Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick
If Doctor Faust and Eliza Doolittle (portrayed by Audrey Hepburn in
"My Fair Lady") wrote a book together, that book might be the first
half of
Gorgeous.
Sorting through stuff left behind after the death of her beloved,
morbidly obese mother, Becky Randle discovers a phone number concealed
within a jewelry box. Calling the number sets off a whirl of events,
leading Becky to the hidden enclave of a mysterious-yet-ubiquitous
clothing designer. Tom Kelly proposes to create three dresses for
Becky that will transform her into Rebecca, the most beautiful woman in
the world. The catch? Becky must fall in love and marry within a year.
Somewhere along the way, the story gets a bit muddled, but the
strong, sarcastic voices of Becky, her best friend Rocher, and charming
Prince Gregory of England rescue the book from the round file. This
book is full of snarky commentary about money, beauty,
talent, fame, social class, and social responsibility, wrapped in an
over-the-top, unconventional narrative.
Lots of cussing, lots of glamour, and
some sexual situations on page, including the "outing" of a teen
heart-throb. Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult--those who enjoyed
Beauty Queens (Bray, 2011) will love this.
The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern
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