A Model Summer

by Paulina Porizkova

An incisive, beautifully written first novel by a former supermodel that explores the glamorous and gritty world she inhabited Only a handful of women in the world have experienced what Paulina Porizkova has -- being whisked away to model in Paris while still a teenager, reaching the pinnacle of the profession before her schoolmates had even graduated -- and fewer still have the insight to capture it on paper. In her first novel, Paulina tells the story of Jirina. A tall, scrawny fifteen-year-old girl from Sweden, she's much more accustomed to taunts and disdain than admiration and affection, whether from her classmates or her own family. That all changes when her only friend, Hatty, asks to practice her makeup and photography skills on Jirina. Almost before she knows it Jirina is on a plane to Paris, where she will spend the summer in a milieu entirely alien to her. Living at the home of her modeling agency's owner and constantly subjected to blunt physical assessments, catty and often cruel fellow models, and womanizing photographers -- and, miraculously enough, while sometimes feeling truly beautiful -- Jirina embarks on a journey beyond her wildest imaginings. Between photo shoots in Italy and Morocco and parties with models and musicians, Jirina manages to make a few friends, fall in love, and, eventually, feel the very adult pain of betrayal and heartbreak. Told with the grace, simplicity, and accuracy that can only come from real-life experience, A Model Summer is both the debut of a notably talented novelist and an unusually well-informed look behind the scenes at a world many people fantasize about, but few really know.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Coming Of Age, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fashion, France

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Paulina Porizkova, one of the original supermodels of the 1980s/1990s, appeared on two consecutive covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, was twice chosen by People magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World," graced dozens of Vogue magazine covers, was the face of Estée Lauder, starred in several films, and was a judge on America's Next Top Model.

Paulina has written a novel, co-authored a children's book and contributed to an anthology of travel stories about her native country, the Czech Republic.

A voracious reader, she covers at least 100 titles a year.

Her latest op-ed can be found in The New York Times ("America Made Me a Feminist" June 2017).

Follow Paulina on Twitter, Instagram, FaceBook, and Goodreads.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised by the level of vitriol in some reviews of Paulina's book. Certainly, it was no Tale of Two Cities, but I thought the first half of the book displayed intelligent writing and a few lovely metaphors. I also thought that the mechanics of the industry were laid out in a comprehensible way.

The second half of the book, however, is as if a different author took over. The main character transitions from an innocent, to a cold-blooded, jaded, drinking, drugged out, caricature of a model. I just didn't buy it.

For my purposes: I'm researching the "Industry" for a project, this book was supremely helpful.

[Lisa Westerfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't great, but convinced me that letting your 15 year old daughter model in Paris is akin to selling her to white slavers.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Pauline Porizkova, but that is not why I bought this book. The week it came out.

I bought it because of the hilarious review in the NYTimes Book Review. I think this was a reward of some kind, perhaps for finishing grad school (MFA, Creative Writing-- was this an ironic reward?)

The book is thinly-veiled autobiography and it is trashy and pretentious, which I love! As is often the case with "fiction" that is totally memoir with the names changed, the author shows no self-awareness whatsoever. She is kind of a blank space at the heart of the book. We know she is beautiful and smart because the other characters can't stop affirming that for her. Also, she reads smart person books and she isn't like the other models.

I actually think Paulina Porizkova is brilliant. And she probably isn't like the other models. I love watching her judge on America's Next Top Model, if for no other reason than to watch her spar with Nigel Barker. I don't think, however, that she would've gotten this book published by a major press without her name and history.

Nevertheless, I think this book is an important entry in the thinly-veiled shit-talking genre. Particularly memorable is her depiction of (I think) Roman Polanski. That guy is a douche-- in fiction as in real life.

[Renata Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acabei de ler o livro e gostei bastante. Paulina Poriskova foi uma modelo na era das supermodelos, na década de 80, e ela retrata o início de sua carreira em Paris, no verão, com apenas 15 anos. Pode ser ou não a sua história, mas parece bem com o seu passado.
Modelo de verão mostra como uma menina saída da Suéica se torna uma mulher em apenas 3 meses, com sofrimento, perda, e muito aprendizado. Como uma menina de 15 anos, sem muita informação consegue sobreviver na selva da moda. Esta é a personagem Jirina. Ou Paulina?
Quando muitos acham que o mundo da moda é glamour, sofisticação e estilo, Paulina apresenta um mundo totalmente diferente do que se imagina: traições, sexo, drogas, desonestidade e muita gente se aproveitando de meninas que não tem a noção onde estão se metendo.
Por pura ingenuidade ou até mesmo com seu consentimento, ela acaba cometendo erros, se vendendo ao mundo voraz da moda.
Vale muito a pena ler para desmistificar um pouco este glamour da moda.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a coming-of-age story about a 15 year old girl who tries to break into the modeling world. She starts out likable but has a major guilt complex. I can relate to the guilt complex, but not to this characters belief that her virginity is a liability which she needs to get rid of as soon as possible.

The book begins to go downhill for me in the scene where she loses her virginity. The way it happened was so tragic I simply wanted to cry, and then the girls judment gets progressively worse. She picks friends who aren't really friends and feels betrayed when they stab her in the back, she allows herself to be drawn into situations which are simply aweful because she can't say no. And instead of seeing these people for what they are she blames herself for not being good enough. She's drunk the last third of the book and turns into exactly the kind of person she despises at the beginning.

The author is a bit too fond of the F word toward the end and I feel like I've waisted two days of my time because the ending doesn't resolve anything.

[Amy Formanski Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paulina can write well and she's gorgeous and articulate. How unfair! This fictionalized tale of her first summer modeling in Paris in 1980 dropped me into a super-cool new wave world. She reveals all the downsides to the modeling world and doesn't mince words. I wasn't 100% sold on the ambiguous ending, but overall this book surprised me in a really positive way. Paulina won me over.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooooh, I think Entertainment Weekly said it best, "A dizzyingly detailed and wrenching tale of innocence lost."

It's just plain heart-breaking most of the time.

[Ronica Stromberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always a bit skeptical of works written by celebrity authors, but former model Paulina Porizkova shows she can write--and well--in A Model Summer. The novel relays what happens to a 15-year-old girl who goes to Paris for the summer to work as a model. Porizkova's descriptions are keen, allowing me to feel as if I am there. She also displays a sense of humor in descriptions such as the following, quoted from the first page of Chapter 5:

"Inside, however, the house is furnished with--gasp--black leather couches and cheap side tables, which leaves me to ponder if there was some sort of a giant sale on office furniture recently, or whether it's a natural French inclination toward home furnishings, like naming all males Jean-something."

"A group of people stands about and we are introduced to . . . Hank, an Australian hairdresser with no hair."

"Emmanuel looks like a caffeine-loaded squirrel, all teeth and nervous energy."

I enjoyed the first half of the book and was thinking it would be a good read for girls aspiring to model. However, the second half of the book became more seamy, with scenes including or alluding to oral sex, anal sex, anilingus, sodomy, and pedophilia. I have no doubt Porizkova knows the high fashion world far better than I do, so if she represents these as part of that world, I'm sure they are. But I would no longer recommend the book for young teens--maybe for the mothers of girls aspiring to model so they can accompany them.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Paulina is the former 80's model who married Ric Ocasek. She claims to have actually written this one through years of writing workshops, unlike other books "written" by celebrities (I'm looking at you Nicole Ritchie). The book follows a 15 year old girl from Sweden who is discovered and goes to work as a model for a summer in the early 80's. She has a low self esteem, not being traditionally pretty, and often doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. The book is a fun trashy read, as she and others around her do drugs and alcohol, sleep together pre-AIDS (which does show a hint of itself on the horizon), have affairs and abortions, party all hours, and suffer through photo shoots. The main character is well-read and often discusses books and classical music with those around her who often show themselves to be not as "smart." This one would be good for anyone looking for something fun and mindless.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first half of the book, but then the story takes a turn and never seems to get back on track. The tale of a naïve, young model develops into a series of events representing the seedy side of the industry and everything that can go wrong. I continued reading hoping that there would be some sort of redemption for the main character, or at least acknowledgment that she had become the type of person she despised at the beginning. Porizkova has the narrator get everything she wants and at all costs, but there doesn’t seem to be anything going on under the surface. I was disappointed that the character arc was left incomplete and that the drastic changes were simply explained away as part of growing up.

[Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had only previously known Paulina Porizkova as the Estee Lauder model in the 90s. I've read a few non fiction books about the fashion industry and this one popped up as a recommendation. Though, this story is about a fictional character, a young model in the 1980s, you know that a lot of what's written is based around fact. Of stories models told one another, some of which Paulina Porizkova must have experienced herself.

It makes you both horrified and cringe whilst reading this and Paulina is a very good writer. Her words flow and the story unravels.

I would recommended this to anyone who grew up
in the 90s who was interested in the fashion industry and the supermodel era.

[Sharon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this novel had a lot of potential, but Porizkova fumbled shortly after the first half. I quickly lost my concern for the main character, Jirina, who despite her constant mentions of 'Anna Karenina' and Mozart got dumber as the novel progressed. The author seems semi-obsessed with bodily functions. Someone was always pooping, vomiting, menstruating or doing something I don't want to read about over lunch. On a positive note, I think Porizkova‘s descriptions of go-sees and Paris seem realistic and I think her talents would be better spent on nonfiction works.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting narrative into the world of modeling actually written (not ghost-written as far as I can tell) by the author. I didn't care for the ambiguous ending, and parts are sad and harsh, as this must was what fifteen year old models experience left to fend for themselves in that world, and if you're a fan for lots of metaphors, this is your book! But again, a lot of what you'd expect leading to an unsatisfying ending.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never read this book! It's terrible! There is NO redeeming value other than the fact that most of it takes place in France. You keep reading hoping it will get better, and as it comes to a conclusion you feel like ripping the book to shreds.

[Kristina Maltby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bit morbid to me. The young model is in her teens and yet ends up with a man close to his 30's in the end, just creepy!! It was a big disappointment over all.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was enthralled with this book. It was hard to follow at times with the language switch but it was worth it.

[Henrique Fendrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confesso que havia subestimado a possibilidade de um livro sobre o mundo da moda, escrito por uma Top Model, ser muito profundo. Coloquei-o na minha lista de leitura apenas porque a modelo em questão era tcheca e 2021 é o ano em que estou lendo escritores tchecos. Ah, foi bem feito para mim: ao terminar a leitura, concluo que foi uma das melhores deste ano.

É a história em primeira pessoa de Jiřina, uma tcheca que vivia na Suécia e, aos 15 anos, vai para Paris tentar a sorte como modelo. De certo modo, é a história da perda da inocência de Jiřina e das modelos em geral, que mal saem da infância e são lançadas num mundo cruel, onde precisam lidar não apenas com egos e vaidades, mas com muito dinheiro, vícios e apetites variados, enquanto tudo o que desejariam seria encontrar um amor que as redima.

Considero que não apenas a protagonista, mas a maioria dos outros personagens foi bem construída. A "amiga" Evalinda, o fotógrafo Rob, o maquiador Emanuel, o apaixonado Hugo, a misteriosa Marina, a pequena Olympe, até mesmo Shitsu, uma japonesa que só aparece de passagem como uma espécie de pensionista, são todos muito marcantes e revelam bom conhecimento literário. Muitos personagens entram e não ficam muito tempo, o que é uma característica da própria vida, afinal. O fio condutor de Jiřina, porém, não se altera.

A trama tem momentos considerados "pesados", sobretudo quando a gente pensa que tudo o que está sendo relatado diz respeito a uma garota de 15 anos de idade, mas isso é antes um mérito, por expor com crueza a realidade que muitas vezes aguarda as meninas que sonham com uma carreira de modelo internacional. Tudo isso contribui para o efeito que se quer causar com a trama. O engraçado é ler na contracapa uma declaração da Vogue chamando o livro de "leitura fascinante", como se ela não tivesse feito a sua parte para essa realidade.

Vi alguns comentários de pessoas que não ficaram satisfeitas com o final, mas isso parece ser um problema apenas se a pessoa ler com a expectativa de que todos os fios da trama se resolvam adequadamente ao final e não paire nenhuma incerteza sobre os destinos dos personagens. A realidade, porém, é muito complexa e contraditória para ser definida em termos absolutos ou definitivos, então eu gostei do modo como o livro acabou (o meu temor seria justamente que tudo se resolvesse de uma forma improvável).

No mais, muitos achados literários na construção da história, nos diálogos, nas figuras de linguagem, nos recursos usados pela autora, a tal ponto que, com muita frequência, eu parava a leitura e pensava: "Caraca, mano, essa mulher entende do riscado".

Uma surpresa muito agradável.

[Gato Negro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has two distinct parts - the first where we meet the narrator as a child who has a punishing childhood and the second where the narrator breaks into the gritty (and seriously tortured) world of high stakes early 80s modeling.
This book is a crazy train of debased and adversarial models, filthy photographers, and other assorted scummy types of proprietors, dealers, and hangers-on.
A wild title; hard to read but also hard to put down.
Abrupt and odd ending.
I would enjoy knowing who Paulina's characters really are (other than herself, presumably, as the main character). I'm guessing Kevin Aucoin and Roman Polanski are the makeup artist and the dirt bag rapist director, respectively.

[Aighmi* · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, let me say that Ms. Porizkova is an excellent writer. I was very pleasantly surprised by the clear & occasionally lyrical prose. I was unsurprised, however, by the degradation of the modeling scene in Paris in 1980. I was disappointed that the protagonist has potential to rise above, but doesn't; and has the potential to be redeemed after sinking down, but isn't. There is pointless tragedy and a very ambiguous ending. I admit, I like closure. I like redemption. By the end, this was very depressing & the ambiguity of the end was just frustrating. I don't recommend it.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While parts of this are extremely hard to read (it is, after all, about a young model thrust into the very adult world of modeling), Porizkova's book is thoughtful and well-paced with vivid characters. Some are funny, some lovable, some are absolutely atrocious, but all are realistic in their flaws. Even as I became frustrated with the actions of the main character (and her slow learning curve) I had to give her a pass because she actually exuded the sense of I'm-a-teenager-and-I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing.

Well worth the read, if you are okay with darker subject matter.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book chronicles the first several month of a fictional Swedish 15 year old’s new career as a model in Paris. I have to believe the portrayal in the book is pretty spot on given that it was written by a former super model. However, if it is true to life then I feel very sad for young women in this field, living a lifestyle for which they are developmentally and psychologically unprepared. This book reads like a car wreck— you want to look away but can’t.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought it would be. I liked that it showed the unattractive side of the modelling business. But I didn't like the quick ending or that the MC didn't learn from her ordeals and ultimately became like the people she hated at the start. Also, the writer seemed weirdly obsessed with body fluids - poop, vomit, periods etc. But overall, an interesting trashy read about the world of travel and modelling.

[Savanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kinda sad, the whole book I thought it was gonna go somewhere, or that she was gonna learn something, but she never did? (spoliers(?)----->)she just became kind of a jerk and the book treats it as a success. the beginning half of the book when i thought something was going to happen was alright though

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say as a writer you must write what you know so that is what Paulina did. And she did so just beautifully in this well written roman à clef…. The story had me hooked from the very beginning and also throughout the entire book. She’s a great writer and I would read another one of her books definitely. Loved it! A fun, fast, enduring read. Well done Paulina! What’s next?

[Leslie Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting view inside the world of modeling written by a model herself... spoiler......a lot of drugs, vomiting, sex trading for jobs, etc. Kind of bursts the bubble of how perfect that world is to us outsiders.

[Sandra Buerger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jirina is so pretentious and stuck up, while at the same time so, so awkward and self conscious. It's truly the perfect depiction of the mind of a teenage girl. Paulina's writing is fabulous. The whole book just flows. The backdrop of the early 80s is an added bonus.

[Francisco Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a long time, I'd searched for a book that deals with the model/fashion world, and here we are! Who knows that world more than a fashion model herself? Great characters filled with personality and even though this is not a thriller there were still moments of suspense.

[Daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

No no no no no

[David Jackson Ambrose]

Guess what? Not bad.

[Swee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written novel & easy to read. Love her style of writing