Customer Reviews

Tall Poppies

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the third Louise Bagshawe novel I've read, the other two being "Career Girls" and "When She Was Bad". If I'd read this book first I would have given it 5 stars, but I was constantly thinking about how closely it resembled the previous two. In all three books you have two women, one a curvaceous, somewhat common American brunette from the wrong side of town with a chip on her shoulder, the other a very slim green eyed blonde from an artistocratic English background. The two are fierce enemies and determined to destroy each other, while fighting to prove themselves as successful business people. Toward the end they both experience business problems and realise that the only way to save their individual businesses is to put aside their differences and work together. They then become a formidable team, not only saving their businesses but also becoming friends. While all Bagshawe's books are well written and entertaining, I think she needs a new plot idea - in every book I felt like I was reading about the same 2 characters, just with different names. I was interested to read one reviewer's comments about the 80's lingo and atmosphere not seeming authentic - I had the same problem with "When She Was Bad", another Bagshawe novel. "When She Was Bad" was ostensibly set in the 60's/70's, but the jargon was more consistent with current terminology - I'm not sure they used the words "booty", "like" and "heroin chic" in that era :) It seems as if Bagshawe sets her novels in the various periods for a change of pace without actually doing any research into the time. Despit my criticisms, "Tall Poppies" still manages to be an enjoyable read.

This book is alot more than an escapist read, the book itself is fantastic, but if you read between the lines, it's not about men dominating women but about the jealous rivalry that threatens both women. The women in this book unwitingly manage to ruin each other through jealousy and then manage to blame it on men. It makes you stop and have a hard think about yourself and how hard your wiling to work to get something. A life changing book and definately Bagshawe's best.

Louise Bagshawe has a genuine talent for writing. Her dialogue is believable and the ... scenes are steamy! I only wish she would spend a little more time researching her subject matter.

This book takes place in the (very early) 80's. I got the impression that Bagshawe is too young to have actually experienced this time period. I felt the accumulation of inaccuracies distracting at times, and it detracts from her credibility as a storyteller.

That said, I enjoy her enough to have all of her books, but I feel Tall Poppies is the weakest of them.

If you haven't read it, go and get it. This book you will not be able to put down until it ends. It's about two women from two totally different familys trying to make a living from what they have. Nina is a poor girl with loser parents and Elizabeth has everything but a family who cares. I recomend this book to anyone who needs a little time out from reality. All of Ms. Bagshawe's books are a 10 plus!!

This is the story of a rich English girl and a poor American girl, whose lives cross as they both become very succesful. I have read other Louise Bagshawe books, and I have to say that she uses this rich English/poor American format a lot, and it's becoming boring.
Personally I didn't like this book, and ended up skim-reading most of it.

'Tall Poppies' is a fantastic example of girl power, an inspiring story about ambition, enemies, sex, winning, power and pure innocence. 'Tall Poppies' is a dynamic read about two women from different sides of the track yet it comes clear that they share more than realise, despite their background their goals and experience are much the same. Like 'Career Girls', Louise Bagshawe builds realistic characters around the social structure of the early 80's, weaving in snippets of info about famous people of the time. A page turning book for all those starting out in their career, those with enemies and those who have had to make choices.

This is the first book I read of this nature, it was very interesting. I only picked it up to kill time while my father shopped around the library but I found myself wanting to read more.. then more and more.. ended up buying it and reading it to the end.
The characters are relatable and the novel had an interesting point of view thing going on. The end was very satisfying too.. lemme say.

Louise Bagshawe has definitely hit upon a successful formula -- either two or three go-getting women who wind up cooperating with one another -- but her telling of the tale is always so much fun, it doesn't bother me and doesn't seem stale. In Tall Poppies, I enjoyed how hard Nina worked to get past various setbacks, but absolutely loved Elizabeth and her skiing career. The descriptions of Elizabeth navigating dangerous Alpine trails were breathtaking, and her interactions with Texan skiier Jack Taylor excellent. Bagshawe is good at developing sexual tension without losing the plot's forward momentum. Bagshawe also does an excellent job of portraying the glass ceiling that women fought for so long (and are still fighting). Overall, a great read with strong, likable characters.

Ms. Bagshawe is obviously an enormously bright woman with great storytelling talent, but her books would benefit from having a US editor take a look at them if she's telling things from an American's point of view; it's awkward having British slang or lingo coming from someone from the US. We just say some things differently: A firm ARE going to throw a Christmas party (British); a firm IS going to throw a Christmas party (US) -- and occasionally there will be words that we just don't use on this side of the pond.

This title is the Austrian proverb for Tall Poppies, and what it is about, and what the book itself is about. I am a Tall Poppy, and I have been cut down to size. So I relate to this book (Thankfully my stalks have grown again to reach heavenward and my flower has once again bloomed a brilliant color). But back to the book: Louise Bagshawe is a sure thing. She is also rather impressive. Went to Oxford, became I believe a talent scout for Sony Music at a young age. Now she continues to write, although she is also a mom and involved with the Parliament and other UK politics. She is also a nice person with excelletn values. I highly recommend her books if you like stories of women who seriously make success stories of themselves, against all odds. I find her books enthralling and empowering. Buy them, why don't you?

I'm a huge fan of Louise Bagshawe and many of her books. I have to say - "Tall Poppies" is one of my favs. I really enjoyed the depth of character, interesting stories, and general pace of this book. Ms. Bagshawe's talent is clear - and I really love her English sense of humor. I found the interaction between Nina and Elizabeth really endearing and really empowering. I loved their spirit and strength.

"Tall Poppies" is a great book and I loved every minute of it.

Cheers!