PARTY GIRLS DIE IN PEARLS by Plum Sykes

I went through a period in my twenties where I loved reading fiction about wealthy New Yorkers and other celebutantes and their white collar problems. At the time, a whole slew of writers was releasing books like these including Lauren Weisberger and Emma McLaughlin and Candace Bushnell. And, of course, Plum Sykes. It has been a few years since Sykes' last novel so I was excited to see this one come out. But, instead of New York, I was surprised to find that Sykes' latest book takes place in Oxford in the 1980s. And it's a mystery!

Ursula Flowerbutton arrives at Oxford in 1985 with dreams of learning in hallowed halls and writing for the prestigious Cherwell newspaper.  Upon her arrival, she meets wealthy American Nancy Feingold who not only becomes a fast friend but also provides Ursula entreé into elite Oxford society. The fun is cut short when Ursula discovers a wealthy classmate murdered in a don's room. Determined to solve the mystery and prove herself worthy to be a journalist at Cherwell, Ursula begins her investigation and starts uncovering all sorts of sordid secrets within the walls of Oxford.

The best part of PARTY GIRLS DIE IN PEARLS were all the wonderful details that Sykes includes about Oxford life. Sykes attended Oxford and fills her book with all sorts of insider information and footnotes to explain cultural phenomena that may not be familiar to younger readers. I felt as if I were reading "Less Than Zero" in an Oxford setting. (and more humor!)  The mystery itself is fairly pedestrian. Sykes leaves enough clues that it is fairly easy to figure out where the mystery is heading. The most fun lies in the inside glimpse into life at Oxford and its students during the 1980s.  The book is a very fast and enjoyable read. Perfect for your next vacation.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. PARTY GIRLS DIE IN PEARLS is an enjoyable vacation read that is hard to put down.

YOU TOO CAN HAVE A BODY LIKE MINE by Alexandra Kleeman

(I received an advance copy from the publisher)

This novel was perplexing.  I had a hard time trying to figure out what it is about.  A woman named A lives with a female roommate named B.  A dates a man referred to as C. A's life is defined by the consumer world around her. Her time with C is spent watching either television or porn. A finds herself mesmerized by a news story about a man who became a celebrity by buying all the veal he could get his hands on. She constantly refers to animated commercials for an artificial food product called Kandy Kakes and spends her time outside of her apartment at either her boyfriend's, her job, or the nearby Wally's supermarket. A's relationship with B has a "Single White Female" quality to it. B's behavior seems bizarre and she appears to be trying to make herself look more like A. C has all the control is his relationship with A and is the only one allowed to define their interactions. One day, A looks out the window to discover her neighbors leaving their home covered in white sheets. She begins to learn about the cult they have joined and decides that this group may have the answers to her questions about identity and self.

I think there are some truly inspired moments in this book. Kleeman is so gifted at description. I could instantly visualize the Kandy Kake commercials and setting that she described in such detail. I had a very clear idea of setting and character. However, I was completely confused most of the time about everything else. I feel like Kleeman has important things to say about identity and self in our consumer culture but I had a hard time following the thread. I was confused in a way I haven't been since reading A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD.  Because of this, I just didn't enjoy the book. It was very difficult to get through and I didn't find the ending particulary satisfying or enlightening.

BOTTOM LINE: Not recommended.  Although Kleeman is clearly a gifted writer, I just couldn't follow the story. I found the whole thing very confusing.  This very well may be my fault as a reader. I would definitely read future works by Kleeman but this one was a miss for me.