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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
light, but not fluffy., September 18, 2009
This review is from: Feminista (Hardcover)
So, i keep hearing this book described as "bitch lit," a title I appreciate and welcome, like "dick flick," for its evocative and tongue in cheek twist on a popular phrase. But I didn't actually think the main character Sydney was a bitch. She was certainly more... prickly than your average romantic novel heroine, but imho it wasn't as simple as that.
Sydney is trying to work out her politics in a messy world which doesn't always cooperate with her, and rather than branding her a bitch I found myself empathizing with that aspect of her personality. Given the title and blurbage of the book, I expected a successful, fashionable heroine with strong feelings about independence and feminism, who does not want to shape herself according to male expectation; sure enough Sydney shows herself to be a woman who has internalized and identified with her politics, feels like the world is not entirely on her side, and has never found a man with whom she could let her guard down.
Her search for such a man forms the crux of the story, and as the book chronicles her steps and stumbles I think it totally works as light romantic lit - the people are beautiful, well-off, successful, and inhabit a world of glamor gossip and high fashion. There are fancy expensive restaurants, designer shoes, the occasional heiress. Therapists, celebrity matchmakers, and fabulous parties.
But there's more here, too. And what makes it refreshing is the main character's nontraditional - even borderline resentful - relationship with these typical ingredients, as well as the other things her prickly personality bring to the table. Sydney's conflict about her tokenism, her relationship to food and to her body, her discomfort with her salary and the 'complicated relationship to luxury goods' that is central to the story all bring up concepts of class, race, and gender which are more than a character ordinarily has to reconcile within the pages of light romantic fare - and I think Kennedy does an excellent job of portraying Sydney's struggles to figure it all out. She needs not just a great man, after all, but one with whom she can be herself, prickles and all.
Modern, savvy, thinking women have to make these kinds of social and political negotiations constantly, all while navigating the intersecting matrices of race, class, sexuality, and of course gender. I think Kennedy inserts these ideas quite smoothly into a new-millenium girl-meets-boy story in a way that brings them up and respects them, but also protects the story from getting too heavy to fly under its own snarky power. The book remains a page turner, with story angles shifting left and right, lots of humor, and a rollicking pace that is maintained up to the very end. It's light, but not fluffy, with a little something to chew on.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you're sick of chick-lit, try this, January 10, 2010
This review is from: Feminista (Hardcover)
Why I Decided To Read It: I loved Erica Kennedy's first novel, the hip-hop roman a clef, BLING, and I've basically been waiting for her to write another novel for over four years now.
What's It About: It's about a writer, trying to find the perfect mate.I know what you're thinking: Isn't all chicklit about a writer trying to find the perfect mate? Same ole. Same ole. But in this case you're wrong. See below.
What Makes It Different: The main character, Sydney Zamora, has an extremely strong personality. She's also smart and (gasp!) a feminist. Also, the love interest is complicated in a way that you'd expect a scion to be complicated in real life -- but they're rarely depicted this way in other chick lit and women's fiction.
What I Loved: I can't remember the last time I read something romantic with a main character that described herself as a feminist. How refreshing. I also like that she was a complicated feminist and seemed to live by her own rulebook for Feminism. Plus, she's mean. I love mean women. Also, the book is laugh-out-loud funny and really readable to the point where I had trouble putting it down. I really hope that Ms. Kennedy doesn't make us wait another four years for her next novel.
What I Didn't Like: Well, I found Sydney Zamora unlikeable, b/c she didn't seem to like anybody else. She had a problem with every single woman and man she came in contact with and was incredibly judgmental. Usually that would stop me reading, BUT in this case the character was so complex, and the writing was so good, that I kept on turning pages to the end. All in all, I would say that Sydney Zamora is extremely compelling if not immensely likeable.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Characters For A Great Discussion, January 1, 2010
This review is from: Feminista (Hardcover)
FEMINISTA by Erica Kennedy is the second book by this author, but if you are expecting the same type of read as Bling, it is not to be, as this book is not only different, she has an entire community that is discussing FEMINISTA and feminist issues on Twitter, Facebook and her own blogspot. In fact, I told the author I was about to read this while on Twitter and she told me the book is described as "Bitch-Lit" but I didn't see it.
While Sydney Zamora is independent, aggressive and handles her business, "bitchy" is not what comes to mind for me as I read her story. After chasing a career for 12 years, she's ready to find the man who can deal with her independent spirit. She is ready to be a wife, mother and raise a family AND still continue to have her career. So, in order to do that, she enlists her sister Liz to help, who talks to her better half about the plan. She does not agree to help, in case she doesn't like the guy, the plan won't backfire. With that Liz, hires Mitzi Berman, a professional matchmaker, to help Sydney find Mr. Right. It was the best story line for me, because of the interaction between them as Mitzi sizes up and "reads" Sydney and Sydney..well you'll see. Along the way, you meet funny characters some who had me "laughing out loud" with antics that were over the top, yet I could visualize them and they were down right entertaining.
Thanks Ms. Kennedy for a fun book that gives us what I most like in a book, great characters that I can escape with for a few hours and who leave a lasting impression and allows for a GREAT discussion.
Reviewed by Linda Chavis
for The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
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