The Princess-in-Training Manual/Divas Don't Fake It [Paperback]

Jacqueline de Soignee (Author), Erica Orloff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003 | Series: Red Dress Ink Novels

Red Dress Ink is pulling out all stops with the first-time-ever 2-in-1 book providing modern women with tongue-in-cheek how-tos. Princess Jacqueline de Soignee is used to having her life handed to her on a silver platter. But being a princess in the twenty-first century isn't easy, and there are certain rules that she must adhere to, such as "Never wear your tiara before five in the afternoon: to do so is gauche." THE PRINCESS-IN-TRAINING MANUAL is a flip, irreverent first-person look at what it takes to be a princess in the modern world. DIVAS DON'T FAKE IT is a first-person fiction narrative guiding readers through the levels of "divadom," and takes a revealing look at what it takes to be a diva--you don't need anything but lipstick and eyeliner...and a suitcase of self-confidence and attitude. These semi-tongue-in-cheek vignettes will resonate with any young woman who loves--or has always dreamed of--being the center of attention.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In this enjoyable "flip" book, two authors show women how to find their inner princesses and divas. Drucker's offering (which might have benefited from less advice and more action) is narrated by the spunky Princess Jacqueline de Soignee. Jacqueline may live a life of leisure, but she also runs a charity and genuinely cares about her friends. And princesses do run into frogs, as Jacqueline discovers when she goes out with a handsome actor, only to realize that her Prince Charming is waiting in the wings. "I was born to be a diva," Xandra informs her readers at the beginning of Orloff's charming escapade, and she's a delightful guide to the world of divadom. Xandra and her best friend Scott hit all of the hottest clubs and drink the trendiest drinks, but Xandra's quest for true love isn't successful until she meets Scott's neighbor, the delicious David. But Xandra will find that even divas have to be flexible and forgiving when it comes to love. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink; Edition Unstated edition (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373250398
• ISBN-13: 978-0373250394
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 4.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,338,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute, quick read!, October 29, 2003

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Princess-in-Training Manual/Divas Don't Fake It (Paperback)

This two-books-in-one offering is great to read in one sitting. The concept is cute and the stories are entertaining. However, in the spirit of constructive criticism, I should point out some loose ends. I think Divas Don't Fake It should've been longer. It would've made quite an interesting novel if the characters and story had been further developed. The aforementioned novella is my favorite of the two -- for Orloff uses the same no-nonsense language she used in Spanish Disco. Xandra Kingston is a great character. We need more heroines of this sort. Although there are times in which Xandra's confidence is a bit too caricatured to be believable. The Princess-in-Training is also nice. It chronicles Princess Jacqueline de Soignee's overall fabulousness. However, I found the heroine's fashion talk and shopping expeditions a tad boring. She namedrops famous fashion designers from beginning to end. At times I felt as though I was reading a less amusing version of Confessions of a Shopaholic. The characters in both novellas are caricatures at best. I know these stories are satires, but I think that a little more realism wouldn't have hurt. All in all, not a bad reading experience. This isn't as good as Losing It, A Clean Slate or Diary of a Blues Goddess, but it is a fun, quick read nevertheless. I recommend it as a great complement to a deep bubble bath and a martini.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Express Your Inner Diva, October 26, 2003

By 

Caroline P. Hampton (Columbus, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Princess-in-Training Manual/Divas Don't Fake It (Paperback)

This hilarious new Red Dress Ink book dives into the world of tiara and princess tendencies. This great new book by the author of "Diary of a Blues Goddess" and "Spanish Disco" is a really funny tongue-in-check look into the world of princess, divas and what's it like to be those things in the "MODERN" age. It's not all fun and games --- that's for sure. This great flip book (from 2 very different perspectives) is a fun and great addition to the Red Dress Ink library. It's fun and light --- not a literary giant -- but fun nonetheless.

Cheers!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Light-lite-chick-lit, January 8, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Princess-in-Training Manual/Divas Don't Fake It (Paperback)

Chick-lit is (sometimes deservingly) known for being "lite" on story and characterization. And the flip-book "The Princess-in-Training Manual/Divas Don't Fake It" lives up to that. "Divas" is a passable piece of chick-lit, but "Manual" is an excruciatingly self-satisfied piece of garbage.

Jacqueline de Soignee is the perfect princess -- self-confident, beautiful, wealthy, and universally adored. Oh yes, and of course she's also down-to-earth. Despite being royalty, she's just like every other girl. (Note to every-other-girls of the world: if you're not retching now, you should be). She offers tips on how to be a non-royal princess, as she navigates a web of fashion, displeased kings, sexy Frenchmen and slimy tabloid reporters.

In contrast, Xandra Kingston is a diva with a capital D. She's passionate, confident, can curse out a man, and is the center of attention wherever she goes. Like Jacqueline, she offers quite a few tips on becoming a true diva, while navigating the problems of love, work and personal life. And occasionally a well-aimed thrown plate.

There have always been self-assured women around, and this flip-book seems to be a celebration of such women. Unfortunately, Orloff seems unaware that it's no fun to read a personal fantasy that name-drops designers fast and furiously. There's nothing wrong with fantasizing about being a Paris-Hiltonesque princess, but keep it to yourself rather than inflicting a poorly-written story on the world.

The two heroines could not be more different -- Xandra comes across as humorous and self-assured, without the neuroses that most chick-lit protagonists have. The scene where she roars at a male opponent is just wonderful. Jacqueline, on the other hand, just seems like a fantasy alter ego -- she's rich, beautiful, adored, and has the IQ of a salted peanut.

The princess tips are vapid and pointless. The diva tips, on the other hand, are pretty solid, although they echo of women's self-help columns. And the storylines follow suit. Xandra's tale is fun and unself-conscious, while Jacqueline's starts with a director burbling that her presence -- a cameo where she steps out of a car -- will make his film a masterpiece. Gag.

This two-pack is rancid on one side, but pretty amusing on the other. Unless you dream of being a shopping-obsessed princess, avoid "The Princess-in-Training Manual," and learn how to not fake it as a diva.