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bpacker22's review against another edition
1.0
this book... i can't even convince myself to finish it. the plot sounded interesting but it is so over descriptive it is painful. the number of times you see the word like or as if on a page is painful. was this book edited at all?
jmarchek's review against another edition
2.0
A YA cinderella story that didn't quite make it for me. A poor girl from the trailer park is transformed by 3 magical dresses into the most beautiful woman in the world for me. I think older teens would like this (although quite a bit of sexuality and very sexist body imagery). But too shallow for me.
hdbblog's review against another edition
3.0
While I didn't love this book, I can say that it surprised me how much I ended up enjoying it. You might have seen me post how utterly baffled I was when I first started this. Paul Rudnick's story isn't something I've read before. It's completely out in left field, and yet that's what kept my attention. Even when I didn't love Becky. Even when I had no idea what was going on. I was intrigued enough to want to keep going. Gorgeous gets points for that.
Here's the thing about Becky Randle: at first she was pretty tough for me to like. I had nothing in common with this quiet, introverted, mousy young girl from a trailer park. It grated on me that she was constantly putting herself down, and refused to come out of her shell simply because she didn't think she was worthy of it. I cringed as she simpered about the popular girls, and how the guy she liked didn't even know she existed. I wanted to scream, "Come on Becky! It's only HIGH SCHOOL!". Then, things took off and suddenly I wasn't so annoyed with her anymore. Only completely absorbed in her transformation.
The Becky that comes out on the other side of this story, although I still never fully felt invested in her, was much different that the one I first met. Stronger, more sassy, and just that slight bit more comfortable in her own skin. What I did love about her journey was how she addressed all the madness that ensues in Hollywood. How we idol worship, how the very rich behave, and how beauty makes us do crazy things. Becky gets a piece of all of this, and it was engrossing to watch her battle between her old self and the person that fame was trying to turn her into.
I suppose this is a fairy tale of sorts, when you get right down to it. Almost like a Cinderella story, but without all the overly sappy parts. Although there is a fair bit of adorable romance. The saving grace for me was Becky's best friend Rocher (pronounced like the fancy chocolate of the same name) and her spit-fire, completely-loyal-best-friend personality. I should also warn you that there are many instances of what we shall call "adult language" in this book. That, more than anything, stuck out to me while I was listening to the audio book. Rocher cusses a lot.
That being said, the story ended up sweeping me up by the end. It still never made total sense, and I still had tons of unanswered questions that were eating at me, but I'll concede that it was an interesting ride. If nothing else, Gorgeous gets credit for being so original. It takes a story that we all think we've seen before, and puts a spin on it that is out of this world. So, I'd say give it a shot if it jumps out at you as something you'd enjoy! You might be pleasantly surprised.
Here's the thing about Becky Randle: at first she was pretty tough for me to like. I had nothing in common with this quiet, introverted, mousy young girl from a trailer park. It grated on me that she was constantly putting herself down, and refused to come out of her shell simply because she didn't think she was worthy of it. I cringed as she simpered about the popular girls, and how the guy she liked didn't even know she existed. I wanted to scream, "Come on Becky! It's only HIGH SCHOOL!". Then, things took off and suddenly I wasn't so annoyed with her anymore. Only completely absorbed in her transformation.
The Becky that comes out on the other side of this story, although I still never fully felt invested in her, was much different that the one I first met. Stronger, more sassy, and just that slight bit more comfortable in her own skin. What I did love about her journey was how she addressed all the madness that ensues in Hollywood. How we idol worship, how the very rich behave, and how beauty makes us do crazy things. Becky gets a piece of all of this, and it was engrossing to watch her battle between her old self and the person that fame was trying to turn her into.
I suppose this is a fairy tale of sorts, when you get right down to it. Almost like a Cinderella story, but without all the overly sappy parts. Although there is a fair bit of adorable romance. The saving grace for me was Becky's best friend Rocher (pronounced like the fancy chocolate of the same name) and her spit-fire, completely-loyal-best-friend personality. I should also warn you that there are many instances of what we shall call "adult language" in this book. That, more than anything, stuck out to me while I was listening to the audio book. Rocher cusses a lot.
That being said, the story ended up sweeping me up by the end. It still never made total sense, and I still had tons of unanswered questions that were eating at me, but I'll concede that it was an interesting ride. If nothing else, Gorgeous gets credit for being so original. It takes a story that we all think we've seen before, and puts a spin on it that is out of this world. So, I'd say give it a shot if it jumps out at you as something you'd enjoy! You might be pleasantly surprised.
olo_bear's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
buddy524's review against another edition
3.0
The voice of the main character was great and I loved the premise. Makes me believe in magic just a little bit more. I did find the lack of explanations a bit frustrating at times and there seemed to be a few inconsistencies. Overall a fun read.
s_k8's review against another edition
5.0
Left me a bit frazzled but I couldn't stop reeling because of this book. So excellent.
zoeyoey's review against another edition
3.0
Romance novels can often be the same. A cliche about a regular girl from a small town who finds herself being given big opportunities and taken on exciting adventures, all the while meeting her dream guy and falling in love. Of course, there are funny moments, and there is also the main character’s sassy best friend, whose comments make the reader laugh or smile. Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick is not much different from your typical, cheesy, young adult romance novel, as it includes all of the above, along with some fantasy magic that comes with a twist.
The main character of Gorgeous is Rebecca (Becky) Randall. Becky, along with many others, sees herself as nothing special. She’s a decent looking girl, depending on who you ask. She’s a bit anxious, but not without good reason. Although, she’s also sarcastic and good-hearted. Rebecca is Becky, in terms of the same skeleton, the same brain, and the same outlook on life. The book begins in a trailer park in East Trawley, Missouri, where Becky and her mother live. However, a majority of significant events take place in New York, where Becky stays after her mother dies within the first couple of chapters. Also, Becky does travel throughout the book, to places like Paris and London, since Rebecca (who is also Becky) travels a lot due to her worldwide popularity, and her current job as a lead woman in a movie called High Profile.
Another very important, major character is Tom Kelly. Tom Kelly is one of the most famous people in the world. His name and face are on everything, and his products and advertisements are everywhere. Interactions with characters throughout the book, and Becky’s surprise when she meets Tom face-to-face, give evidence that Tom had disappeared out of the media for a while. And while this didn’t decrease his popularity, it definitely made people wonder where he went. Though, when he meets Becky and makes “Rebecca” his new project, he’s back in the public eye, to the relief and satisfaction of many. Tom is introduced as a very good looking man, who is mysterious and well respected. His large amount of respect is shown through his interactions with other big name designers of many kinds, and other important people.
Some other characters who are minor but still important are Becky’s deceased mother, who, though not around, is the reason Becky stays in New York and takes every opportunity she gets and Rocher (pronounced “Ro-shay”), who is both Becky and Rebecca’s hilarious and smart-mouthed best friend, and the other person that aggressively encourages Becky to take every opportunity she is given. There is also Jate, a famous singer and actor who Becky swore she’d marry since she first saw him on the TV series “Jackie + Jate” but she soon is informed that he’s gay. He guides Becky/Rebecca through being a travelling actress, and the two develop a close friendship. There’s also Prince Gregory, the man Rebecca decides she’s going to marry. He’s very handsome, and also has a good heart.
After Becky’s mother dies suddenly, Becky finds a phone number in a box while she’s cleaning out their trailer. On a whim, she decides to call the number she’s found. The first time it goes through, she freaks out and hangs up. Then, after a deep breath, she calls again. A lady answers, and sends Becky a plane ticket to New York. Becky is picked up from the airport by a driver she’d never heard of or seen before, and is unknowingly taken to meet with Tom Kelly. In meeting Tom Kelly, Becky discovers two things: 1. Her mother used to be a gorgeous model who worked with Tom Kelly, and 2. Tom Kelly has an offer for her. The offer is this: Tom Kelly will design Becky three dresses that will make her the most beautiful woman in the world. After an extremely explicit push from Rosher, Becky decides to agree to Tom’s offer.
Tom Kelly was not kidding when he said, “the most beautiful woman in the world.” The moment Becky Randall puts on her first dress, she unknowingly becomes “Rebecca Randall”. It’s not until a woman follows her into the bathroom and Becky can get a good look at Rebecca, that she realizes the dress really has made her the most beautiful woman in the world, with a gorgeous face and flawless skin and the perfect body. This is also when Becky realizes that she only becomes Rebecca when there are other people around her. Alone, she is just Becky. After becoming slightly used to being Rebecca, or at least coming to terms with it, Tom informs Becky of the twist: she has a year to fall in love and get married, otherwise all of the magic that she is getting used to as Rebecca, goes away forever.
Working on High Profile with Jate has given Rebecca opportunities to travel across the world. One of these opportunities included visiting the burn unit of a children’s hospital. Rebecca was supposed to visit with Jate, but he was called away at the last minute, so instead she visits with Prince Gregory. It’s through meeting Prince Gregory that Rebecca decides that she wants to use the fame and power that comes with her image to positively impact the world, and that she wants to marry Prince Gregory. The two eventually do become a couple, but Becky begins to fear her romance with Prince Gregory when she falls in love with him. She worries about the magic of the dresses wearing off at any moment, and Prince Gregory having to see Rebecca for who she really is, which is just plain Becky. But, of course, since this is a cliche romance novel, Prince Gregory likes Becky whether she’s Rebecca or not.
I don’t know if I would automatically think to recommend Gorgeous to anyone, just because the cliches don’t always do it for me. However, that does not mean that I didn’t enjoy the book. Something made me think to myself, “keep reading!” The novel is a “young adult” one, so I’d say that the targeted audience for the book is anyone who is a teenager, or someone in their early 20’s. Though, that doesn’t mean only people those ages should give the book a read. I think this book is automatically qualified for consideration if the reader loves cheesy, romantic cliches. It almost might be a book to consider if the reader eats up magical princess fantasies, as well. That might be a bit of a stretch, but I still stand by the idea. I do recommend doing some research on Paul Rudnick, the author, though, especially if you liked his writing for Gorgeous because, as it turns out, he also writes for many formats, such as plays and anthropologies. Gorgeous is actually Rudnick’s first young adult novel.
The main character of Gorgeous is Rebecca (Becky) Randall. Becky, along with many others, sees herself as nothing special. She’s a decent looking girl, depending on who you ask. She’s a bit anxious, but not without good reason. Although, she’s also sarcastic and good-hearted. Rebecca is Becky, in terms of the same skeleton, the same brain, and the same outlook on life. The book begins in a trailer park in East Trawley, Missouri, where Becky and her mother live. However, a majority of significant events take place in New York, where Becky stays after her mother dies within the first couple of chapters. Also, Becky does travel throughout the book, to places like Paris and London, since Rebecca (who is also Becky) travels a lot due to her worldwide popularity, and her current job as a lead woman in a movie called High Profile.
Another very important, major character is Tom Kelly. Tom Kelly is one of the most famous people in the world. His name and face are on everything, and his products and advertisements are everywhere. Interactions with characters throughout the book, and Becky’s surprise when she meets Tom face-to-face, give evidence that Tom had disappeared out of the media for a while. And while this didn’t decrease his popularity, it definitely made people wonder where he went. Though, when he meets Becky and makes “Rebecca” his new project, he’s back in the public eye, to the relief and satisfaction of many. Tom is introduced as a very good looking man, who is mysterious and well respected. His large amount of respect is shown through his interactions with other big name designers of many kinds, and other important people.
Some other characters who are minor but still important are Becky’s deceased mother, who, though not around, is the reason Becky stays in New York and takes every opportunity she gets and Rocher (pronounced “Ro-shay”), who is both Becky and Rebecca’s hilarious and smart-mouthed best friend, and the other person that aggressively encourages Becky to take every opportunity she is given. There is also Jate, a famous singer and actor who Becky swore she’d marry since she first saw him on the TV series “Jackie + Jate” but she soon is informed that he’s gay. He guides Becky/Rebecca through being a travelling actress, and the two develop a close friendship. There’s also Prince Gregory, the man Rebecca decides she’s going to marry. He’s very handsome, and also has a good heart.
After Becky’s mother dies suddenly, Becky finds a phone number in a box while she’s cleaning out their trailer. On a whim, she decides to call the number she’s found. The first time it goes through, she freaks out and hangs up. Then, after a deep breath, she calls again. A lady answers, and sends Becky a plane ticket to New York. Becky is picked up from the airport by a driver she’d never heard of or seen before, and is unknowingly taken to meet with Tom Kelly. In meeting Tom Kelly, Becky discovers two things: 1. Her mother used to be a gorgeous model who worked with Tom Kelly, and 2. Tom Kelly has an offer for her. The offer is this: Tom Kelly will design Becky three dresses that will make her the most beautiful woman in the world. After an extremely explicit push from Rosher, Becky decides to agree to Tom’s offer.
Tom Kelly was not kidding when he said, “the most beautiful woman in the world.” The moment Becky Randall puts on her first dress, she unknowingly becomes “Rebecca Randall”. It’s not until a woman follows her into the bathroom and Becky can get a good look at Rebecca, that she realizes the dress really has made her the most beautiful woman in the world, with a gorgeous face and flawless skin and the perfect body. This is also when Becky realizes that she only becomes Rebecca when there are other people around her. Alone, she is just Becky. After becoming slightly used to being Rebecca, or at least coming to terms with it, Tom informs Becky of the twist: she has a year to fall in love and get married, otherwise all of the magic that she is getting used to as Rebecca, goes away forever.
Working on High Profile with Jate has given Rebecca opportunities to travel across the world. One of these opportunities included visiting the burn unit of a children’s hospital. Rebecca was supposed to visit with Jate, but he was called away at the last minute, so instead she visits with Prince Gregory. It’s through meeting Prince Gregory that Rebecca decides that she wants to use the fame and power that comes with her image to positively impact the world, and that she wants to marry Prince Gregory. The two eventually do become a couple, but Becky begins to fear her romance with Prince Gregory when she falls in love with him. She worries about the magic of the dresses wearing off at any moment, and Prince Gregory having to see Rebecca for who she really is, which is just plain Becky. But, of course, since this is a cliche romance novel, Prince Gregory likes Becky whether she’s Rebecca or not.
I don’t know if I would automatically think to recommend Gorgeous to anyone, just because the cliches don’t always do it for me. However, that does not mean that I didn’t enjoy the book. Something made me think to myself, “keep reading!” The novel is a “young adult” one, so I’d say that the targeted audience for the book is anyone who is a teenager, or someone in their early 20’s. Though, that doesn’t mean only people those ages should give the book a read. I think this book is automatically qualified for consideration if the reader loves cheesy, romantic cliches. It almost might be a book to consider if the reader eats up magical princess fantasies, as well. That might be a bit of a stretch, but I still stand by the idea. I do recommend doing some research on Paul Rudnick, the author, though, especially if you liked his writing for Gorgeous because, as it turns out, he also writes for many formats, such as plays and anthropologies. Gorgeous is actually Rudnick’s first young adult novel.
kshiner's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
An OK story. It would have been nice if the relationship between Rebecca/Becky and Gregory would have been more developed on the page, rather than being told that they grew closer over time. It would have made the ending more satisfying. It would have also been nice if there was more development of Becky’s and Tom ‘s relationship - some hints at his fondness for her would definitely have made a difference. Not bad for its intended audience but needs more development.
kim_j_dare's review against another edition
5.0
A truly delightful book to read. Think "Cinderella" meets "America's Next Top Model" meets "The Princess Diaries" meets "Project Runway" and you start to get the idea. After her overweight, trailer-ridden mom dies, 18-year-old Becky finds a jewelry box nestled inside a designer shoe box. Inside the jewelry box? A phone number, which leads her to designer Tom Kelly and the ride of her life as he promises to create three dresses for her and turn her into the most beautiful woman in the world... Rebecca. Why is he doing this? What is his connection to her mom and what kind of life did her mom lead before getting stuck in the sleepy little town of East Trawley, Missouri? And of course, the big question: will Rebecca/ Becky get the prince?
Frothy enough for chick-lit lovers, but surprisingly substantive and with a wicked sense of humor, this fairy tale turned on its head has wide appeal.
Frothy enough for chick-lit lovers, but surprisingly substantive and with a wicked sense of humor, this fairy tale turned on its head has wide appeal.