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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Janey Wilcox is an MAW (that's Model/Actress/Whatever to the uninitiated). The problem with Janey, the protagonist of Trading Up, the new novel from Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell, 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". 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 hampered 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, Amazon.com
Review
Judging from the first swathe of manuscript available of Bushnell's first full-length novel, it is a divinely delicious and wicked satire on New York society. The author of Four Blondes and Sex and the City, (which both sold 150,000 copies for Abacus) is mistress of the cutting remark, and makes a great play of two glamorous, silly, superficial women flinging false compliments at each other while they manoeuvre around the men at exclusive parties and the polo field. Waspishly fine writing lies at the core of this comedy of manners as Janey Wilcox, suddenly fashionable as a supermodel photographed in her underwear for half of America, plays her rise into society circles for all she can, while what she really wants is a successful man, despite her chequered past. Exceedingly droll, eminently readable.
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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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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book fascinated and entertained me. It's perfect for the beach or airport, as it doesn't require much reflection or work interlectually on the reader's part. You just sit back and enjoy.
I liked the story, the charaters and all the glamour. Janey's (the main character) view on everything is so different from my own. Some may find it appalling, naive and stupid. I found it entertaining. I've met people like Janey and always wanted to look inside their mind. Janey is indeed naive and self-obsessed, but she also has a strong belief in her own succes, despite of her flaws. I don't share her values, but I liked reading about it - widening my horizon.
I also like the many little stories that are intertwined. I like how the author picks up characters from earlier books and how you meet some of the characters from "Trading up" in her next book "Lipstick jungle" (which is also really good!).
It's an extra bonus that it takes place in NYC. I love NYC and enjoy reading about it. I'm fascinated by the place. The fancy restaurants where one table is more prestigous than the other, where you can meet famous people etc. I liked reading about small things that are important to people in a world far away from my own little Danish capital.
I liked the story, the charaters and all the glamour. Janey's (the main character) view on everything is so different from my own. Some may find it appalling, naive and stupid. I found it entertaining. I've met people like Janey and always wanted to look inside their mind. Janey is indeed naive and self-obsessed, but she also has a strong belief in her own succes, despite of her flaws. I don't share her values, but I liked reading about it - widening my horizon.
I also like the many little stories that are intertwined. I like how the author picks up characters from earlier books and how you meet some of the characters from "Trading up" in her next book "Lipstick jungle" (which is also really good!).
It's an extra bonus that it takes place in NYC. I love NYC and enjoy reading about it. I'm fascinated by the place. The fancy restaurants where one table is more prestigous than the other, where you can meet famous people etc. I liked reading about small things that are important to people in a world far away from my own little Danish capital.
Format:Paperback
The usual Candace Bushnell- far too long and not a right lot happens really. A few minor twists and turns at the end though.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Sex and the City writter out does herself in this her 3rd book. the 4 blondes was fantastic and now Janey Wilcox, is back for more adevntures. the chaacter is amazing, you cant help but like her!
this book is clever and witty and hard to put down
my advise would be- read it!
this book is clever and witty and hard to put down
my advise would be- read it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
a deceptively light read
showing the life of the rich and famous as full of heartbreak and unhappiness is by no means a new endeavour, so this book could be seen as just another holiday read in the best... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2009 by Shopaholique
Interesting
Bushnell's herione, Janey Wilcox has almost hit the big time. An appearance in a Victoria's Secret commercial opens the gates of the playground of the rich as she enters a world of... Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2009 by Zara
Pure Entertainment
Yes, the character is shallow and a little unlikeable, but I found this book extremely entertaining. Read more
Published on 6 Mar 2008 by Dayglo
Fun,Mindless,Reading
I brought Trading up on a whim before I went on a 4 hour Coach journey to Bristol. I wanted a book I could get lost in to help the journey go faster. Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2007 by Sarah
The lost sparkle.
Having read the previous two books by the author, I was disappointed and somehow offended by the lack of depth and the superficiality of the character. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2004
NON-STOP READING!!!
I admit, I have read all of Candace Bushnell's books,but Trading Up is one of those books that you can't stop reading. Read more
Published on 9 July 2004 by "blunat"
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