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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to this on my Ipod on a trip to Boston and I have never hated a character more than this one, I actually found myself yelling at her while I was driving.
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.5 because I can’t act like I didn’t have a lot of fun reading this book.
This book put me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I love how stupid Rebecca is LMAO. Who hasn’t made bad decisions? Her materialism and shopaholic nature humanize her. In a culture where the phrase “retail therapy” is bandied about, I related to her.
Even though Rebecca makes a lot of poor choices, I somehow couldn’t help but root for her? She’s a lovable goof. I loved her voice. It really feels like a friend is telling you the story.
I felt like this book had such a good opportunity to touch on overconsumption and the internal strife that causes a shopaholic nature to manifest. I kept waiting and waiting for this moment to happen. And it never did. Which seriously disappointed me. Rebecca somewhat developed but the way the plot unfolded showed she didn’t really.
I also feel unsatisfied with the Luke Brandon developments towards the end. Luke makes no sense to me and I feel like he gets rewarded?
I know there’s a ton of other books but I don’t see myself delving into them.
This book put me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I love how stupid Rebecca is LMAO. Who hasn’t made bad decisions? Her materialism and shopaholic nature humanize her. In a culture where the phrase “retail therapy” is bandied about, I related to her.
Even though Rebecca makes a lot of poor choices, I somehow couldn’t help but root for her? She’s a lovable goof. I loved her voice. It really feels like a friend is telling you the story.
I felt like this book had such a good opportunity to touch on overconsumption and the internal strife that causes a shopaholic nature to manifest. I kept waiting and waiting for this moment to happen. And it never did. Which seriously disappointed me. Rebecca somewhat developed but the way the plot unfolded showed she didn’t really.
I also feel unsatisfied with the Luke Brandon developments towards the end. Luke makes no sense to me and I feel like he gets rewarded?
I know there’s a ton of other books but I don’t see myself delving into them.
First things first: I can understand why someone would say, 'I can't stand Rebecca and therefore I can't really stand this book'. But my experience with it has been strangely very pleasant. And oddly, very very comforting.
I don't see myself as a chick-lit kind of person. I can't really stand anything smutty so that kind of wipes a lot of popular romance off the table. And although I watch deeply cringey and over-dramatically cliché romantic chick-flick movies (don't even get me started on the kdramas), books on the other hand, are a different matter; mainly because whether the story is told in first or third person, I'm given insight into the characters thoughts.. And it can get awkward and intrusive real quick.
But coming into this story from the movie, it wasn't like that. I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic as a 7-8 year old kid and the ending and plot of the movie has stuck with me ever since. Therefore, I've always wanted to at least try to read the book. I also read Zoe's (ReadByZoe) review of this book, and she said the book and its adaptation are quite different. With that in mind, I dove into this book to find out more.
Ok, this is gonna be hard but.. I really liked Rebecca's character. I even found some of her thoughts and decision-making skills to parallel my own. Look, I have no idea what that says about me as a person. I don't really wish to know, except I'm probably someone deeply in denial of some stuff and a bit of a fantasist. Which is what I found to be the case (with me at least) — Rebecca is both a fantasist and an overthinker, with a strikingly familiar ability to suppress, block out and simply seek out constant dopamine. It's like Sophie was watching over me when writing this — except I wasn't born yet so.. Of course there are times when Rebecca is judgy and kinda mean; to her bf's cousins, parents, neighbours. But I felt that it was give and take. Rebecca didn't have to be wholly likable for me to enjoy her or her story. I also find the likes of Joe Goldberg from You (TV series) to be a fascinating and humorous character — and he's a serial killing sociopath. Becky and Joe even feel slightly similar when comparing themselves to other people. They end up coming off so hypocritical and contradictory that you laugh, and then you're having fun and enjoying that character making you laugh.
And at some point, you just need to face-palm so much that your forehead actually hurts (e.g. Becky buying a shitty bowl she doesn't like because it's featured in Elle Decoration Magazine), but at least she's not cookie cutter, squeaky clean - aka no personality. And I audibly 'awwed' at some lovely and selfless thoughts Becky has towards those around her. If you wanted, you could call it "exceeding my lowest expectations" but whatever.
Something about this book though; it's whole presence and mood and vibe etc felt calming and light. You see, I'm not exactly like Becks in terms of a constant need to buy clothes etc; nor am I in crippling debt. I like to think I have slight self control (although as soon as someone else is paying I go wild!) but I do believe in the reason Becky buys so much stuff. Its mentioned in the movie and I understand and relate to it so well - "the world gets better. The world is better, and then it's not anymore. And I need to do it again." Rebecca goes into it more in the book but the sentiment is so real and valid to me. Rebecca shouldn't, but it's the only thing that brings her joy.
Rebecca also doesn't think a lot of herself; another thing I can relate to. She talks about things like shopping and prices, and although she's intelligent, she presents a version of herself that can't be criticised as much. She chooses not to listen because messing up would mean something. If she says something she's actually thinking, like an off the cuff example of making the bank more pleasing, and is greeted with a compliment, she views it as an attack. 'Are they judging me?' 'Making fun of me?'
I really enjoyed Luke and Rebecca's growing relationship throughout the book. I could go on comparing with the movie and I probably will, but although book Luke and movie Luke are quite different, in appearance and personality, I honestly like what was brought to both. He's not in the book enough, but I also feel like if it were any more about their relationship, I would have felt the way I felt about other romance books — put off. He was a nice little thing in the background of Beck's problems to just swoon and get anxiously excited over. I felt they had good chemistry and the situations brought a lot of angst out. I still can't see him as super tall with dark eyes though. I'll always picture Hugh Dancy - such a babe, and that smile, and those eyes! Urghh!
Because the book and movie are so different as well, it meant I was genuinely surprised if something disastrous or hilariously awkward happened. The Derek Smeath interactions were always fun to read about, because you never quite knew when and how he'd turn up again.
I also like that the book doesn't villainise Derek Smeath. Rebecca actually thinks he's been nicer than he could have been. Even in my recent rewatch of the movie, Rebecca giving him all those quarters to count when her debt is being repaid came off a bit mean, when all Derek is really doing is his job. I'm glad the book had Rebecca realise that and also have Derek being understanding and complimentary. Something tells me we might see more of him in the future of the series?
Becky grows up quite a lot through the course of the story too, and for that I was genuinely very proud. That balloon & card part really cracked me up and made me want to cry at the same time! Another thing is the book is so hilariously British, with the 'Morning Coffee' situation etc.
A few things I majorly didn't like: Rebecca and Luke laughing at a large woman in a bright coloured jogging suit, running after her dropped ice cream and little dog - just kinda rubbed me up the wrong way. And also the way the money problems cleared up so quickly for Rebecca and how she's rewarded so much by the end. I liked that movie-Rebecca had to sacrifice her wardrobe and the majority of her stuff to pay back her debt. It almost felt like the statement her dad gives "Cut back, or make more money" represents the movie and book. Cut back - movie version. Make more money - book version.
Anyway, I'm definitely gonna continue to read this series until either I get bored or I finish it. I may also check out Can You Keep A Secret because I watched the movie years ago unaware it was a Kinsella novel.
Lastly, I don't know how or why 200-300 pages of a book filled with the ramblings of a woman trying to con herself into buying everything she sees was fun or remotely interesting to me, but it was.
I don't see myself as a chick-lit kind of person. I can't really stand anything smutty so that kind of wipes a lot of popular romance off the table. And although I watch deeply cringey and over-dramatically cliché romantic chick-flick movies (don't even get me started on the kdramas), books on the other hand, are a different matter; mainly because whether the story is told in first or third person, I'm given insight into the characters thoughts.. And it can get awkward and intrusive real quick.
But coming into this story from the movie, it wasn't like that. I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic as a 7-8 year old kid and the ending and plot of the movie has stuck with me ever since. Therefore, I've always wanted to at least try to read the book. I also read Zoe's (ReadByZoe) review of this book, and she said the book and its adaptation are quite different. With that in mind, I dove into this book to find out more.
Ok, this is gonna be hard but.. I really liked Rebecca's character. I even found some of her thoughts and decision-making skills to parallel my own. Look, I have no idea what that says about me as a person. I don't really wish to know, except I'm probably someone deeply in denial of some stuff and a bit of a fantasist. Which is what I found to be the case (with me at least) — Rebecca is both a fantasist and an overthinker, with a strikingly familiar ability to suppress, block out and simply seek out constant dopamine. It's like Sophie was watching over me when writing this — except I wasn't born yet so.. Of course there are times when Rebecca is judgy and kinda mean; to her bf's cousins, parents, neighbours. But I felt that it was give and take. Rebecca didn't have to be wholly likable for me to enjoy her or her story. I also find the likes of Joe Goldberg from You (TV series) to be a fascinating and humorous character — and he's a serial killing sociopath. Becky and Joe even feel slightly similar when comparing themselves to other people. They end up coming off so hypocritical and contradictory that you laugh, and then you're having fun and enjoying that character making you laugh.
And at some point, you just need to face-palm so much that your forehead actually hurts (e.g. Becky buying a shitty bowl she doesn't like because it's featured in Elle Decoration Magazine), but at least she's not cookie cutter, squeaky clean - aka no personality. And I audibly 'awwed' at some lovely and selfless thoughts Becky has towards those around her. If you wanted, you could call it "exceeding my lowest expectations" but whatever.
Something about this book though; it's whole presence and mood and vibe etc felt calming and light. You see, I'm not exactly like Becks in terms of a constant need to buy clothes etc; nor am I in crippling debt. I like to think I have slight self control (although as soon as someone else is paying I go wild!) but I do believe in the reason Becky buys so much stuff. Its mentioned in the movie and I understand and relate to it so well - "the world gets better. The world is better, and then it's not anymore. And I need to do it again." Rebecca goes into it more in the book but the sentiment is so real and valid to me. Rebecca shouldn't, but it's the only thing that brings her joy.
Rebecca also doesn't think a lot of herself; another thing I can relate to. She talks about things like shopping and prices, and although she's intelligent, she presents a version of herself that can't be criticised as much. She chooses not to listen because messing up would mean something. If she says something she's actually thinking, like an off the cuff example of making the bank more pleasing, and is greeted with a compliment, she views it as an attack. 'Are they judging me?' 'Making fun of me?'
I really enjoyed Luke and Rebecca's growing relationship throughout the book. I could go on comparing with the movie and I probably will, but although book Luke and movie Luke are quite different, in appearance and personality, I honestly like what was brought to both. He's not in the book enough, but I also feel like if it were any more about their relationship, I would have felt the way I felt about other romance books — put off. He was a nice little thing in the background of Beck's problems to just swoon and get anxiously excited over. I felt they had good chemistry and the situations brought a lot of angst out. I still can't see him as super tall with dark eyes though. I'll always picture Hugh Dancy - such a babe, and that smile, and those eyes! Urghh!
Because the book and movie are so different as well, it meant I was genuinely surprised if something disastrous or hilariously awkward happened. The Derek Smeath interactions were always fun to read about, because you never quite knew when and how he'd turn up again.
I also like that the book doesn't villainise Derek Smeath. Rebecca actually thinks he's been nicer than he could have been. Even in my recent rewatch of the movie, Rebecca giving him all those quarters to count when her debt is being repaid came off a bit mean, when all Derek is really doing is his job. I'm glad the book had Rebecca realise that and also have Derek being understanding and complimentary. Something tells me we might see more of him in the future of the series?
Becky grows up quite a lot through the course of the story too, and for that I was genuinely very proud. That balloon & card part really cracked me up and made me want to cry at the same time! Another thing is the book is so hilariously British, with the 'Morning Coffee' situation etc.
A few things I majorly didn't like: Rebecca and Luke laughing at a large woman in a bright coloured jogging suit, running after her dropped ice cream and little dog - just kinda rubbed me up the wrong way. And also the way the money problems cleared up so quickly for Rebecca and how she's rewarded so much by the end. I liked that movie-Rebecca had to sacrifice her wardrobe and the majority of her stuff to pay back her debt. It almost felt like the statement her dad gives "Cut back, or make more money" represents the movie and book. Cut back - movie version. Make more money - book version.
Anyway, I'm definitely gonna continue to read this series until either I get bored or I finish it. I may also check out Can You Keep A Secret because I watched the movie years ago unaware it was a Kinsella novel.
Lastly, I don't know how or why 200-300 pages of a book filled with the ramblings of a woman trying to con herself into buying everything she sees was fun or remotely interesting to me, but it was.
Completely ridiculous and so much fun. Sophie Kinsella must be a genius because usually books about people who overspend stress me out. A nice piece of fluff for when you need a break from reality.