Title: Gorgeous
Author: Paul Rudnick
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: April 30, 2013
Source: Audible.com
Summary (from Goodreads): Inner beauty wants out.
When eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived.
Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.
Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.
A screamingly defiant, hugely naughty, and impossibly fun free fall past the cat walks, the red carpets, and even the halls of Buckingham Palace,Gorgeous does the impossible: It makes you see yourself clearly for the first time.
Review: Ok, this book wasn’t for me; however, I’m sure that many of my students will like it. There were funny parts and I loved hearing about the glam life but I couldn’t get behind all the magical things that were happening. The characters were hilarious and lovable and because of that I wanted to like the book more than I did. I was hooked at the beginning by the line about trailer parks but the second half of the book lost momentum for me.
I did enjoy the audio production. All the voices were well done.
Like I said, this wasn’t my favorite book but I’ve always agreed with the idea that there is a book for every reader and a reader for every book. If you’re looking for a modern fairy tale then this is the book for you.
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