Sophie Kinsella – The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

Copyright: 2000

Pages: 305 (trade-size paperback edition)

Setting/Type: Contemporary/Chick Lit

Series: Shopaholic #1

Grade: D-

On the face of it, Rebecca Bloomwood has it all. Confident, single and happily living in des-res Fulham with her best friend Suze, she’s a financial journalist who spends her days writing articles advising other people on the importance of budgeting and prudent investing. Her private life is a different story though; Rebecca manages her own finances in a way that would make most of her readers’ hair curl–for Rebecca is a woman on a mission–she just can’t stop spending.

This, ladies and gentleman, is a seriously dumb book with a brain-dead heroine and a listing of endless escapades about how to spend big money on useless stuff. The heroine, Rebecca Bloomwood, is a 25 year old financial journalist; though how she ever got her job in this branch boggles my mind because there isn’t a person more unsuitable. Problably won it playing Lotto.

The whole book is about how Rebecca tries to save money, doing so by applying the only two obvious options as in a) cutting back and b) making more money. The first one turns out a total disaster, the second one takes off better – but only thanks to Fortuna who probably couldn’t stand the sight of this addlebrained female anymore.

You would think that Rebecca would grow towards the ending of the book, advance in her being and progress at least a little in her quest. Forget it. She’s a blind squirrel that has found a nut and milks it for all that it’s worth.

As a reader I breatheda sigh of relief after the last page because, honestly, never have I met such an unlikable I narrator than shopping addicted Rebecca Bloomwood.

Well, definitely no more Shopaholic books for me, this one was more than enough to rest me a lifetime.