Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel
by Lauren Weisberger
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Book Reviews of Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel
Book Review: Terrible!
Summary: 1 Stars
Do not waste your money, time, or effort on this piece of trash. I enjoyed Devil Wears Prada immensely and thought Everyone Worth Knowing was a decent effort as well. But this third novel by Lauren Weisberger had me groaning in agony. The characters are vapid and selfish, the story line thin to non-existent, and the writing is totally disjointed. There were points in the story where I thought I was missing pages in my books because, apparently, Weisberger and her editor forgot the meaning of the word "transition."
I also take issue with the fact that the three main female characters, who are approaching thirty, seem to be more jealous and catty than they are happy and excited when something goes well for one of them. Of course we all feel pangs of jealousy from time to time, but these young women did not one iota of emotional substance keeping them together. Nor did they have any friends besides each other. I guess that makes sense -- Who else would want to spend time with them?! I certainly wouldn't.
There is more I can say but most of it would be a repeat of what the other 1- and 2-star reviewers have already written. I am not even going to bother keeping this book around. I will donate it to a used book shop or the Salvation Army as soon as you can say "This book stinks!"
Book Review: The lives and loves of three friends
Summary: 4 Stars
Adriana, Leigh, and Emmy have been friends since college. They are about to turn 30 and want to do something to shake up their lives
Emmy has only been with three men in her life and just got dumped by her long term boyfriend. She has a new job traveling the world and the friends come up with a plan. Emmy is to have sex with a man for every continent in the world. She wants to do it, but after getting a bad start in Paris she is not so sure she can actually do it
Adriana is a spoiled rich girl who has had so many men that she can not count. The friends decide that what she needs is to settle down with one man and get engaged and they will give her a year to do it. Shortly after the bet she and her good gay friend (gotta have the gay best friend)go to a movie shoot and she gets interested in the producer.
Leigh is a book editor with a comfortable relationship with her boyfriend. Then things start changing when he suddenly proposes at a dinner celebrating their one year anniversary. Shortly afterward she is asked to edit the book of a famous writer. She is not sure what to do because she has feelings for the writer.
What happens with the three? Will Emmy and Adrianna actually do what they set out to accomplish? Read Chasing Harry Winston
Book Review: Weisberger is losing her touch
Summary: 1 Stars
I have read both of Lauren Weiseberger's books. I loved the Devil Wears Prada and I enjoyed Everyone Worth Knowing. But Chasing Harry Winston was a huge let down.
It feels like Weisberger is trying to become Candace Bushnell - three female friends in the city, talking about love and relationships. Unlike Bushnell, Weisberger characters are not developed. Unlike her first two books (about ordinary women being thrown into a world tha they are unfamiliar with) Chasing Harry Winston is full of three self assured characters that are whiny, superficial, and annoying.
The dialogue was dull. I kept hoping that it would get better and forced myself to keep reading on - it did not. Instead, I found that I was skipping entire paragraphs of copy because I was losing interest so fast.
The three character format is also very jumpy. One minute a character is on the phone, the next they are in bed with a stranger. While I believe in books for entertainment sake, these situations are so highly unlikely that it's hilarious.
Unless you are in the mind for some mindless entertainment, I would skip this book and opt for Weisberger's earlier works. Hopefully she'll return to her roots for future books.
Book Review: character development
Summary: 3 Stars
I didn't like the book Devil Wears Prada but did like Weisberger's second book, Everyone Worth Knowing. So I was truly on the fence as to say whether or now I am a fan of hers. After reading Chasing Harry Winston, my position has not moved!
Elements of the book are engaging - the initial concept behind a pact to change one's life; how Emmy copes with being single for the first time as an adult; watching Adrianna grow up and bond with a foul-mouthed parrot; seeing Leigh come to terms with her own desires. Yet the plot moves slowly and jerkily, some scenes taking pages and pages, while others a mere paragraph or two, weeks into the future. The timeline was hard to follow at times. The three main characters are usually shallow, unable to do real self reflection until the end of the story. There were also too many coincidences in the book, which of course the author needs to tie in the different story lines and bring it to some conclusion.
I borrowed the book and found it an acceptable way to pass the time, but I will not be overwhelmingly encouraging others to read it. The ending also seemed rather open, as if a return to these characters in the future may be down the road.
Book Review: A honest opinion
Summary: 3 Stars
I have read the reviews of this book. And the majority of the reviews are terrible- and would defintely turn me off from the book if I had not already read this book myself.
To me, Lauren W is a author that you have to warm up to. The first few pages of The Devil Wears Prada, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. But I gave it a fair shake- and wound up really enjoying it.
This is not a terrible book- in fact if you go into reading this with the right attitude, I believe that you will find that this book can be enjoyable. It is something of a "beach read" but to me, you don't even have to be at the beach to enjoy it. It's light, fluffy, and not too serious. Really just a way to take your mind off the day to day stresses. Yes- these girls in this book are kind of silly, maybe even over the top; but they do have funny moments and are real in "a reality-show" type of way.
If you're looking for a book that will make you think, or one that will impress your friends- then by all means pass this book by. But if on the off chance, you are looking for a book that will make you laugh some, and take your mind of the daily stressors- then give this book a try.