81st out of 1,227 books
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3,012 voters
Bergdorf Blondes
by
Plum Sykes
Plum Sykes beguiling debut welcomes readers to the glamorous world of Park Avenue Princesses, the girls who careen through Manhattan in search of the perfect Fake Bake (tan acquired from Portofino Tanning Salon), a ride on a PJ (private jet) with the ATM (rich boyfriend), and the ever-elusive fiance.
With invitations to high-profile baby showers and benefits, more Marc Jac...more
With invitations to high-profile baby showers and benefits, more Marc Jac...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
May 4th 2005
by Miramax Books
(first published January 1st 2004)
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I picked this book up at the library book sale yesterday for $0.50 and I have to say I'm sorry I wasted my money. This book is about NYC's "it" girls and their shallow, shallow lives. It's supposed to be an entertaining chicklit read, but I'm finding I'm just not impressed at all. It's juvenile, it's stupid, it's going to be unfinished - I can't even bear to waste any more time reading it, it's going straight to the thrift store donation pile.
The characters don't seem to have any redeeming qual...more
The characters don't seem to have any redeeming qual...more
Jan 15, 2012
Alkyoni ~ Kingfisher of books
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
No one. Not even for the lulz.
Once I recover from this... this thing I'll give it a proper review.
REVIEW TIME!
NOTE: This might be a hate review in the end but that's fine by me, because I hated the book.
Alright, I’m going to go right ahead and surprise everyone: I’d rather read Fallen, Silence even freaking Halo than read a book like this again. This book simply takes excrements to a whole new level.
Enter the heroine, what’s-her-name. Seriously I can only think of her as Moi. Because that’s all she talked about in this no...more
REVIEW TIME!
NOTE: This might be a hate review in the end but that's fine by me, because I hated the book.
Alright, I’m going to go right ahead and surprise everyone: I’d rather read Fallen, Silence even freaking Halo than read a book like this again. This book simply takes excrements to a whole new level.
Enter the heroine, what’s-her-name. Seriously I can only think of her as Moi. Because that’s all she talked about in this no...more
(Review was originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
Bergdorf Blondes was a pleasant chick lit read that combined three of my favorite things - New York City, traveling to various exotic locations (including England) and a relatable protagonist who enjoyed shopping, beauty rituals and writing.
Though it took a while for me to actually get into the book, somewhere in between the fourth and fifth chapter, I was hooked. I think, surprisingly, what had me riveted was the way the book was written. The a...more
Bergdorf Blondes was a pleasant chick lit read that combined three of my favorite things - New York City, traveling to various exotic locations (including England) and a relatable protagonist who enjoyed shopping, beauty rituals and writing.
Though it took a while for me to actually get into the book, somewhere in between the fourth and fifth chapter, I was hooked. I think, surprisingly, what had me riveted was the way the book was written. The a...more
To follow Keerthi's review: I also read this book thinking it would be as awesome as Plum Sykes' writing in Vogue, and was cruelly disappointed. In my defense, I was in high school, and therefore much more gullible.
What purports to be a 'peek into the elite' book - think Devil Wears Prada (which is, btws, an even more hateful book that should probably be burned and banned as it is an affront to even those of sub-human intelligence. Hell, single cell organisms probably wouldn't even be taken in b...more
What purports to be a 'peek into the elite' book - think Devil Wears Prada (which is, btws, an even more hateful book that should probably be burned and banned as it is an affront to even those of sub-human intelligence. Hell, single cell organisms probably wouldn't even be taken in b...more
This book was nearly offensive in its wanton display of greed, vanity and superficiality. It's almost embarrassing to even admit I read it, but as a follower of Sykes' Vogue pieces, I felt I owed her a bit of literary loyalty. Big mistake.
This book, sadly, confirms all those horror stories you hear about "Park Avenue Princesses," and doesn't even have the decency to laugh at itself at any point. Sykes is a clever wordsmith, but the meat of this book leaves much to be desired....like actual cont...more
This book, sadly, confirms all those horror stories you hear about "Park Avenue Princesses," and doesn't even have the decency to laugh at itself at any point. Sykes is a clever wordsmith, but the meat of this book leaves much to be desired....like actual cont...more
A very funny, light-hearted, astute and loving look at our Park Avenue Princesses.
Here is the 1st paragraph so you can see what this book is like:
"Bergdorf Blondes are a thing, you know, a New York craze. Absolutely everyone wants to be one, but it's actually tres difficult. You wouldn't believe the dedication it takes to be a gorgeous, flaxen-haired, dermatologically perfect New York girl with a life that's fabulous beyond belief. Honestly, it all requires a level of commitment comparable to,...more
Here is the 1st paragraph so you can see what this book is like:
"Bergdorf Blondes are a thing, you know, a New York craze. Absolutely everyone wants to be one, but it's actually tres difficult. You wouldn't believe the dedication it takes to be a gorgeous, flaxen-haired, dermatologically perfect New York girl with a life that's fabulous beyond belief. Honestly, it all requires a level of commitment comparable to,...more
Aug 25, 2008
Brittany
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
No one
Recommended to Brittany by:
Gillian
How I Came To Own This Book: Gillian bought it due to the hype surrounding the novel.
The Plot: The unnamed character (who goes by Moi) is your typical, irritating, self-obsessed upper East Sider in NYC on the hunt for a husband and all the other trivialities that make up 'that' type of woman's life - shopping, being seen, and looking great while doing it. Basically a very very fluffy slice of life from a woman who has been there...
The Good & The Bad: This is one of my least favourite books (...more
The Plot: The unnamed character (who goes by Moi) is your typical, irritating, self-obsessed upper East Sider in NYC on the hunt for a husband and all the other trivialities that make up 'that' type of woman's life - shopping, being seen, and looking great while doing it. Basically a very very fluffy slice of life from a woman who has been there...
The Good & The Bad: This is one of my least favourite books (...more
Rather than a female narrator called, say, Plum, we have a narrator called “Moi,” which is that much more intimate. Moi is quick to point out that she is not blonde, that she has a career, as a fashion magazine writer no less, and that she happens to be a conduit for the lives of the rich and blonde around her.
The tone is curious, more Teen Vogue than proper Vogue. Still, it follows American magazine protocol in being chatty, toothlessly catty and less than fully informed. This suits the narr...more
The tone is curious, more Teen Vogue than proper Vogue. Still, it follows American magazine protocol in being chatty, toothlessly catty and less than fully informed. This suits the narr...more
I'm not sure why I even read this in the first place. I think it may have been because my sister lent it to me when I asked her if I could borrow a book on my trip to Milwaukee last summer. She specifically warned me in advance that it was really stupid, but secretly a fun read in a guilty pleasure sort of way. Most people would probably say at this point, "What were you expecting, Camus?" I don't know, I don't care, I HATED this book. It was basically like Sex and the City but 10,000 times more...more
I know this is one of those books you're not supposed to like because it's so girly and fashion here shooes there. But I absolutely loved it! While reading it one got a feeling 'Bergdorf Blondes' was a mix of Lauren Weisberger meets Candace Bushnell. I had pretty low expectations on Plum Sykes, after reading some of the more well-known fashion-chick-lit books, but this was probably the best one I've read so far. Not only did I find myself laughing out loud at quite a few times, but this novel wa...more
Not my kind of book generally, but I had heard it was good and I bought it ages ago (like in 2004 or something) and figured I ought to read it. It was a fun little fluffy book. It read a lot like I imagine Sex and the City plays on TV. It was about rich snobby girls living in NYC hooking up with different guys, travelling around the world, spending rediculous amounts of money on clothes and getting expensive clothes for free even though they can afford them. Shorter version: anorexic-thin, rich,...more
Fourth book read in my "gal about town" novels in NYC.
I'm fascinated at how people with such wealth and seemingly sophisticated lives could be, in reality, such trash. Oh sorry, when you reach a certain income level, you are "notorious" or "eccentric." The narrator, referring to herself as "moi" was as irritating as the little girl euphamisms given for such acts as "going to Brazil."
Worse yet, I saw the ending coming from a private jet across the Atlantic. Unlike "Save Karyn," where the protag...more
I'm fascinated at how people with such wealth and seemingly sophisticated lives could be, in reality, such trash. Oh sorry, when you reach a certain income level, you are "notorious" or "eccentric." The narrator, referring to herself as "moi" was as irritating as the little girl euphamisms given for such acts as "going to Brazil."
Worse yet, I saw the ending coming from a private jet across the Atlantic. Unlike "Save Karyn," where the protag...more
This book came in the mail today and I don't know why. Did I order it from half.com? Or maybe one of Amazon.com's used book sellers? Did I win it in a Bloggy Giveaway? Is it a present? I have no idea.
However, I checked it for drugs, and it came out clean. So I figured what the hell, I'll read it.
However. I'm only a couple of pages into it, and something about rich, vapid women in "good buildings" on Park Avenue seems eerily familiar.
So I'm wondering: has Chick-lit become so generic that it's a...more
However, I checked it for drugs, and it came out clean. So I figured what the hell, I'll read it.
However. I'm only a couple of pages into it, and something about rich, vapid women in "good buildings" on Park Avenue seems eerily familiar.
So I'm wondering: has Chick-lit become so generic that it's a...more
I'm not against chick lit. In fact, I indulge in them a lot of times --but this book was as stupid as stupid gets. It was predictable and not even funny in the smallest bit. The writing style is less than mediocre and it was a total waste of the 3 hours (that seemed more like an eternity) that i spent reading it.
If I didn't have the obsessive compulsive NEED to finish books I've started, I would never have finished this one. don't waste your time on this book. There are much more books out there...more
If I didn't have the obsessive compulsive NEED to finish books I've started, I would never have finished this one. don't waste your time on this book. There are much more books out there...more
I felt my IQ dropping a few points with every few pages.
This book was worse than "Bridget Jones' Diary" and on the same order as "The Devil Wears Prada". Unfortunately, the characters are much less likeable than the characters in those other books because they are shallow, shallow, shallow.
The only redeeming aspect of the book was that it gave some insight on life as a "Park Ave. Princess", of which Plum Sykes, the author, has perhaps some knowledge. She is a contributing editor at Vogue magazin...more
This book was worse than "Bridget Jones' Diary" and on the same order as "The Devil Wears Prada". Unfortunately, the characters are much less likeable than the characters in those other books because they are shallow, shallow, shallow.
The only redeeming aspect of the book was that it gave some insight on life as a "Park Ave. Princess", of which Plum Sykes, the author, has perhaps some knowledge. She is a contributing editor at Vogue magazin...more
this is like a cotton candy book.. totally something easy to read and engaging, and really funny in a social-commentary-on-the-rich kind of way. i flew through most of the book when i was keeping a bedridden noah company yesterday night, and then finished it off this morning when i took a coffee break at a starbucks near my office. i was totally in the mood for something fun and light, and this was the perfect meringue of a book for the occasion...
i often find it so much easier to sink into a b...more
i often find it so much easier to sink into a b...more
I read this book yesterday. I couldn't stop once I started. I haven't read such a funny book in a long time. Bergdorf Blondes reminded me of the first Chick-lit books I ever read, Tiffany Trott and Minty Malone and Come Together and all those other British classics, only it had the all-too-wonderful extra ingredient, New York!
I loved every page! Park Avenue princesses with ridiculous concerns, who plot how to get the best out of a sample sale at Chanel, Front Row Girls, muses, waiting lists for...more
I loved every page! Park Avenue princesses with ridiculous concerns, who plot how to get the best out of a sample sale at Chanel, Front Row Girls, muses, waiting lists for...more
When I started reading this book it infuriated me! I felt like it was the biggest piece of nonsense garbage I had ever picked up and I was teetering on moving on....then I came to the "suicide" portion of the book and suddenly the book became very funny. Don't get me wrong, I was a suicide counselor for ten years and I more than anybody understand how serious suicide is, but this book made it so completely ridiculous it made the entire book make sense. It was supposed to be ridiculous, it was su...more
Sep 03, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lovers of Light Froth
Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by:
The Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List; Gerri
This is chicklit with a Capital "C" no question. Froth of no redeeming value or character development and definitely not to be taken seriously. Chicklit is a genre I've been sampling by reading from a recommendation list and finding by and large I don't like. This one though, which happened to be on the list, was actually listed by a friend as one of three chicklit books that didn't "suck" and was "fun." (For the record, her other two picks were Carol Wolper's The Cigarette Girl and Leanne Shear...more
Ok so, Plum Sykes was one of the reasons I cancelled my subscription to American Vogue a few years ago. One of those digusting Brits who come over to the US, put on a posh accent and pretend to be royalty (hello Liz Hurley!) She once wrote a multi page article about buttons. Ab Fab calling...
So at a library book sale recently it was $5 per bag. Mine was pretty well stuffed and I was about to leave when I spotted Bergdorf Blondes and plonked it on top (so I can convince myself that I didn't actua...more
So at a library book sale recently it was $5 per bag. Mine was pretty well stuffed and I was about to leave when I spotted Bergdorf Blondes and plonked it on top (so I can convince myself that I didn't actua...more
This book is the literary equivalent of empty calories. Plum Sykes puts the life of the New York socialite on a platter and serves it with a bottle of Veuve snuggled in its very own ice jacket.
I don't really want to discuss this book's merits (or lack thereof). What I want to discuss is the Alpha-Beta peel. All the characters in the book are obssessed with it and, having a bit of an obsession with skincare myself, I was intrigued. After some minor investigation, I discovered that the Alpha-Be...more
I don't really want to discuss this book's merits (or lack thereof). What I want to discuss is the Alpha-Beta peel. All the characters in the book are obssessed with it and, having a bit of an obsession with skincare myself, I was intrigued. After some minor investigation, I discovered that the Alpha-Be...more
Bergdorf Blondes is the tale of ueber-rich young ladies in New York City trying to snag suitable mates.
This is the kind of book that I consider "a light bit of confection." Not much to it, not the most complex story line, but enjoyable enough and fulfilling as a "time waster."
I was surprised, while reading some of the reviews on Goodreads, to see how much vitriole people had towards this book. I can see where people with more reasonable lifestyles and better heads on their shoulders might find t...more
This is the kind of book that I consider "a light bit of confection." Not much to it, not the most complex story line, but enjoyable enough and fulfilling as a "time waster."
I was surprised, while reading some of the reviews on Goodreads, to see how much vitriole people had towards this book. I can see where people with more reasonable lifestyles and better heads on their shoulders might find t...more
4 stars. Okay so going into this book, I didn't have many expectations, mainly that I wanted a nice and fluffy, funny feel good story. Sometimes it's nice for things (like this book) to meet your expectations.
Before I read this book, I had looked at other reviews and people complained that it wasn't written well or didn't have much substance to it. But in my point of view, if you had those expectations for this book in the first place you really shouldn't have read it. It was meant for the happy...more
Before I read this book, I had looked at other reviews and people complained that it wasn't written well or didn't have much substance to it. But in my point of view, if you had those expectations for this book in the first place you really shouldn't have read it. It was meant for the happy...more
Ok guys this one is a throw back for me since I originally read Bergdorf Blondes way back in the summer college days, but I just found it and re-read it again this week and now I have a blog, so ya know: review yay! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Seriously, on the surface it's a light contemporary funny read. Chick lit if you will. But for those looking there's a biting commentary below the surface. It's tres Austen-esque. How can you not love that? Also did I mention there's hot men? cause that. A...more
I loved this book because it is a very whimsical piece. It was a fun, light read about a high society girl living in New York. It talks a lot about fashion and friendship (that revolves around everything material: parties, shoes, clothes, private jets, etc.)
On the contrary, I don't really think it is an appealing book to everyone. I find it sort of Sex And the City / Legally Blonde / Paris Hilton / Shopaholic type of story, which at first I did not find appealing, but as I get to read the book,...more
On the contrary, I don't really think it is an appealing book to everyone. I find it sort of Sex And the City / Legally Blonde / Paris Hilton / Shopaholic type of story, which at first I did not find appealing, but as I get to read the book,...more
Bergdorf Blondes, by Plum Sykes, is about a young adult who always wants love. She is writing her so called "bible" about her life. She is the one of the number one "it girl." Her friends are going through tough times, and they are always looking up to her and always asking her for advice.
While I was reading this book, I made a text-to-world connection. These characters remind me of a show called "The Realhouse Wifes of New York City." They are always complaining about how they have so much mone...more
While I was reading this book, I made a text-to-world connection. These characters remind me of a show called "The Realhouse Wifes of New York City." They are always complaining about how they have so much mone...more
Ah, summer. A season when any book that takes more than 1.5 days to read and has multisyllabic words is relegated to the back of the bookshelf. This summer is no exception to that rule for me, and one other interesting thing happened: I moved from NY to CA, which means that I've instantly romanticized everything about NY. So Bergdorf Blondes hit that sweet spot - impossibly light and fluffy fun, set in a seemingly idealized NYC that drips with glam and unabashed pretension. Now, Ms. Sykes' NYC r...more
This novel is written about Plum Skye and talks about the New York "it" girl.This book talks about the perfect society where girls get their hair done everyday at the famous Bergdorf mall and do not wear the same clothes twice. the main character is Moi. she is a journalist in the most elite magazine and her best friend is Julia Bergdorf the heir of the Bergdorf mall. Together they rule New York City and are invited to the best parties ever. But they both go through their fair shares of problems...more
I hate myself for loving you. I wanted to hate this shallow, self-absorbed story about Park Ave. Princesses, but couldn't. I also couldn't stop reading it and I was sad when it ended. Not because it had a sad ending, but because I wanted more. Then I recommended it to a friend (my aunt actually gave me the book because I assume she loved it). Yes, I saw the ending coming from a hundred pages away, but that's okay. It wasn't a mystery, it was...something else. The heroine didn't grow much, but ma...more
Blissfully self-interested and flush with the cheeriness of a New York socialite on a quest to snag the perfect P.H. (Potential Husband): "Have you any idea how awesome your skin looks if you are engaged?"
It's impossible not to be entertained by a woman who refers euphemistically to oral sex as "going to Rio" in memory of the first man who suggested she get a Brazilian bikini wax, considers vodka a food group and is always embroiled in a nervous breakdown one after another.
I'd say that she's be...more
It's impossible not to be entertained by a woman who refers euphemistically to oral sex as "going to Rio" in memory of the first man who suggested she get a Brazilian bikini wax, considers vodka a food group and is always embroiled in a nervous breakdown one after another.
I'd say that she's be...more
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Victoria "Plum" Sykes is a British-born fashion-writer, novelist and New York socialite. "Plum" was a childhood nickname (the Victoria plum being a variety of that fruit).
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“Uh-oh! BEWARE!!!" said Fensler. "Never, ever marry the best sex of your life. It only happens with someone who is very dangerous for you. It's passionate, exciting, but it generally indicates that you are pushing each other's dysfunctional buttons. Be very wary of men you are crazily sexually attracted to-they're the dangerous ones for you. That's what all analysis says in one form or another.”
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