n

Other opinions:<\/strong><\/p>\n