Customer Reviews

The Bulgari Connection (Weldon, Fay)

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

 

 

Despite its corporate underwriting, Fay Weldon's The Bulgari Connection is certainly not evidence of a sellout. After all, Bulgari's funding is undoubtedly a one time deal--c'mon Weldon fans, can you really see Fay writing about jewelry from now on? Her structure is unmatched and her vocabulary is robust; Fay Weldon's work, regardless of financial backing, is not factory-farmed like so much popular literature.

The plot is tight, typical, and right on. Stupid men fare badly in Weldon's world--but not as badly as annoying women! This book was a breeze to read and as enjoyable as a gorgeous little custom-designed bauble.

After all, isn't it kind of exciting to see if there's another underwriter in the wings? At least she's up front about where the money comes from.

This is typical of Weldon's less important books. It is a light, but biting comedy, with an insensitive husband, a scorned wife who ends up on top, and a little bit of magic. It is "current" with an older woman-younger man romance. I believe Weldon was too heavy handed with the husband's new wife even for this type of book. At the same time, Bulgari Connection is quite readable, and possibly cathartic for some readers. It captures the emotions and motivations of the husband very well. For a better, more complete novel, I would recommend Worst Fears by Weldon. If you are very interested in the husband's character , and have the time, you might consider Tom Wolfe's "A Man in Full".

Forget the controversy surrounding corporate sponsorship and how Fay Weldon might have surrendered her integrity when she allowed the world-renowned jeweller to grace the title of her latest fictional work. The truth is that Weldon didn't have to make any concessions, let alone pander to the demands of advertising for she had written a winner and nothing should detract from the fact that "The Bulgari Connection" stands head and shoulders above most other titles in the same genre. It is a contemporary, thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining book and one that I would recommend without hesitation to anyone.

Weldon knows how to tell a story. She understands humour and how to find that elusive funny bone in readers that shuns mediocrity and the common attempts by many inferior novelists to try and pass off vulgarity and cheap nasty jokes as humour. It is a rare craft that Weldon has mastered and one that she wields with confidence and authority, considering how the story of Grace and Barley and Doris and Walter might in lesser hands have degenerated into farce. She manages to avoid all the pitfalls by making her characters and their feelings real and recognisable. How many readers out there wouldn't identify with the spurned and outgrown older wife or the insecure businessman finding success late in life who think that a trophy wife is all he needs to enter the portals of the rich and successful? Even Doris Dubois, the modern career woman, a guttersnipe and a bitch without scruples or redeeming qualities is a misshapen product of our society. When we laugh and cry at the antics and manoeuvres of these four characters, we're not unaware or unconscious of Weldon's social commentary on life in our modern times.

Don't let anyone persuade you that "The Bulgari Connection" is frothy and lightweight. It isn't. It is funny, relevant and entertaining and frankly you can do a lot worse than that.

I listened to the audio version of this book -- Lots of British accents flying all over the place... This story is like a serialized story you would find in a magazine. There is a plot,characters, and some action. It never gets too deep - it can't -- the characters are rather shallow. I'd say -- Kiddie portion of the pool.

Whiny women and weak, horny men -- this was an ok story to listen to -- that's the problem with books on CD from the library -- the story description is very vague.

The story premise was a good one - second-wife, younger man-older woman, patronage, but the story was not written with any depth or insight. We really did not get to know Grace, Walter, Barley or Carmichael and Doris was just horrid (why would anyone be attraced to her, never mind marry her?). Fay Weldon missed the mark and wasted a good story. I didn't hate the book, but the story could have been so much better. I give it 2 1/2 stars.

I had no problem with the Bulgari sponsorship. Just read a few Danielle Steel books and you wonder if she is on Hermes' or the Ritz's payroll. It fit into the story, so not an issue.

My biggest complaint is "Where was Ms. Weldon's editor?". The character names were mixed-up at least twice - there is a big difference between Grace and Doris....and there was often stilted or incorrect grammar, which made it diffucult to read (I realize some of it was British English versus American English, but it was not all that). The paragraphing was not consistant. It seemed like Ms. Weldon typed it up and they printed it with no editor involved. This takes away from the reading experience. Any slack I might have given towards the weak writing was taken way with the bad editing.

This was my first Fay Weldon book. I am not sure I will try another one. I will not be adding her to my "Must Read" list.

This is a really entertaining book!! Very, very funny and clever. Ms. Weldon is a exceptional writer. Her book, The Spa Decamaron- spelling- is also really good. Actually, it is better than this book.

I have been a fan of Ms. Weldon's writing for some time and was delighted to have this book read by my bookclub during the Christmas season. This was a fast reading. Funny. Critical of society as it should be expected from this writer. It also has that trace of sci-fi, or should I say, "an imaginative step into the future of scientific news" that's also very Weldon. Marvelous imagination. Wonderful fun. Not as well developed as most of her work.

It was inevitable that in our book club we discussed the sensitive issue of patronage. From a pope ordering the painting of the Sistine Chapel to portraits of lady this and that by English painters such as Gainsborough. And we also talked about patronage in books. In the end those in favor of private patronage won by one vote. We are 16. I believe artists, painters, writers and other talents should seek support from private sources. But that is controversial as we have all discovered.

Good light book. Quick reading. 4 stars.

In spite of, or perhaps because of, the corporate sponsorship of this book it's one of her best. Tongue firmly in cheek, funny characters, ridiculous and hysterical plot lines; it's really great.

To people who criticize her taking money to write the book; how else do you expect her to pay the rent?! How nice it must be for the critics to be so "pure", but authors don't make a lot of money and however they scratch out a living is fine with me.

Fay is the best.

While the book is alright and up to Weldon's usual standards, I'm appalled that she was paid by Bulgari to mention their line of jewellry and whatnot in her book. Read the book, count how many times "Bulgari" is mentioned, and then feel free to research these claims on the web. It's sick, and it's a disgrace to see a story developed because of a paid endorsement. Commercial endorsements are everywhere now - can we at least keep books as the last bastion of non-commercial thought?!