How did a movie titled "Young Adult" fly under our literature-loving radar for so long?
Thanks to Slash Films we're getting our first look at a curiously clad Charlize Theron as YA author Mavis Gary in the dramedy penned by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman.
According to the film's official synopsis, Mavis is "a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and attempt to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). When returning home proves more difficult than she thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond with a former classmate (Patton Oswalt) who hasn’t quite gotten over high school, either."
Sounds like a promising premise to us (plus, we love us some Diablo Cody!). But this sneak peek got us wondering what real YA authors think of the film's storyline and Charlize's sad sartorial skills. Check out what they had to say after the jump!
"The thing I find hilarious about movies about writers is how they always seem to be writing thinly veiled story of their life. Who does that?" —Holly Black, author of "The Curse Workers" series
"That is pretty much what I look like RIGHT NOW. Minus the dog." —Ally Carter, author of "Gallagher Girls" and "Heist Society" series
"I'd say that while a lot of the YA authors I know work at home in an outfit like Charlize is wearing there (sweatpants and a ratty shirt) most of us wouldn't go out in public like that, not even to fly! YA authors are a pretty stylish group—you have to be when you're always interacting with teens. However I really can't judge her for the Hello Kitty shirt. I have a Hello Kitty toaster. And I would definitely see this movie just because I can't think of another film or TV show where my profession is depicted at all!" —Cassandra Clare, author of "The Mortal Instruments" and "The Infernal Devices" series
"Oh dear! How much do they get right: the sloppy T-shirt, the sweat—that's definitely a writing uniform, but it's NOT an airport uniform! Also the little dog and Victoria's Secret? Just because we write about high school doesn't mean we are still IN high school. If she was really a YA writer she'd be wearing black stretchy rayon pants—I believe every writer I know wears those in airports." —Melissa de la Cruz, author of "Blue Bloods" series and "Witches of East End"
"Interestingly enough, it would not be unusual to see me in an airport wearing sweats and looking generally disheveled. Though I don't carry a pocket dog and know few YA authors who do. I would also be more likely to have a bag from Mrs. Field's, not Victoria's Secret. I like the premise of the film and I love Charlize Theron, so it will be interesting to see how the filmmakers portray a 'YA novelist.' Hopefully, it will include inside track details, like the fact that most of us wear our pajamas all day." —Kami Garcia, author of "Unbreakable" and co-author of "Beautiful Creatures" series
"Charlene looks like Hello Kitty roadkill. I'm happy to see at least the puppy survived. That said, I get what they're doing, and I'll be interested to see where the movie goes. While I don't want to relive high school, my daughters and I do like to shop at some of the same stores (Free People, I'm looking at you...) and we do read some of the same books (Kelley Armstrong, I'm looking at you...) so I get it. I'm just not sure being a YA writer is about time travel as much as it is a point of view." —Margaret Stohl, author of "Icons" and co-author of "Beautiful Creatures" series
Are you curious about "Young Adult"?
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