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A review by jimmyjamesnickels
Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella
3.0
At the start of Chapter 10, there is a mock up of a receipt from a store. The very first item on this receipt is for a book entitled "Shopaholic: Break the Pattern"
Oh Sophie Kinsella. Oh ho ho ho. So in this episode of the Shopaholic series, we may just be reaching critical meta where the subtext has quite literally become text. I may need to check the margins to see if the first letter from each sentence spells out a plea for rescue from an Annie Wilkes like captor. I mean, are we sure Ms. Kinsella is doing okay these days and not holed up in a bed with broken legs in Colorado somewhere? Just saying, are we really really sure?
Nah but for real. I didn't hate this book. I really and truly didn't. It clipped along at a brisk pace and was entertainingly bright. Each book, it would seem, has to top the one before it and what splashier, materialistic backdrop could there be than Hollywood. It seems inevitable and right that Becky would end up there, all the promise of narcissism and shallow materialism frothing over in the most spectacularly flamboyantly awful ways.
A synopsis of the book can be easily found in blurb form somewhere, but sufficed to say the Brandons have moved to LaLa Land where Luke is managing? Advising? Doing something or other with movie star Sage Seymour. Becky, of course, instantly sets about on a madcap quest to become a Stylist to the Stars, more to the point to become famous herself. The wild and improbable situations one has come to expect from a Shopaholic book are of course present and accounted for, except it all seems amplified in this one. The book really does seems like it's gone meta with how over the top the situations and characters are, I'm not sure if the self referential punch is deliberate or if Kinsella is still having fun with her characters or just doesn't care anymore.
The situations are outlandish and fun. There's all the stereotypical glamourpuss Hollywood story back drops (Movie sets and premieres and red carpets) which seems funny as everything I've heard says the town is actually very run down and seedy, with very little of it being as glamorous as the book claims. No, this is movie fantasy fairy tale Hollywood. And Becky is just over the top with her justifications toward being completely narcissistic and selfish. For awhile now, I have harbored a hope that Kinsella would take an Amy Dunne turn with Becky and just let Becks be the monster she was born to be...to get rid of the comedy, sweetly silly schtick and go full Dark Side Shopaholic. These are some terrible characters doing terrible things when you look at the situation objectively, why not just be honest with that? But unfortunately, this is chick lit written for the check, and depth doesn't happen in this book. As for the other supporting players, Luke is as dark, brooding and mysteriously devoted to Becky as ever. Minnie is a lot more tolerable in this one, mostly because she's barely even in the book except as an after thought in a few scenes, but the new toned down Minnie is a vast improvement. I still feel it's a mistake for a child to be written into these character's lives, but whatever. Think of her as a cute little scarf or something. There's an interesting side plot which ends up gaining legs at the book's end involving Suze and Tarquin both in their own ways drinking the Hollywood Koolaide and getting in over their heads as a result. Kinsella wrings each character dry, the familiar favorites are all present and in rare form but there's a few old characters from previous books showing up at dramatic moments to stir up situations with no resolution in sight to the havoc they cause.
As the book went on, it was a delightful little car crash, Metallica's "King Nothing" reimagined with a spoiled, materialistic and not terribly intelligent wealthy womanchild proving that getting everything you want is meaningless if you want the wrong things.
And then there's the lack of resolution. I mean, of course there's a happy ending, of course there's no blowback or consequences for actions or anything silly like...reality. The book ends on a cliffhanger, one of the dramatic subplots involving Tarquin, Becky's dad and a possible cult leader (no, I'm not spoiling anything and yes, I'm serious) vanishing into the desert to Las Vegas.
But it was fun. It was giddy, irresponsible, breathless fun. I enjoyed this book, it was a quick and stupid read but I enjoyed it. The series has been stagnant since Shopaholic and Sister, this was a kick in the pants. Am I looking forward to the next book? You bet, I am now. Am I hoping the series dies a swift and merciful death soon? Sweet Jesus yes, let Becks get hit by a tour bus in Vegas. But one way or another she's on to Vegas, apparently which...I don't know, I think there's horrible genius in choosing Vegas for the next book. That's perfect, right? Y'all can see how perfect it is with the seedy "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" reputation.
I for one look forward to Shopaholic on the Strip, which will no doubt be followed by Shopaholic Does Dallas and Shopaholic and the Prize Winning Cow at the Ohio State Fair.
Oh Sophie Kinsella. Oh ho ho ho. So in this episode of the Shopaholic series, we may just be reaching critical meta where the subtext has quite literally become text. I may need to check the margins to see if the first letter from each sentence spells out a plea for rescue from an Annie Wilkes like captor. I mean, are we sure Ms. Kinsella is doing okay these days and not holed up in a bed with broken legs in Colorado somewhere? Just saying, are we really really sure?
Nah but for real. I didn't hate this book. I really and truly didn't. It clipped along at a brisk pace and was entertainingly bright. Each book, it would seem, has to top the one before it and what splashier, materialistic backdrop could there be than Hollywood. It seems inevitable and right that Becky would end up there, all the promise of narcissism and shallow materialism frothing over in the most spectacularly flamboyantly awful ways.
A synopsis of the book can be easily found in blurb form somewhere, but sufficed to say the Brandons have moved to LaLa Land where Luke is managing? Advising? Doing something or other with movie star Sage Seymour. Becky, of course, instantly sets about on a madcap quest to become a Stylist to the Stars, more to the point to become famous herself. The wild and improbable situations one has come to expect from a Shopaholic book are of course present and accounted for, except it all seems amplified in this one. The book really does seems like it's gone meta with how over the top the situations and characters are, I'm not sure if the self referential punch is deliberate or if Kinsella is still having fun with her characters or just doesn't care anymore.
The situations are outlandish and fun. There's all the stereotypical glamourpuss Hollywood story back drops (Movie sets and premieres and red carpets) which seems funny as everything I've heard says the town is actually very run down and seedy, with very little of it being as glamorous as the book claims. No, this is movie fantasy fairy tale Hollywood. And Becky is just over the top with her justifications toward being completely narcissistic and selfish. For awhile now, I have harbored a hope that Kinsella would take an Amy Dunne turn with Becky and just let Becks be the monster she was born to be...to get rid of the comedy, sweetly silly schtick and go full Dark Side Shopaholic. These are some terrible characters doing terrible things when you look at the situation objectively, why not just be honest with that? But unfortunately, this is chick lit written for the check, and depth doesn't happen in this book. As for the other supporting players, Luke is as dark, brooding and mysteriously devoted to Becky as ever. Minnie is a lot more tolerable in this one, mostly because she's barely even in the book except as an after thought in a few scenes, but the new toned down Minnie is a vast improvement. I still feel it's a mistake for a child to be written into these character's lives, but whatever. Think of her as a cute little scarf or something. There's an interesting side plot which ends up gaining legs at the book's end involving Suze and Tarquin both in their own ways drinking the Hollywood Koolaide and getting in over their heads as a result. Kinsella wrings each character dry, the familiar favorites are all present and in rare form but there's a few old characters from previous books showing up at dramatic moments to stir up situations with no resolution in sight to the havoc they cause.
As the book went on, it was a delightful little car crash, Metallica's "King Nothing" reimagined with a spoiled, materialistic and not terribly intelligent wealthy womanchild proving that getting everything you want is meaningless if you want the wrong things.
And then there's the lack of resolution. I mean, of course there's a happy ending, of course there's no blowback or consequences for actions or anything silly like...reality. The book ends on a cliffhanger, one of the dramatic subplots involving Tarquin, Becky's dad and a possible cult leader (no, I'm not spoiling anything and yes, I'm serious) vanishing into the desert to Las Vegas.
But it was fun. It was giddy, irresponsible, breathless fun. I enjoyed this book, it was a quick and stupid read but I enjoyed it. The series has been stagnant since Shopaholic and Sister, this was a kick in the pants. Am I looking forward to the next book? You bet, I am now. Am I hoping the series dies a swift and merciful death soon? Sweet Jesus yes, let Becks get hit by a tour bus in Vegas. But one way or another she's on to Vegas, apparently which...I don't know, I think there's horrible genius in choosing Vegas for the next book. That's perfect, right? Y'all can see how perfect it is with the seedy "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" reputation.
I for one look forward to Shopaholic on the Strip, which will no doubt be followed by Shopaholic Does Dallas and Shopaholic and the Prize Winning Cow at the Ohio State Fair.