How I Came To Read This Book: I borrowed it from my sister. The Plot: This isn’t just one book, but actually four novellas regarding four status & sex obsessed Manhattan-bound blondes. Janey Wilcox (subject of the full-length follow-up ‘Trading Up’) is a floundering model/actress that baits guys in exchange for summers in the Hamptons and a life she deems worthy of her greatness. Cecelia is married to a royal, but the media’s obsession with her every flaw keeps her high-strung personality on high-alert. Winnie is at a crossroads with her lazy husband – tired of being the power woman in the relationship she tries to motivate him to do something with his work, while both sides question whether they’re working. And finally the last story surrounds a writer who goes to England to find a man, a husband to be specific.The Good & The Bad: Bushnell, much like Helen Fielding, the author of the Bridget Jones’ books, is a lucky girl indeed. A plum spin-off of her writing has landed her in the palm of chick lit publishing, allowing her to rifle off relatively lackluster novels that all follow the same theme: women-sex-men-power-work-Manhattan. This little collection epitomizes that by showing that none of these stories really warranted a full-length novel (sigh, Trading Up), that Bushnell’s creativity is limited by her own self-imposed style limitations. Of these stories I remembered finding Winnie’s the most interesting because it actually gave the man more of a voice for once. Janey’s was boring (as was her full book) and idiotic, Cecelia’s was hard to relate to, and the final story was completely forgettable. I can’t say I recommend this book if you’re a Bushnell fan because chances are, if such people exist, they’ll enjoy this book no matter what. Personally I think Lipstick Jungle is the only thing she’s written worth owning or reading, but that’s just me.The Bottom Line: A blasé collection that continues to weave Bushnell’s tightly wound thread of plots and themes. Anything Memorable?: Nope. 50-Book Challenge?: Nope.
So I read this book with no expectations, one way or another. And then I came on here and was shocked to see every review was so horrible. The problem with Candace Bushnell is that everyone expects her to be fluffy chick lit because Sex and the City is the epitome of chick TV (and don't get me wrong, I love the show). Even the cover design of this book just makes it look like a beach read. But when I read Sex and the City (the book) I realized that's not the kind of writer Candace Bushnell is. When I first tried to read Sex and the City, I hated it because I compared it to the show and stopped after reading 20 pages. I, too, expected her books to be a certain way because of the show. When I picked it up a second time, I stopped comparing it and learned to love Bushnell's writing. She's smart, edgy, controversial. I love writers that take risks and write about things in a way I don't expect. That being said, I liked Four Blondes, but it did have problems. Every time I would start to care about the character, it would switch to another one with no resolution. By the end of the book, I was frustrated. There would be enough pages to get me to be intrigued by a character, and then I'd turn the page and it'd be onto the next blonde, out of nowhere. So, it gets three stars, because I really love Bushnell's writing, but was disappointed by this book as a whole.
What do You think about Four Blondes (2001)?
Bushnell is one of the worse writers of all time. I hope she wakes up every morning and thanks whichever god she believes in because however she got Sex in the City published is supernatural. That someone saw past her schlocky prose to an award-winning television series is beyond me. Four Blondes is a trite story about four women you couldn't care about if they were on fire on the midtown bus. Their stories, remarkably, are less interesting. Read this book only if you are being threatened with death. Or worse.
—Hilari
This book took me two years to finish! I wish for the life of me I could have one positive remark on anything but truthfully this book is horrendous. I have never seen a cast that is so self-absorbed, manipulative, and downright one dimensional before in my life! There's only one character that comes to mind who might rival their superficiality. Its sad when Gaston is considered a well-rounded character compared to these bitches. Not only are they selfish they are a downright disgusting portrayal of women! In Bushnell's mind, all blonde haired women are either beautiful or whorish. Actually since I've used Gaston, then I might as well use the most perfect example of what these characters remind me of- Only one of the characters was interesting to read and didn't make me want to rip my hair out. This book looks like it was written by a high school student who wanted to bash the blonde girls who picked on her. Don't pick up this book!! Trust me, the book will bring out a feminist in you that you didn't know existed until after scanning through this monstrosity.
—D
This book is not good. It is divided into four sections about four women with barely any brains and their stories never connect. At first I felt like I was missing some big secret underlying message about society while I was reading it, but then I thought that it was just about four stupid rich women. The writing style of the second section almost made me quit reading. Sentence length averages 6 words and every other sentence is in parentheses which I think was meant for humor but ended up being the final straw. You can read this book in approximately 3 hours and be none the wiser. Also, the cover art is terrible. I should have known better.
—Emily
