What It’s About
After the death of her mom, 18-year-old Becky Randle finds a mysterious phone number among her mom’s possessions. It turns out that number belongs to world famous designer Tom Kelly, who says he can turn her into The Most Beautiful Woman in the World. Like anyone who isn’t insane, Becky thinks he is joking. That is, until the mysterious magic of Tom’s three couture dresses transforms Becky into the glamorous, thin and, oh yeah, gorgeous Rebecca Randle. There’s just one catch: she has to fall in love and get married within one year. If you’re looking for your next great read, here are a few reasons to pick up Gorgeous:
Cinderella Just Got Way Cooler
If you think that Paul Rudnik’s tale is just another Cinderella story, it’s not. While Tom Kelly might be the coolest fairy god-father I’ve ever seen, there are no wicked step-mothers or step sisters. Instead, Rudnik masterfully blends fairytale magic with the real world by creating a heroine in Becky who is both relatable and kick-ass. When Becky becomes The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, she doesn’t lose her sense of self. I.e. when her best friend Rocher (yes, it is pronounced like those chocolates) comes to help her out there isn’t any tension regarding who is more popular or pretty.
Hilarious Dialogue & Prose
Apart from a down-to-earth heroine, the dialogue and prose is well crafted. Not only do the characters all have their own way of speaking, but there are a ton of funny lines, like this one:
Or this one:
A Turbo-Speed Plot
The plot is so fast-paced it will keep you up at all hours just to find out what happens next. Although the first few chapters feature Becky grieving her mother’s death, things start to happen fast when Becky calls Tom. In a matter of pages, Becky is whisked away to feature in Vogue, star in a movie and woo a Prince all in a matter of 120 pages. With plot twists happening at the end of nearly all the chapters, there was no way that I could put it down. No, seriously, I ended up staying awake until 3 AM just to finish this book.
The Final Verdict
When I realized what this book was about, I was worried that it was going to be one of those books where a plus-sized girl becomes skinny and popular. Despite what the title might suggest, Gorgeous explores ideas surrounding inner beauty as well as family, love and heartbreak. With magic, wit and some high-flying adventures, this is a fantastic, fast-paced read.
The Novel Shrink 