Becky has a serious problem – she loves to shop. And I mean LOVES to shop. The girl can rationalize any extra expenditure known to man. The conflict occurs when she starts receiving the ubiquitous letters from the credit card companies and her bank about her failure to pay her bills. She attempts to cut back on her spending – to disastrous results (see rationalization of expenditures above). Eventually, as in all chick lit, with an epiphany and a little luck, Becky gets her happy ending.
I really wanted to like this book. It is one I picked up on the spur of the moment at the airport. I already have plans to see the movie, so I really hoped it would be fun and thoughtless. Sophie Kinsella’s writing style is breezy and easy to follow. You can’t help but like her hopeless heroine. I’m not certain if the issue was the fact that the book takes place in London, so I don’t know all the labels that Becky mentions, or if it is because I am getting too old – SIGH. I couldn’t help myself from “tsk tsking” Becky’s actions or her rationalizations. The book, at times, was like a horror film – I couldn’t watch but I couldn’t look away either. And the entire time I was reading, I couldn’t help but wonder just what sort of message was being sent to the younger generations (see – I really am getting old). In light of our current global economic mess, do we really need to be highlighting how it is okay to max out every credit card because it will all work out in the end? I get that it is supposed to be light-hearted and fun, but I do think the message is all wrong and exactly the reasons why the entire globe is now struggling to fix their economies.
Still I remain hopeful for the movie. I love Isla Fisher and can’t wait to see how they are going to set the book in New York. And what’s not to like about watching someone else purchase haute couture? I’ll probably pass along the book to my younger co-workers, and they will snap it up in a heartbeat. I will do it with some niggling feelings of guilt though. And I am left wondering if I should ask for those few hours of my life spent reading it back.
You know I can’t hate you, Stephanie!! I can see what you are saying. To be honest, I never considered the books from that aspect. To me, it isn’t any different that Catherine and Heathcliff, Romeo and Juliet, Mr. Rochester and Jane…they all had dysfunctional relationships from today’s standards and yet they are considered the most romantic couples of all times. To me, Bella and Edward fall in the same vein. As for my concern regarding Becky Bloomwood, to me, while I can’t envision killing myself (or attempting to do so) over Jim, I can see myself (and have seen myself) becoming quite obsessed with labels and racking up some significant debt because of the need for instant gratification when it comes to purchases. While I haven’t had any creditors knocking on my door, I have lost many hours wondering how I can manipulate payments in order to cover everything. Maybe that’s why Confessions bothered me so much…
Ok…so don’t totally hate me for saying this (cause I know you are the TOTAL Twilight fangirl!), but I actually felt kind of the same way about Twilight. Marketing these books to young girls seems kind of dangerous to me. I mean, I get the whole “soul mate, ultimate love” thing. But in New Moon, when Edward was going to kill himself if he couldn’t be with Bella…and all her recklessness….It just seems to be a bad thing for young, impressionable teens to read. (And I did say in my review that maybe I’m just too old…or it’s the fact that I have young daughters). Again…don’t hate me!! I still liked Twilight!! And I’ll be reading Eclipse and Breaking Dawn soon!