Thin Skin - Emma Forrest
Thin Skin, Emma Forrest's second novel, centres on an archetypal screwed-up rich
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girl--Drew Barrymore with maybe a dash of Elizabeth Wurtzel for good measure. Ruby (few characters in this sharp little book have surnames) was once a precocious, teenage Hollywood starlet; now at 20 she's a bulimic, self-mutilating pill popper desperately "trying to be ruined beauty". Her latest picture, Mean People Suck, a credibility enhancing but probably box office disaster independent, has brought her back to her native New York. Here the ghosts of her past mingle (in the case of her childhood love Liev, quite literally) with her troubled present. Besotted by Alslan her ethereal, conspiracy theory-obsessed costar--"the New World Order is stealing all the water"--the unrequited Ruby looks like following her mother's example by committing suicide. Ex-boyfriend Sebastian, Rachel, the ex-wife of her former lover Scott and Cyrinda, a dirty club queen with plenty of filthy lucre, lend support but there is limit to how many of Ruby's attention-seeking tantrums even they can endure. Structured, in part, like a film--with flashbacks and straight-to-camera-style monologues--this tautly written book is a refreshing take on the usual fame-game yarn. Full of sardonic observations on celebrity, sex and film, Forrest offers a convincing snapshot of a world where bodies must be beautiful and clothes must be Prada. --Travis Elborough
Advantages: It is a great book which you can't put down. Really enjoyable and exciting. Barbara Taylor Bradford is an excellent author and all her books make you keep turning the pages and this is no exception Disadvantages: It is the fourth novel out of 5 and if you haven't read the first three you would get confused with the story
...The story is based around a girl called Evan whose grandmother dies. When she dies she tells Evan to find an old friend of hers Emma Harte. Evan looks for her only to discover she died some years back. She meets the family and they think she looks a lot like Emmas granddaughter Paula. Evan starts work for Paula and they become friends Paulas cousin becomes aware of the similarities between Paula and Evan. She decides to do some investigating and eventually she finds Emmas diary from back in the war. It tells of Emma and a friend back then who turns out to be Evans grandmother. Evans grandmother was in love with Emmas son but married someone else. The story unfolds and leaves you guessing right to the end is Evan a descendant of Emma Harte?...
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Advantages: funny, cool heroine, easy-to-read Disadvantages: tries a little too hard at times
...Apparently Viva Cohen would hate anyone who did not think Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" was a good song. Phew, I'm glad I do because Viva is the kinda fictional heroine I wish I'd been when I was sixteen, and I wouldn't want someone that cool to hate me!
Viva is the main character in "Namedropper", the debut novel by journalist EmmaForrest. A sixteen year old Jewish Londoner, she is an old soul in many ways - wise beyond her years, she worships Elizabeth Taylor, and most of the men on her "best looking" list have been dead for years!
Apart from the hassles of having to go to school, she has a pretty good life. Her gorgeous best friend Treena, a real character and a half, always has some mad idea to make their lives more interesting. Her other best friend Ray just happens to be a famous pop star (they met at a screening of "Splendour...
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Advantages: well thought through book characters are well explained Disadvantages: very similar to her others
...I have read many of Jane Austens books and i found that 'Emma' is a well written book. Like Emma, Jane tells all the detail we need to know i feel that i could fall in love with the character and the surroundings.
Quick-witted, beautiful, headstrong and rich, Emma Woodhouse is inordinately fond of match-making select inhabitants of the village of Highbury, yet aloof and oblivious as to the question of whom she herself might marry. This paradox multiplies the intrigues and sparkling ironies of Jane Austen's masterpiece, her comedy of a sentimental education through which Emma discovers a capacity for love and marriage.
I like to see Emma in love, and in some doubt of return; it would do her good," Jane Austen has developed Emma's character well.
When i read this book it makes me feel that i know Emma quite well.
If you have read...
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13.09.2005
25.08.2005
11.01.2001
