nglofile's review against another edition
2.0
This one's a bit conflicted.
Granted, the premise is ridiculous, but that is exactly the fun. What young-ish woman wouldn't be drawn to a Cinderella/Pygmalion story on steroids for the modern age? It's dripping with escapist wish-fulfillment charms.
Still, for a story about not overvaluing the superficial, it never even dips beneath the surface. Most characters are caricatures, objects are romanticized to the degree of block-paragraph descriptions, and no relationship is based on anything but self-serving motivation. Sure, it's gratifying to read about beautiful clothes and the luxe life, but just when we're ready to buy into the fantasy, it turns into not-quite-satire, and we don't know if we're being empowered or mocked.
Granted, the premise is ridiculous, but that is exactly the fun. What young-ish woman wouldn't be drawn to a Cinderella/Pygmalion story on steroids for the modern age? It's dripping with escapist wish-fulfillment charms.
Still, for a story about not overvaluing the superficial, it never even dips beneath the surface. Most characters are caricatures, objects are romanticized to the degree of block-paragraph descriptions, and no relationship is based on anything but self-serving motivation. Sure, it's gratifying to read about beautiful clothes and the luxe life, but just when we're ready to buy into the fantasy, it turns into not-quite-satire, and we don't know if we're being empowered or mocked.
pinkhydroflask's review against another edition
1.0
this book? a bigger mess than my bedroom before a round of spring cleaning.
the concept of the book was cool, but i couldn't, for one single moment, stand the dialogue, the laundry list of everything the character saw, and the style of writing. it seemed that the character had to describe the colour, texture and size of every single item of furniture in the hotel room she walked in to before she could act or move.
the plot was confusing most of the time, lacking proper flow and left me wondering if the pages of the book were even in order. the ending was absolutely disappointing, and it actually created more plot holes instead of tying everything together.
overall it had a good concept, but the execution was just... a flop. the character was passably likeable, and the whole book seemed to be zooming from scene to scene without any proper explanation or any in depth character development.
the "magic" could have been expounded on more, but instead we were faced with lame dialogue and boring scenes that did not contribute to the plot whatsoever. a waste of my time.
the concept of the book was cool, but i couldn't, for one single moment, stand the dialogue, the laundry list of everything the character saw, and the style of writing. it seemed that the character had to describe the colour, texture and size of every single item of furniture in the hotel room she walked in to before she could act or move.
the plot was confusing most of the time, lacking proper flow and left me wondering if the pages of the book were even in order. the ending was absolutely disappointing, and it actually created more plot holes instead of tying everything together.
overall it had a good concept, but the execution was just... a flop. the character was passably likeable, and the whole book seemed to be zooming from scene to scene without any proper explanation or any in depth character development.
the "magic" could have been expounded on more, but instead we were faced with lame dialogue and boring scenes that did not contribute to the plot whatsoever. a waste of my time.
wandereaderr's review against another edition
5.0
This book wasn't anything that I was expecting and I think that's why I loved it.
kaylakaotik's review against another edition
3.0
I came across Gorgeous in some magazine. It was the recommended book to read for the month. I threw it on my to-read list and figured I’d get around to it eventually. I’m not really sure why I expected something spectacular, but I did. Whether or not the book actually delivered, I’m not sure. It’s one of those books that I can’t decide if I like it or not. I just don’t know!
One of the things that really throws me off about the book is HOW? How does all this happen? What kind of crazy forces are at work here? Is it god, magic, some sort of mystical voodoo? And while I didn’t mind suspending disbelief for the majority of the book, when the big reveal about Tom happens (you’ll know it when you read it) I lost it. My ability to suspend disbelief went out the window. I felt like at that exact point the book went from fantastical to just plain weird. Not knowing what exactly is going on and the whole Tom thing might have been what killed the book for me. Or not. I still don’t really know.
Overall, I don’t know. I don’t get it. I think I liked it, but I’m not really sure. This book just confuses me all the way around.
I guess I give this book a very confused 3 stars.
One of the things that really throws me off about the book is HOW? How does all this happen? What kind of crazy forces are at work here? Is it god, magic, some sort of mystical voodoo? And while I didn’t mind suspending disbelief for the majority of the book, when the big reveal about Tom happens (you’ll know it when you read it) I lost it. My ability to suspend disbelief went out the window. I felt like at that exact point the book went from fantastical to just plain weird. Not knowing what exactly is going on and the whole Tom thing might have been what killed the book for me. Or not. I still don’t really know.
Overall, I don’t know. I don’t get it. I think I liked it, but I’m not really sure. This book just confuses me all the way around.
I guess I give this book a very confused 3 stars.
katleap's review against another edition
3.0
3.75-4 stars
I am so up in the air about this book. I wanted to love it. I really really did. The whole 3 dresses idea was awesome and the ghost thing cool. the Rebecca/Becky thing good. (Although instead of Becky I wish it had been Becca.)
I liked that Becky did end up facing the consequences of her actions. And that the prince didn't just fall in love with Becky when Rebecca disappeared. Also Rochere was hilarious.
However it just didn't click for me. I had an issue with the language. I got the point with the f bomb and the whole trailer park, but I felt that after a certain point it was just shoving it in my face, which I didn't really care for. And there was just something that I can't put my finger on.
I all I loved the concept but I didn't love its execution.
I am so up in the air about this book. I wanted to love it. I really really did. The whole 3 dresses idea was awesome and the ghost thing cool. the Rebecca/Becky thing good. (Although instead of Becky I wish it had been Becca.)
I liked that Becky did end up facing the consequences of her actions. And that the prince didn't just fall in love with Becky when Rebecca disappeared. Also Rochere was hilarious.
However it just didn't click for me. I had an issue with the language. I got the point with the f bomb and the whole trailer park, but I felt that after a certain point it was just shoving it in my face, which I didn't really care for. And there was just something that I can't put my finger on.
I all I loved the concept but I didn't love its execution.
daniellesalwaysreading's review against another edition
3.0
I love Paul Rudnick, I think he is one of the funniest screenplay writers ever. I love his plays and movies and have seen them over and over again. So I think I may have gotten a little worked up about this book, a little over excited. It was a very interesting take on a Cinderella story. It was good and I loved the second part, but the beginning was a bit slow and hard to figure out. Lots of the dialogue seemed like it was written more for the screen then for the page, so although it was funny (and it was funny), I didn't laugh out loud as many times as I expected for a book written by this man. In conclusion, I may have gone into this book with outrageous expectations of rolling on the floor the entire time because of Mr. Rudnick's ever cutting and dry wit, and therefore was unable to give it the unbiased reading it deserved.
sandlynn's review against another edition
2.0
I thought I knew what Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick was about before I read it. The bare bones of the story I expected is there, but the tone and twist given to this story was very surprising. I’m also surprised that this is considered young adult fiction. In any event, Gorgeous was published in 2013. I came across it at the National Book Festival where the author was probably making an appearance.
This story follows 18 year old Becky Randle who is a new high school graduate, works in a grocery store, and lives with her somewhat shut-in mom in a trailer park in a small town in Missouri. She was raised solely by her mom, no dad was in the picture, and it’s clear her mother had a past, but she doesn’t talk about it. Another significant issue was that Becky’s mom was very overweight which didn’t bother Becky but, sadly, made for gossip and derision from some people in their lives. Shortly after the story begins, Becky’s mom passes away. As Becky’s cleaning out the trailer and trying to decide what she’s going to do with her life, Becky stumbles upon a shoe box from a fancy designer — something they could never afford — but all that’s inside the box is a phone number with the name, Tom. Just by chance, the fancy designer’s name on the box is Tom Kelly. Becky doesn’t hesitate to call the number, wondering if this will reveal something about her mother’s past. Eventually, it does, but first, the person on the other end of the line invites Becky to come to New York to meet with the famous fashion icon Tom Kelly.
This should’ve tipped me off that this story was going to take a decidedly different route because Becky heads to New York where Tom Kelly meets with her, reveals a bit about his connection to her mother, and then offers Becky the opportunity to become the most beautiful woman who ever lived. He would create three dresses for her, which would *magically* change her appearance, and then introduce her to the world, giving her opportunities for fame and fortune she would never have had back in Missouri. What happens when Becky agrees and is turned into the fabulous Rebecca Randle morphs right into parody as Rudnick satirizes fame, the fashion industry, Hollywood, the worship of beauty over substance and countless other topics of which we are all familiar in this shallow, consumer, fame-worshipping society. Along the way, Becky/Rebecca is wined and dined, romanced by the most famous young man in the world, but also learns about her mother, her father, and what her true worth is.
As I mentioned, this story caught me by surprise. Initially, this book was a cover buy for me as the edition I have is striking in design and color, but I thought the premise sounded promising as well. What I didn’t expect was for the book to be so over-the-top in terms of how it satirizes and parodies wealth, fame, and beauty. The Tom Kelly character is clearly a Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger type person and you could probably find real life doppelgängers for some of the rest of the “cast”. Considering these sophisticated references and wit, I was surprised this was published by Scholastic. I think you’d have to be a more sophisticated teenager to get many of the references, but maybe I’m under estimating today’s teens.
Another thing I didn’t expect was that this book is fully in the fantasy world. Things happen that are not, in any way, reality based and, frankly, after I finished the story, I realized you had to suspend a lot of disbelief. There are huge holes in the plot once one thinks about it, so I guess the solution is not to think too hard. For instance, once we learn about Tom Kelly, I had to wonder how Becky did not know what really happened in his life since she and her mother were such massive consumers of pop culture. This part of the plot would also have to mean that so many people not in Tom Kelly’s immediate world would have had to have been equally blind, dumb, or “enchanted”. Although once the enchantment was over, I don’t know how everyone made sense of what happened.
As for the characters, to be honest Rebecca Randle was the least interesting — which probably was purposeful since her beauty didn’t demand that she be so. Becky, herself, as well as her best friend, and most everyone else kept my attention much more. I think that’s one reason I found a chunk of the book a bit ho hum. Once the enchantment is over and events come back to earth, the story flew by a lot faster — which reminds me of another plot point I couldn’t quite grasp involving Tom’s “deal” with Becky. Anyway, even though I finished the story and enjoyed parts of it — especially hearing about what really happened to Becky’s “family” and other people in their lives — this wasn’t the book for me. The ending should’ve been satisfying, but wasn’t due to so many questions left unanswered along the way. I’d give it about a C/C-.
This story follows 18 year old Becky Randle who is a new high school graduate, works in a grocery store, and lives with her somewhat shut-in mom in a trailer park in a small town in Missouri. She was raised solely by her mom, no dad was in the picture, and it’s clear her mother had a past, but she doesn’t talk about it. Another significant issue was that Becky’s mom was very overweight which didn’t bother Becky but, sadly, made for gossip and derision from some people in their lives. Shortly after the story begins, Becky’s mom passes away. As Becky’s cleaning out the trailer and trying to decide what she’s going to do with her life, Becky stumbles upon a shoe box from a fancy designer — something they could never afford — but all that’s inside the box is a phone number with the name, Tom. Just by chance, the fancy designer’s name on the box is Tom Kelly. Becky doesn’t hesitate to call the number, wondering if this will reveal something about her mother’s past. Eventually, it does, but first, the person on the other end of the line invites Becky to come to New York to meet with the famous fashion icon Tom Kelly.
This should’ve tipped me off that this story was going to take a decidedly different route because Becky heads to New York where Tom Kelly meets with her, reveals a bit about his connection to her mother, and then offers Becky the opportunity to become the most beautiful woman who ever lived. He would create three dresses for her, which would *magically* change her appearance, and then introduce her to the world, giving her opportunities for fame and fortune she would never have had back in Missouri. What happens when Becky agrees and is turned into the fabulous Rebecca Randle morphs right into parody as Rudnick satirizes fame, the fashion industry, Hollywood, the worship of beauty over substance and countless other topics of which we are all familiar in this shallow, consumer, fame-worshipping society. Along the way, Becky/Rebecca is wined and dined, romanced by the most famous young man in the world, but also learns about her mother, her father, and what her true worth is.
As I mentioned, this story caught me by surprise. Initially, this book was a cover buy for me as the edition I have is striking in design and color, but I thought the premise sounded promising as well. What I didn’t expect was for the book to be so over-the-top in terms of how it satirizes and parodies wealth, fame, and beauty. The Tom Kelly character is clearly a Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger type person and you could probably find real life doppelgängers for some of the rest of the “cast”. Considering these sophisticated references and wit, I was surprised this was published by Scholastic. I think you’d have to be a more sophisticated teenager to get many of the references, but maybe I’m under estimating today’s teens.
Another thing I didn’t expect was that this book is fully in the fantasy world. Things happen that are not, in any way, reality based and, frankly, after I finished the story, I realized you had to suspend a lot of disbelief. There are huge holes in the plot once one thinks about it, so I guess the solution is not to think too hard. For instance, once we learn about Tom Kelly, I had to wonder how Becky did not know what really happened in his life since she and her mother were such massive consumers of pop culture. This part of the plot would also have to mean that so many people not in Tom Kelly’s immediate world would have had to have been equally blind, dumb, or “enchanted”. Although once the enchantment was over, I don’t know how everyone made sense of what happened.
As for the characters, to be honest Rebecca Randle was the least interesting — which probably was purposeful since her beauty didn’t demand that she be so. Becky, herself, as well as her best friend, and most everyone else kept my attention much more. I think that’s one reason I found a chunk of the book a bit ho hum. Once the enchantment is over and events come back to earth, the story flew by a lot faster — which reminds me of another plot point I couldn’t quite grasp involving Tom’s “deal” with Becky. Anyway, even though I finished the story and enjoyed parts of it — especially hearing about what really happened to Becky’s “family” and other people in their lives — this wasn’t the book for me. The ending should’ve been satisfying, but wasn’t due to so many questions left unanswered along the way. I’d give it about a C/C-.
emp1234's review against another edition
1.0
I'm not sure if Rudnick is a bad writer or had a bad editor. Maybe both because this book sucked. Now, it was recommended and I knew the premise, so it wasn't a matter of the storyline being too silly. I was willing to put aside reality for a good Cinderella story but not with a bunch of crap dialog and meandering descriptions.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2013 staff fiction favorite recommended by staffer Andrea. Read her review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/646527529
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sgorgeous%20rudnick__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sgorgeous%20rudnick__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
belle18244's review against another edition
4.0
Completely unbelievable and ridiculous but I really enjoyed reading this. I really liked Becky and wanted to find out where this crazy story was going to go.