Off the Record
May 2021 · Sold by Knopf Books for Young Readers
5.0star
3 reviews
Ebook
320
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
The behind-the-scenes access of Almost Famous meets the searing revelations of metoo in this story of a teen journalist who uncovers the scandal of the decade.
Ever since seventeen-year-old Josie Wright can remember, writing has been her identity, the thing that grounds her when everything else is a garbage fire. So when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile for Deep Focus magazine, she's equal parts excited and scared, but also ready. She's got this.
Soon Josie is jetting off on a multi-city tour, rubbing elbows with sparkly celebrities, frenetic handlers, stone-faced producers, and eccentric stylists. She even finds herself catching feelings for the subject of her profile, dazzling young newcomer Marius Canet. Josie's world is expanding so rapidly, she doesn't know whether she's flying or falling. But when a young actress lets her in on a terrible secret, the answer is clear: she's in over her head.
One woman's account leads to another and another. Josie wants to expose the man responsible, but she's reluctant to speak up, unsure if this is her story to tell. What if she lets down the women who have entrusted her with their stories? What if this ends her writing career before it even begins? There are so many reasons not to go ahead, but if Josie doesn't step up, who will?
From the author of Full Disclosure, this is a moving testament to the MeToo movement, and all the ways women stand up for each other.
"Brave, necessary, and unflinchingly real, Off the Record is an instant classic." --Marieke Nijkamp, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends
Ever since seventeen-year-old Josie Wright can remember, writing has been her identity, the thing that grounds her when everything else is a garbage fire. So when she wins a contest to write a celebrity profile for Deep Focus magazine, she's equal parts excited and scared, but also ready. She's got this.
Soon Josie is jetting off on a multi-city tour, rubbing elbows with sparkly celebrities, frenetic handlers, stone-faced producers, and eccentric stylists. She even finds herself catching feelings for the subject of her profile, dazzling young newcomer Marius Canet. Josie's world is expanding so rapidly, she doesn't know whether she's flying or falling. But when a young actress lets her in on a terrible secret, the answer is clear: she's in over her head.
One woman's account leads to another and another. Josie wants to expose the man responsible, but she's reluctant to speak up, unsure if this is her story to tell. What if she lets down the women who have entrusted her with their stories? What if this ends her writing career before it even begins? There are so many reasons not to go ahead, but if Josie doesn't step up, who will?
From the author of Full Disclosure, this is a moving testament to the MeToo movement, and all the ways women stand up for each other.
"Brave, necessary, and unflinchingly real, Off the Record is an instant classic." --Marieke Nijkamp, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends
Ratings and reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Penny Olson
- Flag inappropriate
June 2, 2021
I loved this book. Josie Wright, a queer, fat, black 17 year-old girl with anxiety, is the main character. Her superpower is writing. She is so incredible at it, that she wins a contest to go on a multi-city press tour and write a profile for a big magazine about Marius Canet, an up-and-coming young actor. On the press tour, Josie befriends a young actress and learns from her that she and other women have been sexually harassed and assaulted by a famous, successful director. Josie's other superpower is empathy and she feels a moral duty to use her writing skills to expose the director and seek justice for the women. At the same time, she enters into a relationship with Marius. So, there is a lot to unpack. Josie is immersed in many situations that are new for her and must manage her anxiety. She has also longed battled fatphobia from family and friends and has trouble believing that she is attractive. This novel handles the topic of sexual assault and harassment skillfully and sensitively. When listening to the stories of the women who were assaulted, Josie recalls something she experienced in middle school and realizes how much she has dismissed and minimized it, yet remains traumatized by it. It makes her think about how sexual assault is normalized in society and certainly makes her want to fight harder to expose the director, even though she feels overwhelmed and out of her element. She must also address her own presumptions about the gender of those who are victimized sexually. Even with all the happens, the flow of the novel is very natural. Josie's voice is wonderful and distinct. I loved reading about a queer, fat, black character who is dealing with body image issues and anxiety. This is an important book and a lot of people are going to feel less alone reading it. Be aware that this book may be triggering for some. #BooksForward
About the author
CAMRYN GARRETT grew up in New York and began her writing career at thirteen, when she was selected as a TIME for Kids reporter, interviewing celebrities like Warren Buffett and Kristen Bell. Since then, her writing has appeared on MTV and in the Huffington Post and Rookie magazine, and she was recently selected as one of Teen Vogue's "21 Under 21: Girls Who Are Changing the World." When she's not writing, she studies film at NYU, and she's a proud advocate for diverse stories and storytellers in any medium. Her first novel, Full Disclosure, received rave reviews from outlets such as EW, Glamour and SLJ, which said in its starred review, "Readers will fall in love." Off the Record is her second novel.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
