- Paperback: 1 pages
- Publisher: Abacus (July 3 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0349114943
- ISBN-13: 978-0349114941
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.2 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 399 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #972,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Janey Wilcox is an M.A.W. (that's Model/Actress/Whatever to the uninitiated). The problem with Janey, the protagonist of Candace Bushnell's first novel, Trading Up, is not the M or the A part. It's the W. Here is a rare alphabetical anomaly: In Janey's case, W stands for "prostitute." Oh, Janey never crosses the line into actual hookerdom, but she does sleep with extremely wealthy men in the hopes they'll improve her status, her financial situation, or her lifestyle. When we first met Janey in Bushnell's novella collection 4 Blondes, she was up to her usual tricks (so to speak)--scamming a guy for a Hamptons vacation rental. At the opening of Trading Up, her fortunes have improved. She's now the star of a Victoria's Secret ad campaign, and as such she's found access to undreamed-of echelons of New York society. She makes friends with Mimi Kilroy, a senator's daughter "at the very top of the social heap in New York." She gets invited to all the best parties. And she finally finds a wealthy man who will actually marry her: Seldon Rose, a powerful entertainment industry executive. Of course, Janey's social ambitions are not stoppered by her marriage to Seldon, and the clash between her expectations (more parties!) and his (normal life) send Janey into a tailspin that leads to heartbreak. Bushnell is clearly trying to channel Edith Wharton (The Custom of the Country is even invoked by Janey as a screenplay idea), but ends up sounding a lot more like a cross between Tama Janowitz and Judith Krantz. This is a novel about shopping and sex, and while it's fizzy enough, it's not Cristal. --Claire Dederer
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
"It was the beginning of the summer of the year 2000, and in New York City, where the streets seemed to sparkle with the gold dust filtered down from a billion trades in a boomtown economy, it was business as usual." In other words, it is business as usual for bestselling author Bushnell (Sex and the City; 4 Blondes), who expands here on the career of shallow, predatory Janey Wilcox. In 4 Blondes, Wilcox was a mildly famous one-time model who bedded men based on their ability to provide her with a great house in the Hamptons for the summer. Now she has become a Victoria's Secret model, a bona fide success in her own right. As the latest summer in the Hamptons kicks off, Wilcox becomes the new best friend of the socialite Mimi Kilroy, who is eager to introduce beautiful Janey to the very rich Selden Rose, the new head of the HBO-like MovieTime. Unlike Janey's many previous hookups, Selden is the marrying kind. What ensues is a grim if well-observed account of a match made in hell. Here's the problem. There is a black hole in the center of the book in the form of Janey Wilcox, a character so dull and humorless that she makes this whole elaborate enterprise one long, boring slog. Granted, Bushnell sets out to chronicle the workings of "one of those people for whom the superficial comfortingly masks an inner void," but Wilcox is not evil enough to be interesting, not talented enough to be Mr. Ripley. Wilcox proceeds from model/prostitute to "Model/Prostitute" on the cover of the Post. But who will care? Bushnell has committed the real crime here: failure to entertain.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
IT WAS THE beginning of the summer in the year 2000, and in New York City, where the streets seemed to sparkle with the gold dust filtered down from a billion trades in a boomtown economy, it was business as usual. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
IT WAS THE beginning of the summer in the year 2000, and in New York City, where the streets seemed to sparkle with the gold dust filtered down from a billion trades in a boomtown economy, it was business as usual. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth it!!!,
By Melissa "~Melissa~" (Saskatchewan, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Trading Up (Paperback)
SAVE YOUR MONEY!!! This book is not worth anything. It is page after page of droning on about upper class and wanna be upper class NYC citizens who are under-developed characters at best. There is no plot really to speak of, as the author bounces around from character to character and flashback to flashback in the same chapter.It is difficult to get through and in the end there was nothing that would make me say something good about the book!
2.0 out of 5 stars
Juicy, Original But Repetetive and Unrealistic--Unimpressive,
By Sakina Walsh (Charllotte, NC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Trading Up (Hardcover)
The book seemed to start out interestingly enough, but as it dragged on and on, there wasn't much of a plot. It seemed like a slew of examples to further inscribe already explained characters. The dialogue between all of the characters was the same as well--the author painted all of them using the same silly, "upscale" language that no one really uses anymore, not in NYC! The book was unrealstic and seemed to paint a picture of power, riches and New York that only someone completley ignorant would believe. The characters were so black and white--and we all know the best characters are gray. The end was disappointing as well, with little impact. There were a few good lessons to be learned from the book, and it provided mediocre entertainment value, but for the most part, my advice is not to waste your time
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true love hate realationship,
By Meredith (Iowa City, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Trading Up (Paperback)
I found myself needing to read on thought at times I though that I might actually scream at the characters in this book. I hated Janey and at first struggled to turn the pages, however it took less than six days to finish. In the end I felt I understood her, though I would not have made the choices she did I knew why that had been the path that took her to where she wanted to be.So....If you are looking for some savy sex and the city story where some things are a bit much for the conservitate taste, yet overall it is all fun and games do not buy this book. If you want a good fast book where the ups and downs will take your breath away....then happy reading to you.
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