Some books are like chicken soup. Hardly going to win some big award for creativity but soothing, gives you that contented warm feeling and are exactly what you are looking for. The Shopaholic books are that for myself and a huge number of other like-minded readers. When our lovely Becky bounds back into our lives credit card in hand, mishaps a plenty we know we are in for a fabulous few days, mainly because we already know and love all the players.
We are invested, we know Becky's a total fruit loop but we would definitely hang with her. We love Suse and hearing about what the uber rich are up to this time around. We still feel for long suffering Luke. We even think her mum has just the right amount of crazy to stay funny and not be annoying (even if she is the reason for all of Becky's issues). Her Dad and all other mini characters that swing by (Tarkie is def one of my favs!) also have our hearts so whenever Sophie decides to write about them it's a sure fire killer hit.
This time around the glitz of Hollywood is the setting though anyone could see this was going to be a disaster. Living in LA for someone like Becky is like asking a heroin addict to go live in a field, full of Opium Poppies, for 3 months and then seeing if they wouldn't mind helping with the harvest! The crazy ideals of plastic parties, stars, red carpets and of course shopping prove all too much for her, and she really does seem to go off the deep end more than usual here.
So as not to give too many spoilers, I wont go into detail here but anyone that has read the book may well also be saying 'wh-huh'?! (that red carpet scene towards the end!) Becky, above all, loves her family and friends so how she acts when they need her the most seems difficult to understand (but I'll give it a go). I believe it's because the Hollywood lifestyle is so much more insane that her flaws - which already were of blockbuster proportions - become magnified. And how she doesn't get into financial trouble for her purchases anymore is beyond me, I can only assume Luke knows all about her spending habits, plays dumb then goes off and pays the bills anyway!
That said Hollywood Shopaholic doesn't disappoint. There are crazy sprees which we can live vicariously through, idiot schemes that you can see falling apart a mile off and tender moments of true love between the characters. Then, just when you think you've got the whole book sussed bam! the 'We're all called Rebecca' line is planted and you've got a whole new storyline that hits you like an unexpected tax rebate (heightened senses, shallow breath, shinning eyes and 'what the fu*k glee!).
As usual I inhaled it. I genuinely had try and slow myself down from reading too much in one day as I didn't want it to be over (it was, way too quickly) and an added twist - look away if you don't want to know anything.......
A fecking cliffhanger!
Hurry up and come back to us Becky, we need to know if everything is OK.
P.S a word to Mrs Kinsella please please please do not kill off her dad or husband like that Bridget Jones woman did, we wont be able to cope.
Much love
Thee Middle Sister.
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