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A review by abookwormwithwine
A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden by Gill Paul
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know what I have been doing with my life that I am just now reading a historical fiction novel by Gill Paul! A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden sucked me in immediately, and I was instantly drawn into this story of two very different but also eerily alike women who knew exactly what meant to work hard for what you have. I knew absolutely nothing about Rubinstein OR Arden heading into this book, and I feel like I learned so much about both of them. Even with the liberties Paul took with the storyline, so much of it was based on real-life that it still all felt very real. Paul's writing is fantastic and so engrossing that I literally started the audiobook and listened to it all the way to the end in one sitting.
This isn't a movie that I know of, but it should be and if this got optioned, I would definitely watch it in any capacity be it film or TV. Some parts broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes, while others made my mouth drop open with the lengths these women would go to while they were competing with each other. If you are going to read A Beautiful Rival, I would recommend the audiobook if you enjoy them because it is done so well. Even though the viewpoints alternate between both Rubinstein and Arden, there is only one narrator, and somehow Lisa Flanagan managed to make herself sound like two people! It is seriously impressive, and she did a fantastic job. If you have ever wondered about either of these women or the empires they built, I highly recommend picking up this insightful and compelling novel and getting lost in the drama.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This isn't a movie that I know of, but it should be and if this got optioned, I would definitely watch it in any capacity be it film or TV. Some parts broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes, while others made my mouth drop open with the lengths these women would go to while they were competing with each other. If you are going to read A Beautiful Rival, I would recommend the audiobook if you enjoy them because it is done so well. Even though the viewpoints alternate between both Rubinstein and Arden, there is only one narrator, and somehow Lisa Flanagan managed to make herself sound like two people! It is seriously impressive, and she did a fantastic job. If you have ever wondered about either of these women or the empires they built, I highly recommend picking up this insightful and compelling novel and getting lost in the drama.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.