Customer Reviews

The Prada Paradox

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Devi Taylor is a famous actress who unwittingly gets sucked into the role she is playing. She has the role of Melanie Prescott whose story started the series about Play.Survive.Win.

Devi and her ex who plays Melanie's protecter in the movie (and husband) end up getting set up in their own version of Play.survive.Win and try to beat the clock figuring out different clues along with Andrew Garrison (a person who is introduced in the second installment, who was sucked into the game before) as their protector.

As Devi and her ex get to the end of the game things start clicking into place as they find out who actually is involved in bringing Play.survive.Win into the real world.

Great conclusion to an awsome series-and keeps you guessing till the end.

I am a huge fan of this series, and couldn't wait until the final installment was released. All in all, it was a good read, but it leaves much to be desired. First of all, too much time is spent on Devi's backstory; you're a third of the way through the book before the game even gets underway. What I enjoyed so much about The Givinchy Code is that the action started almost immediately - with Mel, a girl we didn't know, caught up in this deadly game of cat and mouse...but as the story unfolded, we learned more about her and started to care about her welfare. In The Prada Paradox, we are introduced to Devi and beat over the head with her history - and the end result is that she ends up coming off as a whiny, self-absorbed, and spoiled Hollywood "it" girl. And because so much time is spent telling her story, not so much time is spent on the actual game - which is why we read the book, right? Secondly, don't get me started about how easy it was to guess the PSW mastermind...even if you're not looking to solve the mystery before the end of the book, the answer will slap you in the face (several times) before it is at last revealed - so expect some disappointment.

In a nutshell, it was a fun and fast read...but was a disappointing end to the trilogy. The story wasn't all that creative, and the plot was somewhat predictable. I think The Prada Paradox stands much better on it's own than as a "final chapter" to the series.

Play. Survive. Win. (PSW) is a popular online multiplayer computer game. It takes place in a computer version of New York City. There are three players per game. One is the Target, one is the Protector, and one is the Assassin. The Target must follow clues around NYC until the last clue is found and deciphered. During this time, the Assassin is trying to kill the Target and the Protector is trying to keep the Target alive. The creator of the game, Archibald Grimaldi, drowned many years ago, but the game is still going strong. Unfortunately, some crazy person has brought the game into the real world. The Target is slipped a slow poison before being notified that they have been drafted into the real world version of the game. The Target either plays the game or dies.

A few years ago, Melanie Prescott (Target) and Matthew Stryker (Protector) had been unwilling players in the real world version of PSW. To get the word out about this VERY deadly version of the game, PSW is in the process of becoming a movie titled "The Givenchy Code".

Actress Devi Taylor is playing the role of Melanie. Devi has been in the public eye since she was a child star. But after being attacked three years ago, in her own home, by a crazed fan calling himself Janus, she has been in hiding. It has taken a lot of courage for Devi to come back into the spotlight. She takes her privacy extra seriously now. Devi's home is like a fortress and she lets very little slip to the media. Some of the things Devi has let "slip" are false. This gives her an extra feeling of control over her private life. The only major problem with the picture is that the leading man is her ex-boyfriend, Blake Atwood.

Blake Atwood did not intentionally humiliate Devi on Letterman's show. He knows the moment the vile words leaves his mouth that he has made a horrible mistake. That mistake costs him Devi's affection. But Blake is determined to win Devi back, no matter what it takes. Blake just happens to be beside Devi when she gets word that she is the Target and Janus is the Assassin! Knowing that Devi has less than twenty-four hours to solve the clues and find the antidote is tearing him apart. Worse, since Andy Garrison is the Protector, Blake is not allowed to help in any way, shape, or form.

**** This is the third installment of the PSW trilogy. Much time has to be spent familiarizing the readers with Devi's background, so not as much time is spent on the actual scavenger hunt. However, Devi's background is almost as interesting as the hunt itself. The main characters of the first book (The Givenchy Code) come back as minor characters in this episode. Andy played a small role in the first novel also. Now he must act out the Protector role. Since he has prior experience, this could be an asset for Devi.

One thing is for sure, once the game begins in earnest I found myself unable to even sit back in my chair. I was on the edge of my seat and reading as quickly as my eyes would move. Fans of mystery books might be able to figure out some things quicker than most readers, but all-in-all this is one intense read. Recommended! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I'm at work, down to the last fifty pages of Prada Paradox and I'm AT WORK. I NEED to finish this book, it's getting better and better with every miniscule chapter. (I sneak-read a few pages. No, no, put it away. This is work for God's sake. They don't pay me to read. Well, maybe just a couple more pages...this is killing me to see it sitting there waiting for me) Julie Kenner introduces a new main character here, Devi. Same basic plan...PSW is after her, no surprise there. The tension builds dramatically throughout the book. Similar storyline but different enough plot to make it fresh and exciting. It does take longer for the actual PSW game to get going, but you're not left bored by any means. I'm just surprised it's almost over. Last installment, it seemed the chase lasted forever.
I only hope she's got another installment in the wings. Great read, short (331 + epilogue), but great.

Julie Kenner has written a fast paced, witty, exciting series about a computer game being conceived and turned into a real life "game." This is the 3rd book of the trilogy, and while it can stand alone, the book is much better if you have read the first two books. Some slight inconsistencies in this book wouldn't be noticed, of course, if you didn't read the other books (primarily the 1st book The Givenchy Code.) However, I believe that you owew it to yourself to read the complete series and in order. (Givenchy Code, Manola Matrix, Prada Paradox) Kenner's writing is easy to read and enjoyable, one of those hard-to-put-down reads!

As a child, she started making her mark on Hollywood. It helped develop her Prada addiction. Being attacked by a crazed fan cut short Devi Taylor's rise to the top of Hollywood. Now poised to do a comeback, she lands the role of a lifetime, the lead in The Givenchy Code, a high-budget action-adventure flick. One drawback is that her costar is her ex. An ex she split with very publicly and the tabloids bring back the details as often as they can.

Blake is still in love with Devi. He just hopes he can make her see he is not as much of an idiot as he made himself out to be. The Givenchy Code is his big break. Hopefully, he can work with Devi amid the shadows of the past.

The tabloids will not let either Devi or Blake forget the past. Devi is dragged into a deadly game that freakily mirrors the movie she is attempting to complete. . Add a second crazed fan to the mix, and life can get a bit complicated. But there is always Prada.

The Prada Paradox starts with a bang, and keeps up the pace throughout. Ms. Kenner throws in enough clues to make life interesting for Devi and Blake. You suspect certain details that she then throws into the air. A well played mystery and romance. The Prada Paradox throws an interesting look at online games and possibilities that life can throw at you. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Emma
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I feel that the author wasn't being creative in this installment in the series. In the second book, the main female character was an actress. In this book, the samle thing, the main female character is an actress. In the second book, the main male character's name was Devlin. In this book, the main female character's name was is Devi. Way too similar. I think the author more or less ran out of steam here. I did like the ending, but it took me a long while to get to it as unlike the previous two books, I couldn't read this one all in one setting and had to keep putting it down.

I was a bit put off by the last book in this series. It was too similar to the first, and just not interesting enough to keep me entertained. But, the final book in this series was wonderful. The characters and story line follow what you have read before - and yet there are answers in this book (yes, you find out who did it). This story follows an actress (Devi) who is playing the original character (Mel from book 1) in a movie about Play, Survive, Win (PSW). Devi gets sucked into the game - as do all the leading ladies in this series - and she has to fight to keep herself alive.

What was fun with this book was the introduction of a whole group of new players, the movie scene in Hollywood, and the fact that you can actually start to put together whomever is behind this whole thing. I wouldn't pick this book up without first reading book one. But, it is very fun and will keep you hoping that our leading lady makes it out with her life!

The Prada Paradox is the third in the PSW trilogy, so if you haven't read The Givenchy Code and The Manolo Matrix you might want to start with those first. It follows the formula of the first two books, although it starts much slower than those did, and you are over one quarter of the way through the book before the game starts. It's a bit self-referential in that the protagonists are the stars of a movie version of The Givenchy Code. Once it gets going it proceeds quickly and is well-written, as the other two books were also. When it comes down to it, there are really very few clues that need to be solved in these games and the books would have more substance if there were more of them. It also resolves the mystery as to who is behind the live version of the games, but if anyone is actually fooled it's because they haven't been awake while reading. All in all it's a good read, but it's a good thing that this is the finale' of the trilogy, the formula plot is wearing thin.

3rd in the series. I liked it better than the 2nd I think. It was quick and entertaining, which I am all about these days. I could do without schlep in the book though. For some reason, it irks me. Still, a good book. I like how it tied into the 1st.