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Amazon.co.uk Review
Besotted by Alslan her ethereal, conspiracy theory-obsessed costar--"the New World Order is stealing all the water"--the unrequited Ruby looks like following her mother's example by committing suicide. Ex-boyfriend Sebastian, Rachel, the ex-wife of her former lover Scott and Cyrinda, a dirty club queen with plenty of filthy lucre, lend support but there is limit to how many of Ruby's attention-seeking tantrums even they can endure. Structured, in part, like a film--with flashbacks and straight-to-camera-style monologues--this tautly written book is a refreshing take on the usual fame-game yarn. Full of sardonic observations on celebrity, sex and film, Forrest offers a convincing snapshot of a world where bodies must be beautiful and clothes must be Prada. --Travis Elborough
The Times, 27th April 2002
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
An Unsatisfying Read,
By Ella (London, Europe) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Thin Skin (Paperback)
I must say that I was looking forward to Thin Skin. After reading Namedropper, Forrest's first novel (which I adored) I was expecting something similarily spectactular. Unfortunately I was greatly disapointed. Thin Skin focuses on an young Hollywood actress, Ruby, whose problems with bulimia and self harm overshadow her success. Suffering from extreme low-self esteem combined with the enforced pressure of false-pride and narcissism that the industry validates, Ruby is a girl in turmoil. Seemingly obsessed with herself, her image, her previous loves and her current sexual power that she wields over all that watch her, Ruby is painted as a unsympathetic character. As someone who has suffered from similar eating disordered and negative behaviours myself, I still found it difficult to empathise with Ruby, as she seemed so vacant and flimsy. If I could not find something in her to relate to, I can not even begin to imagine how a reader with no understanding or personal experience of Ruby's conditions could have done so. Like the character herself, the writer has been equally selfish with sharing the true depth of Ruby's personality. I wanted to get to know her better in order that I could begin to understand her, but Forrest made it very hard. It was not that Ruby was an empty character, infact the opposite, but the author did not paint an entire picture, which I find very frustrating as a reader. Rich and dark like her name, Ruby is a character whose depths were not shown in the book. She had no 'voice' and I subsequently found it very hard to care about her. It was as though Forrest had given up, leaving the reader with only half a person, if that. This factor combined with the lack of any obvious storyline makes Thin Skin a very unsatistfying read. The lack of story would have been fine had Ruby been constructed with more depth and detail, But she wasn't, so the entire novel seemed pointless - an exercise in style and not much else. Forrest's talent is creating a sense of image, which is effectively done here. The concept behind a deeply dark character in a world of glitter and light is a great one. But the lack of depth means that the book is easily forgettable. Read Forrest's first novel, Namedropper, instead. Here we again have a detailed sense of style and image, but this time combined with a highly enjoyable character, Viva. It's an explosive combination, and Namedropper is one of my favourite books of all time. Thin Skin is not worth your time.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark is as dark does,
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Thin Skin (Paperback)
Emma Forrest debuted on the literary scene with the wry, wise, witty "Namedropper," with its delicious meditations on life in general. But she veered off to the dark side in "Thin Skin." This novel is as sharp and dark as a bloody knife, with its unflinching look at the beautiful people who only see a skeleton behind their faces. Ruby is a beautiful young actress, with fair success and an intensity that attracts men -- as dark and rich as the jewel. But she's miserable. She wanders through an empty life, meditating on her first love, her bulimia, and the way she cuts herself. At twenty, she is burned out, and determined to have her outside reflect her inner rot, and to be alone. Then she bumps into Rachel, the soon-to-be-ex-wife of Ruby's ex-lover. Rachel takes unexpected pity on Ruby, finding a confused child inside the jaded starlet. She tries to help Ruby, and a strange friendship pops up between them. But not even friends, roommates and lovers can keep Ruby from attempting suicide. A person who is self-destructing is a terrible sight. So horrifying, in fact, that most people prefer to shut their eyes to the reality; especially if the person seems to "have it all" -- beauty, youth and talent. Most people assume that there is nothing to be unhappy about. But Emma Forrest keeps her eyes wide open to the horrors of Ruby's inner life. It's a harrowing read, but it would be worthless as literature if Forrest didn't explore up to the brink. Perhaps the most unnervingly good thing about "Thin Skin" is that Forrest captures the manic wildness that comes to a person who is about to go over the edge. For example, when Rachael tells Ruby that she's "all wrong," Ruby delightedly responds "I know!" Sure, the narrative rambles. Sure, Ruby is self-absorbed. But sadly, that is the portrait of a person who is slowly imploding -- they do ramble in their own heads, and their universe is taken up by their problems. The storyline reflects Ruby's meandering life, as she wanders from one place to another, without caring. Forrest perfectly captures the smell, sight and feel of dark bars, L.A. boutiques and sterile hospitals. But there is also a dark poetry to her writing. Early on, she describes how "me and the thought of suicide walked home, arm in arm, laughing at the wind like young lovers." Much like the book itself, it's both beautiful and disturbing. "Thin Skin" is a very disturbing read. In a good way. It offers a window into the mind of a deeply unhappy young woman, without an ounce of soft-pedalling or a sugary ending. Astounding.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
An empty, tedious story...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Thin Skin (Paperback)
I read all the good reviews here and had high expectations of this book, but I was sadly disappointed.For me, the focal point of the book - a "ruined" model called Ruby - evoked no emotion, and I could make no connection with this character at all. Through the eyes of this protaganist, I feel that the author wanted us to sympathise with her, to be interested in what happens to her - but this just did not happen for me. I think that the book is fairly well written - Emma Forrest is clearly not without talent - but it is wasted on an empty story about an annoying character. At the end, I just felt this was a pointless novel that left me cold.
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