Thursday, March 26, 2009

Beautiful Americans--Lucy Silag




Think Gossip Girl, but in Paris, with less sex and little less cruelty... and then you have Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag.

Honestly, what to say about this book? It was a quick read... in fact, it was perfect for reading on the elliptical machine or right before bed, because if you miss a word or two it's ok. I'm not saying it was a bad book; I've just read and reread this same story again and again. Zach, Alex, PJ, and Olivia are all spending a year at the American school in Paris. Zach is a gay emo-boy who wants to find love, Alex is a rich girl from New York who tries to buy happiness. PJ's the hippy-chick whose parents are in jail for drug trafficking, and Olivia is a ballerina who has been selected to dance with the Paris Underground Ballet.

Lucy Silag succeeds in giving her characters different enough personalities to remain distinct from each other, yet she doesn't give the reader much reason to empathise with their problems. I wanted deeper character development, more Parisian scenery, and more believable drama. Still, teen girls will probably enjoy this book, especially fans of Gossip Girl, The A-List, and The Luxe.

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