Cyber Cinderella [Paperback]

Christina Hopkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2006

A woman Googles her own name and finds true love in the bargain in this intelligent, funny, and heartwarming debut novel. Discovering a Web site devoted to her and the lifestyle she's certain she's not living, she searches for the mysterious admirer.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Thirty-year-old Londoner Izobel Brannigan is uninspired by both her middling job at public relations firm PR O'create and her snoozer of a boyfriend, George, but things take a turn for the mysterious when she Googles herself and finds someone has set up a Web site under izobelbrannigan.com. Initially, the site is blank, but it is soon filled with bio clips, recent photographs and glowing testimonials, but nothing that reveals its creator's identity. Izobel and a girlfriend theorize the "stalkie" culprit may be a former boyfriend, but neither woman has the technological expertise to investigate this premise. Enter PR O'create's IT consultant, Ivan Jaffy, who works the tech front while Izobel questions—to no avail—her likeliest exes about their possible involvement. As Ivan teaches Izobel about HTML coding, she discovers he has a seductive artistic side hidden behind his geekery. But could he, with his Web-savvy, be the flattering cyber-stalker? Though Hopkinson's novel is charmingly British ("those spods and boffins had made a mint"), the dilemmas Izobel faces in this techie romp are universal and will certainly resonate with U.S. readers. (Aug. 21)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Googling yourself, blogs, online stalking: all contemporary obsessions that are now the subject of the latest chick-lit novel. When Izobel Branigan comes across a site devoted to her life, work, and social habits, she is not sure whether to be flattered, terrified, or jealous that her Web alter ego seems to be living a much happier, more glamorous existence. In her investigation to find out who's behind the online tribute, everyone's a suspect: friends, coworkers, old flames, and her current boyfriend--who turns out to be a jerk, but not her culprit. Izobel eventually finds her stalker, a new love, and a new outlook on life. At times, it seems that Hopkinson sacrifices a deeper look at her character's feelings of inadequacy for yet another tale of high jinks, but overall it's a satisfying read. Part romance, part mystery, part modern comedy--this novel has a lot to recommend it to fans of chick lit. Aleksandra Kostovski
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: 5 Spot (August 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446697168
• ISBN-13: 978-0446697163
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,457,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ugh... don't bother., July 22, 2007

By 

Allison Fix "Alligeek" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cyber Cinderella (Paperback)

I read a lot of chick lit novels, and this one appeared to be a "Bridget Jones discovers the Internet" kind of novel.

This was terrible. After about 100 pages, the only plotline seemed to revolve around Izobel guessing who had created an anonymous web site dedicated to her. After about 20 more pages of guessing, I'd decided that I'd had enough and gave up on this one.

My apologies to Helen Fielding, for even comparing this novel to any in the Bridget Jones series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Can't get past chapter 1, June 18, 2007

By 

C. Cener - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cyber Cinderella (Paperback)

I only read the first chapter, but I'm not sure I'll be reading the next ones. The first chapter is chock full of the main character's self-pity and her so called "boyfriend"'s unusually cruel put-downs. It seems like this will be your regular Disney "Rags to Riches" story in which the main character will realize she is a wonderful person and doesn't need anyone to tell her that. Seeing how this is an adult book, I expect more from it than Izobel saying things like, "I don't even think I'm celebrated enough in my own life," "It's not always been this way...I had so much promise in my early years," "I remember other people's names more often than they do mine. I was too embarrassed to put an update about myself on Friends Reunitd because I've acheived so little in life. I never have exciting invitations in the post or messages on my mobile" and her boyfriend, George, insulting her while trying to have sex with her, saying things like, "Silly Sasauge, it's probably not about you at all. What a delightful little idiot you are," "Why on earth would anyone create a site dedicated to you?" and "My poor angel-girl, you're a bit upset that there's no site about you." Honestly, this is a disgrace. Maybe I'll try the next few chapters, but at the price this is at, I might as well just return it. It's a great idea gone wrong.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cheekier than Bridget Jones, August 18, 2006

By 

Wantz Upon A Time Reviews (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cyber Cinderella (Paperback)

Who hasn't Googled their own name? Izobel Brannigan has, and she could never have guessed what she'd find: her very own website. Only she hasn't created it. As far as she knows, none of her friends has created it either. Who is the anonymous person who seemingly admires her? Surely it's not her dull boyfriend, but what about her exes? A perplexing question, it demands answers.

Enlisting the aid of her good friend, Maggie, and the office IT guy, Ivan, Izobel sets out to find the source of the flattering, if creepy, montage. She can't imagine why anyone finds her of enough interest to do such a thing. Is it a stalker? Is it a secret admirer? Who could it be?

Izobel's cheeky attitude and tendency to get into awkward situations drive this enjoyable novel to fun heights. She's the hometown girl most women can relate to, while being something of a free spirit, if a bit tarnished by experience. Soon, she'll learn that if she starts seeing her self-worth, she just might find a happier tomorrow--assuming the creator of her website does do away with her first!

A debut novel, Cyber Cinderella (a.k.a. izobelbrannigan.com in the UK) is a blast. Izobel is a great character who embodies most women's insecurities and hopes. She's fun, quirky, and not afraid to be herself--usually! The love story that develops is just as entertaining, with plenty of laughs and sweet moments.

It will take time for some American readers to catch on to the British lingo that pops up throughout the book, but this is a small factor in the face of a read as enjoyable as this.

Christina Hopkinson is a true talent in a fresh genre. Snatch up this book and any others she may pen. You won't regret it.

Bridget Jones, watch out! Izobel Brannigan has your number--and a cooler name!



Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
7/28/2006

4 1/2-Books for WUAT; 5-Stars for Amazon