poachedeggs's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars.
I wavered between disbelief and outright irritation from the very beginning of the book, when the robotic Texan beauty queen Taylor asks everyone to practise their pageantry skills right after the plane crash, and Libba Bray began throwing in all kinds of 'quirky' little footnotes.
So readers need to suspend their disbelief a lot, or they might as well just read non-fiction, but this isn't really [b:Gulliver's Travels|7733|Gulliver's Travels (Penguin Classics)|Jonathan Swift|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311647470s/7733.jpg|2394716]. It's a bunch of pretty self-centred beauty queens (one of whom walks around with a tray stuck in her forehead for much of the book - and it wasn't funny the first time we found out either) who, upon finding out that most of the plane's passengers had perished in the crash on a deserted island, immediately start worrying about their make-up and dresses. Then later, they meet some pretty airheaded guys, one of whom begins quoting Dickens out of the blue and wins the favour of the most unconventional girl on the island. I accept that the bimbos and stereotypes may work, but I can't stomach (IN THIS CONTEXT only) the sudden erudition that must possess a character before he can be liked. All in all, a strange mix of realism and outright bizarre behaviour with no fantastical elements to explain that, oh, that is how the laws of (human) nature work here.
It might have worked for a 200-page book, but I am starting to get the feeling that Libba Bray just writes really long books - [b:A Great and Terrible Beauty|3682|A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)|Libba Bray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284558475s/3682.jpg|2113193] weighs in at 400+ pages, and [b:Going Bovine|6512140|Going Bovine|Libba Bray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266736365s/6512140.jpg|4733312] is 480 pages long. A lot more editing would have improved Beauty Queens.
I was sufficiently entertained, however, in the later half of the book, when Taylor's character becomes a lot more interesting (and I found out what a bandolier refers to!) and the girls do some things that are not exactly surprising - they are meant to have some socially/morally educational purpose - but that on occasion, do please the feminist in me.
Some of these ideas might have worked better in an essay though. I am perhaps rather biased in thinking that a great novel of ideas often doesn't work unless the writer is a European or represents the world in sci-fi/dystopian terms (ah, the fantastic [b:Genesis|6171892|Genesis|Bernard Beckett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255832595s/6171892.jpg|6351510]). Outside of these, character development is still so important!
I wavered between disbelief and outright irritation from the very beginning of the book, when the robotic Texan beauty queen Taylor asks everyone to practise their pageantry skills right after the plane crash, and Libba Bray began throwing in all kinds of 'quirky' little footnotes.
So readers need to suspend their disbelief a lot, or they might as well just read non-fiction, but this isn't really [b:Gulliver's Travels|7733|Gulliver's Travels (Penguin Classics)|Jonathan Swift|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311647470s/7733.jpg|2394716]. It's a bunch of pretty self-centred beauty queens (one of whom walks around with a tray stuck in her forehead for much of the book - and it wasn't funny the first time we found out either) who, upon finding out that most of the plane's passengers had perished in the crash on a deserted island, immediately start worrying about their make-up and dresses. Then later, they meet some pretty airheaded guys, one of whom begins quoting Dickens out of the blue and wins the favour of the most unconventional girl on the island. I accept that the bimbos and stereotypes may work, but I can't stomach (IN THIS CONTEXT only) the sudden erudition that must possess a character before he can be liked. All in all, a strange mix of realism and outright bizarre behaviour with no fantastical elements to explain that, oh, that is how the laws of (human) nature work here.
It might have worked for a 200-page book, but I am starting to get the feeling that Libba Bray just writes really long books - [b:A Great and Terrible Beauty|3682|A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)|Libba Bray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284558475s/3682.jpg|2113193] weighs in at 400+ pages, and [b:Going Bovine|6512140|Going Bovine|Libba Bray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266736365s/6512140.jpg|4733312] is 480 pages long. A lot more editing would have improved Beauty Queens.
I was sufficiently entertained, however, in the later half of the book, when Taylor's character becomes a lot more interesting (and I found out what a bandolier refers to!) and the girls do some things that are not exactly surprising - they are meant to have some socially/morally educational purpose - but that on occasion, do please the feminist in me.
Some of these ideas might have worked better in an essay though. I am perhaps rather biased in thinking that a great novel of ideas often doesn't work unless the writer is a European or represents the world in sci-fi/dystopian terms (ah, the fantastic [b:Genesis|6171892|Genesis|Bernard Beckett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255832595s/6171892.jpg|6351510]). Outside of these, character development is still so important!
rosiethespy's review against another edition
3.0
A little long and juuuust a bit heavy handed, but I really appreciate the overall message, as well as the humor and excitement.
btaylor's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
glendaleereads's review against another edition
4.0
I am really surprised that I enjoyed this book. I never thought I'd be reading a book about Beauty Queens and pageants...especially one that is a satire. This being a young adult novel I didn't expect it to be a satire at all. The plot of beauty queens being stranded on a desert island after there plane crashed appealed to me because I thought it would be a girls Lord Of The Flies and I was like "why not"? so when I began reading this book the sarcasm began right away which really surprised me. I laughed throughout this whole novel, the characters that Bray created are hilarious and the things they say were to much.
You think this novel is just about a bunch of spoiled conceited shallow girls that were on there way to a beauty pageant when there plane crashes on a deserted island, but its more complicated than that because that plane crash did not happen by accident (only spoiler I will mention). As cliche as this may sound, these girls all had a different story to tell and there time on the island made them grow as people and many of them were not the shallow fakes people would expect beauty queens to be.
There were some flaws (in my opinion) in the story but that didn't take away from me enjoying this book. There were some things that I think Bray could have elaborated more on but didn't, I wasn't left confused because of this, just curious. Other than that this was a hilarious read. I'm pretty sure girls into Beauty Pageants won't enjoy this satire to much so I wouldn't recommend it to them. But this book has female empowerment written all over it. These deserted beauty queens were survivors!.
You think this novel is just about a bunch of spoiled conceited shallow girls that were on there way to a beauty pageant when there plane crashes on a deserted island, but its more complicated than that because that plane crash did not happen by accident (only spoiler I will mention). As cliche as this may sound, these girls all had a different story to tell and there time on the island made them grow as people and many of them were not the shallow fakes people would expect beauty queens to be.
There were some flaws (in my opinion) in the story but that didn't take away from me enjoying this book. There were some things that I think Bray could have elaborated more on but didn't, I wasn't left confused because of this, just curious. Other than that this was a hilarious read. I'm pretty sure girls into Beauty Pageants won't enjoy this satire to much so I wouldn't recommend it to them. But this book has female empowerment written all over it. These deserted beauty queens were survivors!.
mel_chan91's review against another edition
3.0
Okay...so, Tropic Thunder, Charlies Angels, Miss Congeniality, Lost, Big Brother and Toddlers and Tiaras had a baby....THIS BOOK....
I have no words as to what I have just read. It had some good parts and represented alot of important themes, but I was rolling my eyes so hard that I could definitely see the inside of my scull....Cringe-worthy? Oh, yes.
I have no words as to what I have just read. It had some good parts and represented alot of important themes, but I was rolling my eyes so hard that I could definitely see the inside of my scull....Cringe-worthy? Oh, yes.
sde's review against another edition
4.0
Totally funny, satirical book. I listened to the recorded book, and the reading was masterful! Ladybird Hope, the former beauty queen that is the idol of the Teen Dream contestants, sounds just like Sarah Palin.
I normally prefer to read books, but in this case I think the recorded book was probably a much better experience. Besides the many voices, there are also commercials, advertising ditties and funny footnotes and other things that may not have translated as well on paper.
This book is totally over the top, but that's what makes it fun. A book that pokes fun at corporate greed, beauty rituals, banana republic dictators, Texan gun-toting culture, reality TV, diversity initiatives and more all in an engaging, fast-paced story. Who could ask for more?
Warning - there is a fair bit of cursing and a small amount of sex, so parents of tweens may want to hold off for a few years before recommending to their kids. Also, you may not want to play the recorded book in the car with the entire family.
I normally prefer to read books, but in this case I think the recorded book was probably a much better experience. Besides the many voices, there are also commercials, advertising ditties and funny footnotes and other things that may not have translated as well on paper.
This book is totally over the top, but that's what makes it fun. A book that pokes fun at corporate greed, beauty rituals, banana republic dictators, Texan gun-toting culture, reality TV, diversity initiatives and more all in an engaging, fast-paced story. Who could ask for more?
Warning - there is a fair bit of cursing and a small amount of sex, so parents of tweens may want to hold off for a few years before recommending to their kids. Also, you may not want to play the recorded book in the car with the entire family.
carrionlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
In a caricature of our own society, Author, Libba Bray explores themes of self-image, feminism, race, disability, gender identity, sexuality, and orientation with frankness and sensitivity.
Also she’s funny as hell. With exchanges like,
Adina appealed to the sky. "We asked for rescue and you sent us incompetent rockstar pirates with a broken ship and perfect abs?"
"Thank you, God," Petra said.
it’s hard not to at least chuckle at Beauty Queens.
Bray won an Audie award for Best Narration by the Author and listening to this audiobook it’s easy to understand why. Each character has his or her accent perfectly executed and Bray brings real enthusiasm to her telling of their story. Bray does an excellent task of developing each of the main characters despite having such a large ensemble cast. Out of all the girls only three of them are really treated as interchangeable extras.
Some of the themes might be a little too overt for older or more sophisticated readers. The character of Adina especially comes off as a stereotypical young feminist going so far as to constantly name drop things like “the patriarchy” and “the man”. However, the message that when we stop seeing other girls as competition or traditionally feminine women as the enemy and start seeing them as allies and individuals we all benefit is much more subtle and well handled. Not to mention a message that`s too important to justify panning a book because it`s also funny and fluffy.
All in all, if you’re looking for Lord of the Flies with beauty queens you might be disappointed, but if you’re interested in dark comedy, evil corporations, secret agents , girl power, insane dictators, “Bodacious” pirates, conspiracies, giant snakes, and thinly veiled parodies of past political figures this book will be right up you alley.
Also she’s funny as hell. With exchanges like,
Adina appealed to the sky. "We asked for rescue and you sent us incompetent rockstar pirates with a broken ship and perfect abs?"
"Thank you, God," Petra said.
it’s hard not to at least chuckle at Beauty Queens.
Bray won an Audie award for Best Narration by the Author and listening to this audiobook it’s easy to understand why. Each character has his or her accent perfectly executed and Bray brings real enthusiasm to her telling of their story. Bray does an excellent task of developing each of the main characters despite having such a large ensemble cast. Out of all the girls only three of them are really treated as interchangeable extras.
Some of the themes might be a little too overt for older or more sophisticated readers. The character of Adina especially comes off as a stereotypical young feminist going so far as to constantly name drop things like “the patriarchy” and “the man”. However, the message that when we stop seeing other girls as competition or traditionally feminine women as the enemy and start seeing them as allies and individuals we all benefit is much more subtle and well handled. Not to mention a message that`s too important to justify panning a book because it`s also funny and fluffy.
All in all, if you’re looking for Lord of the Flies with beauty queens you might be disappointed, but if you’re interested in dark comedy, evil corporations, secret agents , girl power, insane dictators, “Bodacious” pirates, conspiracies, giant snakes, and thinly veiled parodies of past political figures this book will be right up you alley.
unski_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0