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seventhswan's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I haven't read Vanity Fair - I think I saw half an adaptation of it on TV once - but I'm familiar with the trial of Rebekah Brooks and the collapse of the News of the World which, regardless of any disclaimers in the acknowledgements section, this story is certainly equally based on. I found the plot incredibly gripping, and I don't think it's necessary to be familiar with either of these things beforehand, but I do think the small aspects that didn't work for me might have made more sense if I knew the story of the original Becky Sharp.
For me, the writing wasn't the absolute tightest it could have been, but the plot and characters were interesting enough that it didn't matter too much. As the story developed, my feelings on various characters kept changing and there were plenty of twists that added to the drama. I'm unsure if it was intentional, but a lot of the male love/sex interests felt quite interchangeable and object-like in a way that's usually reserved for women in these kinds of stories, which was interesting to read. Most importantly, I enjoyed reading this! It was the book equivalent of a six-episode BBC drama based on a true story, and I think it was executed well.
For me, the writing wasn't the absolute tightest it could have been, but the plot and characters were interesting enough that it didn't matter too much. As the story developed, my feelings on various characters kept changing and there were plenty of twists that added to the drama. I'm unsure if it was intentional, but a lot of the male love/sex interests felt quite interchangeable and object-like in a way that's usually reserved for women in these kinds of stories, which was interesting to read. Most importantly, I enjoyed reading this! It was the book equivalent of a six-episode BBC drama based on a true story, and I think it was executed well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, and Abortion
coffeekitaab's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Becky is a fusion of modern retelling of the classic Vanity Fair and the real life story of Rebekah Brook's sensational rise and dramatic fall as the editor of the Sun newspaper. I have not read Vanity Fair so did not go into this with any assumptions/expectations .
This was engrossing from the first page, told from Becky's point of view who is an ambitious, hungry journalist, determined to climb the career ladder no matter the cost. The novel touches on major media stories from the nineties, which led to some nostalgia: the "Princess'" affair, the kidnapping and murder of a school girl which, on further investigation, reveals the media group were using unscrupulous methods to obtain 'the truth'. The background to Becky's own life and those she meets on the journey made this a page-turner.
Sarah May really knows how to set the scene and I enjoyed the scandals, scoops and mystery surrounding the world of news reporting and how ethical boundaries can be blurred to improve reader circulation. The plot covers a few decades and the storyline is developed extremely well.
Becky makes for a charismatic character and as a reader, I was convinced by her story but on reflection, it was difficult to decide if I liked her. If a character is a creature of circumstances, then you empathise with Becky. As there are lots of supporting characters, it was also hard to keep up with those recurring and some (particularly Dobbin) was not fleshed out completely and the only qualm I had is this confused me at times when they suddenly reappeared in the story and I did not remember who they were. Overall though, this was enjoyable read and I laud Sarah May's effort at keeping it a mysterious, entertaining read.
Thank you netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This was engrossing from the first page, told from Becky's point of view who is an ambitious, hungry journalist, determined to climb the career ladder no matter the cost. The novel touches on major media stories from the nineties, which led to some nostalgia: the "Princess'" affair, the kidnapping and murder of a school girl which, on further investigation, reveals the media group were using unscrupulous methods to obtain 'the truth'. The background to Becky's own life and those she meets on the journey made this a page-turner.
Sarah May really knows how to set the scene and I enjoyed the scandals, scoops and mystery surrounding the world of news reporting and how ethical boundaries can be blurred to improve reader circulation. The plot covers a few decades and the storyline is developed extremely well.
Becky makes for a charismatic character and as a reader, I was convinced by her story but on reflection, it was difficult to decide if I liked her. If a character is a creature of circumstances, then you empathise with Becky. As there are lots of supporting characters, it was also hard to keep up with those recurring and some (particularly Dobbin) was not fleshed out completely and the only qualm I had is this confused me at times when they suddenly reappeared in the story and I did not remember who they were. Overall though, this was enjoyable read and I laud Sarah May's effort at keeping it a mysterious, entertaining read.
Thank you netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
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