"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray


Libba Bray's Beauty Queens is one funny book.

Let's see, how would I describe it? Well, for starters I'd say it is partly about a beauty pageant and its contestants.  Duh, that is fairly apparent by the title and cover.  But it is also part Lord of the Flies. You know the disturbing book you had to read in high school where a bunch of boys who survive a plane crash end up on a deserted island and basically all hell breaks loose?

So now you know that our contestants end up on a deserted island after a plane wreck. But the comparisons don't stop there.  I'd say it is also part Gilligan's Island, the zany '70s sitcom where goofy things happen all the time, all of them very improbable based on the supplies at hand. Our contestants carry out many of their kooky tasks with eyelash curlers, flat irons and other beauty supplies.

I know what you are thinking.  This books sounds like a girl book.  Think again, because this book has what every Caribbean island needs to be authentic: pirates, like those in the Pirates of the Caribbean. What boy can resist gorgeous babes and swashbuckling fun?  And to add to male gender appeal, the book also has action you might expect to see in a 007 movie (minus James Bond) and the government sounds a bit like one you'd expect to read about in any good Dystopian novel, think Hunger Games or The Maze Runner. The action is both exciting and funny at the same time.

In addition to all the silliness and improbable situations, this book actually has some meat to it.  Without being preachy, Bray deals with important topics such as the sexual objectification of women, LGBT issues, stereotyping (such as "The Dumb Blonde"), gender and sexuality issues, and the meaning of friendship.  The book actually would be a treasure trove for discussions on a plethora of topics.

Hope I've teased you enough to entice you to read this book yourself.  Happy reading


7 comments:

  1. I'm glad you liked this book, it's on my wishlist.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I absolutely loved this book. Bray knows how to create a perfect book. This is honestly the first book I cannot wait to see made into a movie. Your review is the perfect teaser too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am planning on checking this book out. I've heard so much about it, it is time to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. On my TBR shelf! Can't wait to get into it!
    Courtney
    Fuzzy.Coffee.Books

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've read mix reviews of this book, glad to know you liked it. I'll added to my TBR list.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I LOVED this book! Glad to see you enjoyed it too! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://tracystreasureofbooks.blogspot.com
    click the link, I have a little surprise for you there. thanks. oh, look for the feature tell me about yourself, aug 4th.

    ReplyDelete

I look forward to your comments and interactions! Join in the conversation.