Customer Reviews

Hollywood Car Wash: A Novel

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

A quick romp through the Hollywood machine. Amy get's hired out of college to be the 'title' character in a new TV series. Along the way, the powers-that-be in Hollywood demand weight-loss, highlights and extensions, a stylist overhaul, and a name change. 'Star' is now on her way.

Follow Amy/Star through the changes she finds in her lifestyle through the season's of her show.

Hollywood 'blind items' are sprinkled throughout the book, which if you are a blog reader you'll likely be able to guess who they are, as well as identify who some characters in the book were based on (the stylist who keeps her clients in nose powder in order to drop a few sizes .. anyone recognize?)

This book was OK for me. This is the first edition which has some spelling and punctuation errors, which have been fixed in the second printing. It's a fast and fun read, but it left me wanting. It seemed like the authors intent was to be able to spill blind items rather that build up the plot. But, it was still an enjoyable read. I certainly do not feel it was worth the $17.95 that the publishers are selling it for (this is more a trade paperback and should be retailing for around $12.)

This book is pretty much equivalent to reading "In Touch" or "Us Weekly"...lots of interesting gossip and inuendo, but no real substance. The main character (allegedly modeled after Katie Holmes) is boring and I think she is supposed to be a cynical-would-be Indie acor, but she comes across as completely one dimensional, with no real substance (maybe because she is modeled after Katie Holmes). It's okay, somewhat entertaining, but when I finished the book I felt like I'd wasted a few hours, but it was good too, because I was on a delayed flight wasting time anyway.

This book was a good guilty pleasure read for the beach, but that is about it. It was very poorly edited and I don't believe that it was really based on Katie Holmes' life. Sure, there are parts of it that could be loosely based on her life (if you believe the whole "arranged marriage" theory), but that was about it.
I'm sure there are some horror stories about Hollywood starlets, but I hope for their sake that a lot of this story was blown out of proportion! It sounds like being a famous actress is pure hell.

An excellent first novel for L. Culwell; she's written a chick book with surprising depth. I find three distinct levels on which to read this book, though I would not be surprised if there are more. The surface level (and one which is probably often overlooked in pursuit of the second) is a true Hollywood success story. Culwell delivers the "rags to riches" tale complete with love affair we expect, rescuing her heroine from drug abuse and starvation-dieting and finally dropping her into the arms of a director who loves her and a career in indy films. We love it, we really love it! The second (most obvious) level invites the reader to criticize Hollywood for pushing young starlets to the brink of destruction in favor of higher ratings and more fan approval. The villains of H.C.W., both human and inhuman, are exactly the kind of horrific monsters we love to hate, and the best part is we are promised it is all true. The deepest level (and I'm sure the one that is most overlooked, but for which Culwell deserves the highest praise) turns the reader from critic to critiqued as Culwell subtly reminds us that it is our desire for an inside look at real Hollywood stars that ultimately allows such situations to be created. Consider that Star Spencer's final breaking point occurs as photogs. almost run her off the road, yet we still (as Culwell intently draws us in) are desperate to know who the real Star is (and will spend money to find out more about her, viz., buy this book) and so are part of her real destruction. By purchasing this item, we are tacitly agreeing to participate in the very system we bought it to criticize and protest. An excellent ironic twist; Brava.

Both the subject and the writing style are compelling in this book. The subject of "creating" a movie-star persona is interesting and the details Ms. Culwell shares are both shocking and amusing. It made me question all the Hollywood hype I now read in the newspaper. I now stop and think, "is that event truly happenstance or was it planned and staged." Her writing is superb and I even laughed out loud a few times--my proof of a good book!

Much has been said about who this book is about. My question is - who isn't it about? The "Brad Rockwell" parts are most definitely about you know who. But the rest of the book seems to cobbled together from stories on multiple celebs. Indeed, the protagonist (Amy/Star) is more likely a composite of several young stars.

The first edition of the book was published with an incorrect version of the manuscript -- this issue has since been corrected (June 2007).

All in all a good, fun, fast read.

I'm not going to lie, chick lit is not usually the genre I read, and despite the fact that I do live in LA, I don't pay much attention to "the biz." That said - this book is fabulous, a must-read, and laugh-out-loud funny. HCW is wittier than your average fare. It's also a deliciously twisted look into the life of a celebrity.

If you ever catch yourself looking through US Weekly and other gossip mags, this book is for you. If you've ever theorized about the strange goings-on of celebs, this book is for you. Hell, if you can READ, this book is for you. Stop wasting your time reading these reviews and just buy it already! You won't be sorry.

I agree with the others here regarding spelling and grammar. How hard is it to hire a proofreader, Ms. Culwell?

The book was a quick read and an interesting take on current Hollywood gossip. But, certainly not worth the price paid and those spelling/grammar errors distracted from the story.

I can't say I would purchase Ms. Culwell's next novel.

According to the Amazon Rating System for book reviews, Hollywood Car Wash is a four star book. Paraphrasing Amazon: This is a really good book, one I look forward to reading again and a book I'll promote and loan to my friends.

I love this book. It is well written, fascinating and insightful. Told in the first person, it is the story of a young college drama student who auditions for a part in a weekly TV drama and gets it.

Lori Culwell's voice as Amy Spencer is both vulnerable and authentic. I can't help but wonder what part author Culwell played in the Hollywood scene to gather so much insider information. It is difficult to remember this book is a work of fiction, even as I write the review I realize I am assuming that everything she writes about is accurate and true. Like I said, I love this book, and it is a very convincing indictment of the star system.

The title Hollywood Car Wash is actually a term that refers to the transformation expected of actors in order for them to achieve sufficient star power to become cash cows for the networks.

For Amy Spencer it begins with a name change and a modest request by the network for her to lose a few pounds--but soon escalates into complete control by the powers-that-be over what she eats, wears, says and who she's seen with--until she loses herself completely.

This book confirms a theory I've had about the Hollywood star system for a very long time. The studios make offers that few of us could or would refuse. It's not that the stars have weak characters or no moral fiber, it's simply that most of us aren't equipped to live life effectively without boundaries.

The Hollywood machine is a master of seduction and a very slippery slope. People like Brittany Spears and Lindsey Lohan are more to be pitied than censored. Did I mention, I love this book?

Armchair Interviews says: Did the reviewer mention she LOVED this book?

I enjoyed reading this, especially after I heard all of the rumors that this book was based on Katie Holmes. Some of the story line is "convenient", I don't want to spoil anything so I won't, but about 3/4 of the way through the book, there is a very convenient plot line that "reveals" something to the main character....I thought the author could have been a little more creative with this. It is a quick read and is enjoyable. The main character is easy to relate to. All in all, it was an enjoyable and intriguing book....makes you wonder how many things in Hollywood are orchestrated and fake....I look at my US Weekly with different eyes now.