Customer Reviews

Altar Ego

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

What a whirlwind of a book! I finished this book yesterday and my head is still spinning. Altar Ego is the kind of book that shocks you with its outrageous characters, naughty scenes and devilish humor. Definitely a book to read for pure entertainment.

On her wedding day, 32-year-old Becky finds herself hiding in the bathroom with one pantyhosed leg hanging out the window. With fears of marriage running rampant and the horrible idea of being monogamous filling her with dread, Becky does the only feasible thing - she jumps. Naturally, fiancé Julian is devastated; however, he doesn't give up and decides to continue with their relationship as is. Meanwhile, Becky gets all sorts of advice from her best friends: anti-men, psycho-feminist Kate and desperate-to-marry-royalty Anouska.

And then the unthinkable happens.... Becky meets Zachary, an American rap star trying to make it big in Europe. He's rude, crude and socially unacceptable, but he's also gorgeous, sexy and wild in the sack. Torn between a comfortable and safe relationship with boring workaholic Julian or a glittering rock-star romance with Zachary, Becky does what she does best - she takes the fun, easy way out. This one simple action begins a spiraling domino effect that will inspire shock and humor for the reader. Finding out what Becky will do next is half the fun. Seeing the unnecessary results of her actions is the other.

Altar Ego is an outrageous romp of a novel, candidly fresh and downright dirty. Each deed done spawns another twice as bad and leaves the reader gasping and wide-eyed. A true pleasure to read with an important lesson to be learned: Future brides, beware. This could happen to you.... Enjoy!

This is a "Bridget Jones Diary" wannabe but without: 1.decent writing 2. believable dialogue 3. likable or credible characters, or 4. wit. I've never written a review about any book, but if I can save just one person from buying this horrible thing, I consider my time well spent. The author is overcome with her own wit, which is so far from being amusing that I found myself cringing at every line. I finally put the book in the furthest reaches of my shelves with a note on it not to lend it to anyone I like. It's like a bad "Three's Company" type of sitcom.

This is British "new feminist" humour at it's very best. Kathy Lette really nails it with this one! I giggled, gasped and on occasion blushed at this very humourous take on a "party girl's" life, loves and tribulations. It was my Mum who gave me book as an early wedding present just 2 weeks before I took the plunge. Becky's character is great - funny, smart, strong and what many of us wish we had the nerve to be like. Good Girl!! Kathy - keep up the great work. I look forward to your next installment of bitter sweat life.

Maybe I'm missing something by quitting halfway through, but I found the book annoying and disgusting. (And it's hard to disgust me)

Kathy Lette is one of the most talented writers I have come across in a long time. Her wit is sharp and her ability to bring it to the written page is magical. This story of Becky Steele, a woman who wants her cake and eat it too, will make you laugh out loud, wince in despair at her ludicrous life choices, astound you with her amazing ability to live out what should only be fantasies ... I could just go on and on. The book is funny, sexy, a little on the crude side at times - but I adored it!

Kathy Lette is an Australian living in London and in Altar Ego, the humour of both continents is mixed into a politically-incorrect novel that will have you weeping with laughter. Lette is clearly well-versed in antipodean one-liners and mixes these with British inuendo to produce a naughty-but-nice novel that I class amongst my 'girlie books that men can read too'.

Becky Steele gets cold feet on her wedding day and jumps out of the bathroom window - right into the arms of Julian, her fiance. Things move from bad to better when she meets Zach, an American rap star trying to make it big in Europe, and she decides to dump Julian and move in with Zach. Unfortunately, it hadn't dawned on her that she still loved Julian. From that point, the story moves forward like an unstoppable wall of water. Events tumble out of control and Becky finds her life getting more and more convoluted.

Rich with dubious and memorable characters, Altar Ego is a rollicking roller-coaster ride of sexy mishaps. If you're easily shocked, leave this one alone. If you enjoy bawdy fun, grab it now and get laughing.

Honestly I tried to give this book a chance. I struggled through to the end of this book despite the fact that I kept telling myself to just put it down and never pick it back up again. But unfortunately I did pick it back up and it never got any better. I do not get offended easily, however, as an African-American woman I found parts of this book to be very offensive but, sorry to say, that was not the only downfall of this book. `ALTAR EGO' was not very funny, the characters were totally unlikable (to the point where I almost didn't even care what happened to them next), and the ending was completely unbelievable.

Becky, the main character of this book ditches Julian, her fiancé, at the altar feeling overwhelmed by the idea of commitment, despite this Julian takes Becky back into his life and his home. But at a friends wedding Becky meets an American rap star and begins a long-term affair with him. Throughout this book Becky proceeds to hurt everyone in her life from her lover and fiancé to her best friends and yet Lette expects us to feel sympathy for her when things don't go her way. I am a big fan of British humor but `ALTAR EGO' is not a good example of a `BRIDGET JONES DIARY' style of book. And the portrayal of this Lenny Kravitz type rap star (a combination that is unbelievable enough by itself) was a completely inaccurate representation of American culture. Simply put `ALTAR EGO' was just plain bad, 1 star!!

Becky is in her 30's and about to get married, but at the last minute...she asks herself, "Am I really ready to be with just one guy for the rest of my life?" No more one night stands? No more lustful encounters?" And this is where the book takes off...with Becky and her journey through love, lust, marriage, divorce, betrayal, friendship, and well LIFE!

Poor Julian, Becky's fiancée, doesn't know what hit him with Becky runs off with Zach, a new and upcoming rap star she meets in London - who is much younger than her to boot! Where will life take her? Who will she choose? Who will have her? Well, you will have to get this book because I am not going to give all of it away!

This book has everything and will have your head in a spin! Your stomach will hurt with laughter! I highly recommend this book! I can not wait to read my next book by Lette! If you like Brit Lit - you will most defiantly like this book (Lette is Australian, but the book takes place in London)

I don't think I have read a funnier and more amusing book in AGES. This one is wonderful. I found it sweet, charming and OH' so sarcastic. I just adored it. I was given it by a friend and certainly plan of spreading this one around. It's too much fun for one day. Enjoy it...spread it around. Take in each chapter like a bowl of ice cream. That way you'll remember it months later when you are having a hard time finding something as wonderful to read. Great Choice!

Everyone who has been in a relationship has to read this laugh-out-loud novel. I strongly recommend it.