'Kirkus' Two Months Ago: Kaavya Viswanathan Needs 'A More Original Story'

Three months ago, in a Feb. 15 review, 'Kirkus' said of the now-alleged-plagiarist author of 'How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life': "Once Kaavya Viswanathan, currently a Harvard sophomore, figures out how to integrate her lively voice into a more original story, she'll be on her way." The full Kirkus review follows:

"A Mean Girls clone with a neurotic Indian-American heroine determined to get to the top.

"Opal Mehta's parents are so focused on getting their daughter into Harvard that they have created a full-blown plan, complete with an acronym?HOWGIH or "How Opal Will Get Into Harvard." But when she goes for her on-campus interview, the dean of admissions tells her that her numerous accolades are not enough. He wants her to delay her application and find friends, romance and fun. The Mehtas, entirely out of their element, hatch a new plan, HOWGAL, or "How Opal Will Get A Life." After a full-blown makeover, thousands of dollars' worth of new clothes and an absurdly organized crash course in pop culture, Opal is on her way. She becomes one of her high school's "it" girls, she skips class to go shopping and she even seems to be getting closer to the boy of her dreams, student council president Jeff Akel. . . ."

Review continues here.