Why has Tyra Banks's 2011 dystopian book Modelland gone viral? | indy100

Tyra Banks says she went 'too far' on America's Next Top Model

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Dystopian young adult novels were popping off in the early 2010s with beloved series such as The Hunger Games and Divergent - but did you know during this time Tyra Banks also released a book in this genre?

The year was 2011 when the America's Next Top Model host released her novel Modelland in which Banks compared it to the show but "with some magic".

Hmmm, intriguing... and clearly the internet agrees as they've become fixated on this pop culture deep cut from 15 years ago.

It started earlier this month when a post on X went viral after a someone discovered Banks made a promotion song for Modelland and shared it declaring about the hyperpop inspired track, "I'm being so serious i think she [Banks] officially made the worst song of all time."

What is the plot of Modelland?

A general view of atmosphere as Tyra Banks promotes her new book "Modelland" at Barnes & Noble at Union Square on September 21, 2011 in New York, United States. Photo by Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images

The story revolves around Tookie De La Crème, a 15-year-old girl with one green eye, one brown eye, and a forehead that “goes on and on and on and on.”

She's not considered conventionally attractive, and so to her surprise she's selected to attended boarding school Modelland, where students train to become Intoxibellas, the world's most celebrated models.

During this journey she meets her friends Dylan, a plus-size girl; Shiraz, who is just 4’7″ tall ; and Piper, an albino girl, and together they all go through challenges of attending Modelland and seek to uncover the truth as to why they got accepted into the school and why a mystery someone wants them gone.

Banks on her inspiration behind the novel

Photo by Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images

""I know what people are thinking, what the heck, Tyra wrote a book? She trying to be J. K. Rowling or something?" Banks wrote on her website back when the book was published.

"The truth is, I’ve written stories and scribbled away in journals ever since I was a little girl. I’m always dreaming up ideas, like when the words “modeling boarding school” floated into my head while I was driving on the FDR highway in Manhattan. I wrote them down in a little notepad and, five years, thousands of pages and dozens of writing getaways later, I finally get to call myself the author of Modelland."

What the verdict on the book?

A general view of atmosphere as Tyra Banks promotes her new book "Modelland" at Barnes & Noble at Union Square on September 21, 2011 in New York, United States.Photo by Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images

PAPER's Taylor Lomax decided to give Modelland a read after it had been going viral and described it in pretty brutal fashion.

"It is an act of confronting one’s own neuroses head-on, an existential undertaking that urges its reader to question the sanctity of the written word. Its warped logic and inanely convoluted world-building are enough to make anyone question their own object permanence. Many, in other words, will not survive Modelland."

Yikes.

Meanwhile on GoodReads, Modelland has a rating of 2.89 out of 5 stars.

"I can't read the rest. It made my brain hurt. I got to chapter 5 and couldn't read anymore. Wow. This is probably one of the most oddest books I have ever attempted to read," one reviewer wrote.

A second added, "MODELLAND is kind of like if you put THE HUNGER GAMES, HARRY POTTER, and America's Next Top Model in a blender and hit 'puree.'"

There was a Modelland theme park

Yep, you read correctly.

The Modelland journey was not over as Banks announced the Modelland theme park in 2019 that was supposed to open at the Santa Monica Place mall in 2020 but was delayed until 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.

“I believe all shapes AND all sizes AND all ages AND all shades deserve to feel beautiful, powerful and be the fantasy versions of themselves,” says Banks. “Modelland is not just an attraction,” she added. “It’s a place full of story that challenges what ‘attractive’ means.”

It was described as a "supermodel-themed experiential attraction" and a "multi-sensorial experience" with eight themed rooms included a wig room and a dance studio.

Visitors could get posing tips from Banks in prerecorded footage, and can participate in photos shoots, as well as receive a personalized digital look book that promises to “whisk you away into the world of fantasy and phierceness," according to Vogue.

Peckish? Attendees could also snack on Banks' SMiZE ice cream.

Modelland copies shoot up in resale price thanks to recent virality

eBay

If you're been wanting to give Modelland a read, getting your hands on a copy might be a challenge or costly as since the book has gone viral the resale price on websites such as eBay have shot up.

We're talking around £230 - £300 in price range that these books are being listed for.

With all this renewed hype - could we a sequel happen? There's only one person to ask...

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