Book Review—Cupcake by Rachel Cohn

The Third (and Final) Book in Cohn's Popular Teen Series

Nov 6, 2009

Cyd Charisse is (almost) on her own in the Big Apple in this final wrap-up of the award-winning teen series which began with "Gingerbread" and continued with "Shrimp."

In Rachel Cohn's award-winning book Gingerbread, (Simon Pulse, 2003) the narcissistic over-privileged sixteen year old goth-punk-hellion named Cyd Charisse meets the missing pieces of her biological family during a summer visit to New York.

The follow-up book Shrimp (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005) follows Cyd Charisse after her return from NY as she begins to experience the transition to adulthood. Hopelessly romantic, Cyd is determined to recapture her true love with lost-boy surfer dude Shrimp.

Cupcake (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2007, ISBN 1416912193) wraps up Cyd's teen years as she surprisingly emerges as a capable young woman.

After refusing a marriage proposal from Shrimp, CC eagerly moves in with her fabulous half brother Danny and bites into the Big Apple. What better way to heal a broken heart and forget about a love lost than by making new friends and ditching culinary school to enjoy the sights and sounds of Manhattan? CC's bliss is short-lived, however, when her new friend is turned off by her wealth, her brother gets fed up with the irresponsible behavior which earned her the “little hellion” moniker and true-love-lost Shrimp doesn't contact her at all.

Even her familiar old standby, slackerdom, doesn't comfort her and when she stumbles upon an odd job at a dilapidated luncheonette she slowly realizes that maybe she has a calling after all. But when Shrimp arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep on Christmas Eve, CC has to decide whether to continue building her own life in New York or follow Shrimp on his roving Buddhist path to enlightenment and try to create a life with him.

Readers may find it a little hard to believe that these strange characters in Cyd Charisse's life bond so strongly: CC's uptight aggressive half sister LisBeth, her androginous tattoed boss Johnny Mold, and the stereotypical cranky neighbor Max make for an unbelieveable mix of personalities which just seem to effortlessly (and maybe unrealistically?) meld.

Mom-Nancy is still a cardboard "stepford wife" and younger siblings Josh and Ashley are still as two- dimensional as they were in Gingerbread and Shrimp. However, in Cupcake the underdevelopment of these characters is forgiveable because CC's twisted path to self-actualization dwarfs the other characers' importance; she's in NY now and the less-developed characters take a backseat in San Francisco.

Cyd Charisse dominates the story with her strong personality and free spirit as she samples the Big Apple with sophistication and savior faire. CC really grows in this novel: from teen who finds herself in one predicament after another to a capable young woman who can make smart choices and even have sympathy for family members who she previously disdained.

Fans of Gingerbread and Shrimp won't be disappointed with how CC's story ends (or begins...)? Older, wiser, and more mature now, CC surprises herself with answers she didn't know she could muster and courage she didn't know she possessed. Cyd's strong voice, sharp-tongued wit and irrepressible spunk are simply irresistible.

The copyright of the article Book Review—Cupcake by Rachel Cohn in Teen Fiction is owned by Francine Morrissette. Permission to republish Book Review—Cupcake by Rachel Cohn in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.