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So L.A.

by Bridget Hoida (Goodreads Author)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 30 ratings · 15 reviews

Magdalena de la Cruz breezed through Berkeley and built an empire selling designer water. She’d never felt awkward or unattractive… until she moved to Los Angeles. In L.A., where “everything smells like acetone and Errol Flynn,” Magdalena attempts to reinvent herself as a geographically appropriate bombshell—with rhinestones, silicone and gin—as she seeks an escape from he...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published June 20th 2012 by Lettered Press

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Sep 07, 2012 Laura Rosso marked it as to-read

I'm excited to read this book! Ms. Hoida was my creative writing teacher my freshman year of high school, and to this day one of the most memorable teachers I've ever had.

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Sep 18, 2012 Pb Rippey rated it 5 of 5 stars

She's tall (way tall), she's blonde, she's surgically enhanced, obscenely wealthy and moves in elite circles in Los Angeles. But here's the thing about Magdalena de la Cruz: she's the far, far, polar opposite of the stereotypical materialistic Beverly Hills blonde she insists on hiding behind. No matter how she tries to numb her vicious thoughts with gin or(sometimes hilarious) self-destructive choices, no matter how much of her face or her body she alters, whether she stands up straight or slou...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Andrea Guy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: women-s-fiction, tlcblogtours, quick-reads

So L.A. is a book that can probably be interpreted many ways, depending on how you want to view Magdalena. For me, I saw her as a very fractured heroine and she was probably broken long before she got to L.A.

She's not what you'd expect her to be, but then again, none of the characters are. She's part of a water empire, only she's not really working at that, her husband, Ricky is. She's busy doing nothing, or rather the nothing that are L.A. things, shopping, changing her body and face etc. On to...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Drennan Spitzer rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is difficult to categorize. At first blush, it may seem like simple, trashy "chick lit," but Bridget Hoida's work is so much more than that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that part of the brilliance of this novel, aside from the sharp prose, is ways in which it defies the usual genre and sub-genres with which the publishing world seems to work.

First, let me say that I am fascinated by media that represents Southern Californian culture, from 40s film noir to Pyncheon's The Cryin...more This novel is difficult to categorize. At first blush, it may seem like simple, trashy "chick lit," but Bridget Hoida's work is so much more than that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that part of the brilliance of this novel, aside from the sharp prose, is ways in which it defies the usual genre and sub-genres with which the publishing world seems to work.

First, let me say that I am fascinated by media that represents Southern Californian culture, from 40s film noir to Pyncheon's The Crying of Lot 40 to The Real Housewives of Orange County. There's something about not just Los Angeles itself but the reimagining of Los Angeles that gets me. This may be because I consider myself both a SoCal and a Central California expatriate. And yes, SoCal is its own culture, so different from that of Northern and Central California. I can tell you this for certain as someone who grew up in Bakersfield, a mere 100 miles north of Los Angeles: even the ways we talk about the freeways are different in Los Angeles and in Bakersfield. And it's these subtle and not-so-subtle distinctions that Hoida explores in her novel.

I guess that this is the thing I want to say about So L.A.: I want to like Magdalena for oh-so many reasons. And I do feel some sympathy for her as a character. Certainly, there are some aspects of her character, some of her experiences I can identify with (not least of all is simply her [San Joaquin] Valley Girl background). But in the end, I may be fascinated by Magdalena, may see bits of myself in her, may even feel some sympathy for her, but I don't like her. In fact, I want to shake her, want to say, "Get a grip!" And maybe she does get a grip by the end of the novel, or maybe not. Either way, I think that part of the point is that Magdalena de la Cruz, the statuesque, blue-eyed, blonde, with the Hispanic surname is an embodiment of the paradox that is Los Angeles. She's more than just metaphor, certainly, but she's also a metaphor for the city, for Angelino culture, for the history of California. All of it comes together in this character who exasperates me but who I so want so save. I find myself all too often saying that I love Southern California but that I hope I never have to live there again, and maybe that's akin to how I feel about Magdalena.

I think the other significant thing about Bridget's novel is that Magdalena is not just the protagonist but is also the narrator. As my students could tell you if they paid any attention at all, I'm fascinated by questions about narrators, particularly the reliability of narrators. Clearly, Magdalena is not at all reliable as a narrator. This is made clear to us even in the opening section, titled "The Story Problem," when the passage of time is so obviously skewed. Magdalena herself has no clear sense of how much time has passed as she bobs in the ocean. In fact, her attempt at constructing a narrative as she experiences hypothermia reminds me of Victor Frankenstein, an infamously unreliable narrator, as he too is pulled aboard a boat and makes the always perilous, dangerous attempt at reducing personal experience to simple narrative. Magdalena admits her tendency towards hyperbole, towards melodrama, and we see her repeatedly manipulating others, particularly those she claims to love the most. Given all this, we, as readers, are faced with the particularly challenging task of sorting out which threads of her narrative to chose to believe, which to discard, and which to take with the many grains of salt that rim our margaritas. And I suppose that this too, both the spinning of story and the unspinning of story, is also part of L.A. but also part of the experience of being human.

At the heart of Magdalena's story is her attempt to cope with the death of her brother. In some ways, this novel unfolds a bit like a mystery. We read to find out what really happened to Junah, her brother, and what Magdalena's part in his death truly is, for she clearly carries much guilt for his too-soon death. While Magdalena's character is, to some degree both metaphor and satire of Los Angeles, the writing of Junah and his tragedy allows Magdalena to be more than just these things. She has more depth than I might have expected because she is somehow redeemed by her devotion to her brother. And yet, I question even this, to some degree, although it breaks my heart a little to admit it. Because Magdalena is so manipulative and nasty, even towards those she cares about, because she seems to be existing right on the edge of sanity as she narrates this novel, because we question her in-touch-with-reality-ness, we also question her memories and perceptions, even her remembered relationship with Junah. In some ways, this is the real tragedy of Magdalena's story.

This is Hoida's first novel, and if this is any indicator, we can expect much brilliance to come.
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Aug 12, 2012 Florinda rated it 3 of 5 stars

The construction of Bridget Hoida’s debut novel, So L.A., consciously mimics that of the art form for which the city is best known: the movies. The book’s five sections are “takes,” the chapter titles would be appropriate to a screenplay, the physical descriptions are vivid and detailed, and the acknowledgements pages are (cleverly, I thought) presented in the style of film credits. And like some movies, the tone veers abruptly from comic to dramatic, and from down-to-earth to “what planet is th...more The construction of Bridget Hoida’s debut novel, So L.A., consciously mimics that of the art form for which the city is best known: the movies. The book’s five sections are “takes,” the chapter titles would be appropriate to a screenplay, the physical descriptions are vivid and detailed, and the acknowledgements pages are (cleverly, I thought) presented in the style of film credits. And like some movies, the tone veers abruptly from comic to dramatic, and from down-to-earth to “what planet is this?”--it’s frustrating at times, and you wonder what it might have been if it had just settled down. But it’s compulsively watchable (or in this case, readable), and there’s enough good stuff in it that you’ll be interested to see what this writer/director does next.

Los Angeles is a city whose biggest industry is built on make-believe (and yes, that includes “reality” TV) and whose related mythology is based on self-reinvention, and Hoida’s Magdalena de la Cruz seems to be embracing it. She inhabits the glittery, status-conscious, idle-rich world that both promotes and feeds that myth--the “L.A.” that many people who know this city only from its entertainment products may think is the real thing, but that relatively few of its residents ever approach. Unlike many, Magdalena didn’t come here to act; she and her husband Ricky struck it rich in bottled water, and they moved from their home in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley to cultivate this prime market. But there’s no question that during most of the time they’ve lived in Southern California, Magdalena has been acting out--transforming herself physically and behaviorally--driven by deep emotional conflicts perpetuated by the sudden death of her beloved brother two years earlier.

The sources of Magdalena’s conflicts are gradually revealed; they’re also responsible for the novel’s frequent tonal shifts, which I confess aggravated me at times. At one point I decided Magdalena just might be an unreliable narrator--I’m not completely sure Hoida intended her to be (although there are some self-aware passages suggesting that she did), but I enjoyed the novel more once I stopped fully trusting what the

Bridget Hoida shows talent and promise as a novelist, but So L.A. is a bit of a misfit. It seems to want to be a lightweight, breezy beach read, but it’s got a bit too much darkness and complexity underneath for that. I found it a sometimes frustrating, deeply moving in spots, occasionally nonsensical, and consistently interesting...come to think of it, it really might be pretty L.A. itself.(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Zach rated it 5 of 5 stars

So L.A. exists in the thin space between exploring the culture of Los Angeles and exposing it, maybe passing off small judgments but never offering outright condemnation, at most snickering behind the fake-tanned back of the city’s inhabitants. Because it’s not about what L.A. is to her proudest citizens, but what it is to an outsider using its artifices to hide from herself. It’s the story of grief, glitzed and glamorized.

The narrator is in the middle of grieving for and not really recovering f...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction

This book talks about all of the stuff that I hate about L.A. I've only been once and it definitely was not my favorite place. I'm definitely an East Coast girl, who would be driven crazy by being in LA-LA-Land. I wouldn't last that long. This book is definitely about the darker side of L.A. Hoida's L.A. is not glamorous. It's actually sort of dark, especially for the main character.

The main character is great. Magdalena is fascinating. She comes to L.A. with her husband, Ricky, as an idealistic...more This book talks about all of the stuff that I hate about L.A. I've only been once and it definitely was not my favorite place. I'm definitely an East Coast girl, who would be driven crazy by being in LA-LA-Land. I wouldn't last that long. This book is definitely about the darker side of L.A. Hoida's L.A. is not glamorous. It's actually sort of dark, especially for the main character.

The main character is great. Magdalena is fascinating. She comes to L.A. with her husband, Ricky, as an idealistic young woman. The couple owns a designer bottle water company that starts out with very good intentions and turns into something completely different, much like the owners themselves. Magdalena throws herself into becoming the ideal L.A. lady (read: blonde, blingy, and large...uh... assets) after her brother dies in her accident. She's lost. This is definitely a case where the character in the book is not very likeable (I wanted to shake Magdalena so many times and tell her to wake-up) but you feel for them so much that you care about them. I really wanted Magdalena to change and for things to work out for her. She's just spiraling out of control throughout most of the book. I know that it's hard to see if you are the one that is spiraling out of control but I wish someone would have stepped in. Magdalena is surrounded by people who are totally oblivious though and really doesn't have anyone "real" in her life. There's no one to be her sounding board. There's no one who gives her a sense of reason. There's no best friend or lover to take her aside and get her help. It made me even sadder for her.

I also really liked the writing. Hoida has a very interesting way of writing. It's both sharp and lyrical at the same time. It's sort of hard to describe. I loved the way that the chapters were broken up. In a way, they almost feel like Magdalena is actually having a conversation with you, going back ever so often to tell you a back story or a little bit more information so you can really get what's being said. Magdalena's character is also very snarky and sarcastic and that definitely shines through in the writing.

Bottom line: This is a gritty picture of a woman fumbling towards trying to find her place in the world. (less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

At first glance So L.A. might draw you in with its gorgeous cover. It might entice you with its chick-lit feel. However I can promise you that what is in these pages is so much more than that. A mixture of dry satirical humor, and a no-holds-barred look at the culture that is L.A., this is a story that is hard to define. What I can say, is that it is brilliant.

I think it's fitting that I read this book while sitting in a 60 story sky rise in Downtown L.A. Overlooking the hub of the busiest parts...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Ti rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-sent-to-me

The Short of It:

Never thought a book about the shallowness of Los Angeles could surprise me, but it did.

The Rest of It:

Magdalena wasn’t always a Botox-injected, Juicy Couture wearing gal. No, life before her designer water empire took off involved a vineyard in Northern California, a brother whom she absolutely adored and a simpler life; complete with a “tell it like it is” mother. But when her brother Junah dies tragically, she is completely and utterly destroyed. The only way to get through it...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Sky *A Booknatic* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, drama

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(edited feb 22 2013)

I want to start off by mentioning how much I love this cover. By far, the prettiest on my shelf.

It's a racy, realistic, heart wrenching story about a girl from a quiet California town who made it big with her husband in Hollywood's favorite bottled water industry. Though, with the loss of her brother, the five stages of mourning drives her into foolishness. She realizes she's tried so hard to be like everyone...more Facebook.com/TheBooknatics
http://thebooknatic.wordpress.com/201...
(edited feb 22 2013)

I want to start off by mentioning how much I love this cover. By far, the prettiest on my shelf.

It's a racy, realistic, heart wrenching story about a girl from a quiet California town who made it big with her husband in Hollywood's favorite bottled water industry. Though, with the loss of her brother, the five stages of mourning drives her into foolishness. She realizes she's tried so hard to be like everyone else in L.A.-plastic and fake with no morals- and begins to feel as if she's undeserving of all her success and great new life. She begins to over-think things, causing her to act out in absurd ways.

This is a first point of view into a womans life who yearns to see the light of who she used to be once again, and shed the superficial-mask she's been hiding behind for so long.

Through insanity, infidelity, and other events, Magdalena finally breaks free of the obstacles of life, getting a grip on her life and finding happiness in the small things. The ending, ohhh the ending. I won't dare spoil it, but she definitely reclaimed herself. A true, realistic. bitter sweet happily ever after-of it's own magical way, that is - If you ask me, with all the chaos that stirred in this book, the ending is how any story like this should resolve in real life.

I really enjoyed the main character, for all her flaws, for her honest opinions, for everything she wanted to be, so many layers to this character. Hoida hits life lessons on the spot. I really did enjoy this book, the author did a fantastic job with a refreshing and creative approach of telling a story. There were times I was laughing, times I teared up, and times I really just wanted to reach through the pages and slap the main character around and yell " DON'T! STOP! You're so much better than that!" Hoida really held on to my attention, got me so wrapped up that I found myself needing to re-adjust to my surroundings a few times and gather myself! I hope to see more work from this talented beauty in the near future! Thank you for such a mesmerizing story!
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Aug 29, 2012 Charlene rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, review-request

A very contemporary novel with a witty, jaded and volatile narrator in Magdalena who must cope with her feeling of guilt over the death of her brother Junah, and her growing estrangement with her husband Ricky. Magdalena wins you over with her fast-paced narrative voice, even as you shake your head over her self-destructive behavior. Magdalena participates in the unique pageantry of the Angeleno elite (cosmetic surgery, disposable cars, alcohol on tap at all times) and yet her commentary can be...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Robyne rated it 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put it down. I was so involved in the story, I would carry it with me everywhere in the event of a few minutes to delve back in to Magdalena's life. Sad to see it end...

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Feb 25, 2013 Nicki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

Dumb

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Aug 12, 2012 Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kritter-reviewed-2012

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

What a book, definitely a different take on life on Los Angeles and maybe not the prettiest look at it. The reader is taken on a loopy journey through life in LA with Magdalena as the tour guide. Magdalena is trying to cope with the loss of her sibling, a marriage that is falling apart and a loss of interest in her job.

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Sep 21, 2012 Lily Salter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Snappy prose, eccentric characters, and well, So L.A. Take this book to the beach and dive in!

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May 11, 2013 Joan Lamont rated it 3 of 5 stars

Apr 26, 2013 Krystle ~A Booknatic~ marked it as to-read

Mar 19, 2013 Emilee marked it as to-read

Apr 02, 2013 Ron Burch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jan 26, 2013 Jessica Piazza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nov 08, 2012 Jamiebernardo is currently reading it

Nov 05, 2012 Lorri A rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oct 21, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 18, 2013 Betsy is currently reading it

Oct 06, 2012 Jennifer Case marked it as to-read

Sep 27, 2012 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sep 23, 2012 Lynne Spreen marked it as to-read

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About Bridget Hoida

Bridget Hoida lives and writes in an imaginary subdivision off the coast of Southern California.

In a past life she was a librarian, a DJ, a high school teacher and a barista. In this life she experiments with poetry and fiction and has taught writing at UC Irvine, the University of Southern California and Saddleback College.

Bridget is the recipient of an Anna Bing Arnold Fellowship and the Edward...more

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