cli·ché [klee-shey]–noun
1. a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.
2. (in art, literature, drama, etc.) a trite or hackneyed plot, character development, use of color, musical expression, etc.
Per Amazon: Bette Robinson is a twentysomething Emory graduate who shunned her parents' hippie ideals in favor of a high-paying yet excruciatingly boring job at a prestigious investment bank. One day, after a particularly condescending exchange with her boss (who sends her daily inspirational e-mails), Bette walks out on her job in a huff. After a few weeks of sleeping late, watching Dr. Phil and entertaining her dog Millington, Bette's uncle scores her a job at an up-and-coming public relations firm, where her entire job seems to revolve around staying out late partying and providing fodder for clandestine gossip columns. What follows is one episode after another of Bette climbing up the social ladder at the expense of her friends, family, and the one guy who actually seems worth pursuing.
My vote: Two thumbs down. Way down. As in "why did I waste my time?" down. It took me about five days to read (on the train), and by day #1 I wanted to quit. I have a really hard time quitting a book. I tried to have hope. I liked The Devil Wears Prada, probably because I was fresh to NYC and loved reading all about my new town. Everyone Worth Knowing was Prada re-written. It was the same cliché storyline that existed in Prada, but perhaps worse and more obvious. It was incredibly, terribly, painfully shallow. I'm happy that my life consists of more than what party I'm going to, what I'm wearing (or not, in the case of this book), and who I know or don't. Sigh. I still can't believe I read 400+ pages of this book. Stupid!
4 comments:
I am glad to read your review so I know not to read this. I probably would have picked up this book to read if it had crossed my path just because I did like Devil Wears Prada.
Sometimes you just have to put it down...though I have recently read a couple of books which started out slowly and then ended up being keepers. Just plain bad is another thing. Great writing captures you immediately. Don't we just love it when we find a gem which we just can't stop inhaling, so to speak? I have become a big fan of libraries. Now that you're in your new home you might find one nearby that would work for you.
Yeah, don't waste your time Heidi. I'm all for "light" reads, but this was beyond fluff. I should have included some of my favorite quotes that were absolutely ridiculous, but really- it's probably not worth my time to even do that.
Mom- we talked about this on the phone, but I am wierd with books. I like to buy, not borrow, plus the subway fare back and forth is more expensive than buying it off of Amazon.
I'm the exact same way. I have to finish a book but when it is terrible I like to rip it apart and throw it in the trash. It helps me feel good about reading a book so bad.
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