This week I read B as in Beauty by Alberto Ferreras. Earlier this week I said I was going to try to lighten up. I saw this book reviewed a few places, and I loved the cover so I was happy to give this chick lit a go. Read it in one sitting. Okay, it's chick lit, a genre I don't normally read but I said I was going to lighten up, right? Okay.This light read is funny and the strongest element of the book are the dates Beauty goes on with the exception of her serial date which turns romance. Pretty formulaic there even with the quirks. I really appreciate that Beauty comes to appreciate her body and stiffens her spine at work. And I'm all for greater diversity in all genres so a Latina mama lighting up the escort business was a nice change.
What I didn't like: Wasn't crazy about the profanity. It isn't gratuitous but it doesn't add anything either. Before reading this, I thought it was YA appropriate but the fetishes in the book puts this in the adult arena for me. There are no explicit sexual descriptions but the fetishes are clearly adult material. The racial stereotypes made me wince a little mostly because I felt they were pat and unnecessary. I didn't mind that they were politically incorrect (I'll take honesty over false courtesy) but I didn't find them funny, and I think they were suppose to be. Really bored with the whole conflict between Beauty and her boss. I've had my share of office politics and frustrations of not being valued for what I bring to the table, but the author fails to add anything fresh to this dilemma.
Still, overall, I'm glad I read it. I met a goal by finishing it and writing about it. It did have its moments and Beauty does learn to love herself. Major plus. She finds love being her big beautiful self. And for that alone, I'd recommend it.
So what happened here during the week?
- Check out the posts for Diversity Roll Call
- New Crayons: What's new on our shelves
- Can I Get A Review?: Color Me Brown
- Susan's Unofficial List of Great YA Lit by and About Women of Color (great discussion ensued and the list is popping up on blogs. Who woulda thought?)
- Don't forget to enter our Summer Madness Giveaway
- Camile is working it out with The Golden Goddess
- First Daughter, a review by Tarie
- Got Poetry? Do read Tara Betts
4 comments:
Thanks for your thoughts on the book. I have this book on my shelf (along with too many other unread books). I too was hoping for a different light read but I think I probably wiil stiil read sometime.
Hi Beverly,
Would like to know what you think after you've finished it. Thanks for taking time to read and comment.
Interesting. I have that book too. I'll be interested to see how my impression compares with yours (I'm not fond of profanity or stereotypes either so it will probably be similar!)
Very thoughtful review. I enjoyed it. I have this book sitting in Mt. TBR as well. Not sure when I will get to it since I am in some sort of reading slump right now. I don't know what is wrong with me. I am not a big fan of chick lit, but it interests me for it's Latina protagonist.
Post a Comment