What do you think?
Rate this book
The Pretty One
Perfect. Pretty. Political. For nearly forty years, The Hellinger sisters of Hastings-on-Hudson-namely, Imperia (Perri), Olympia (Pia), and Augusta (Gus) -- have played the roles set down by their loving but domineering mother Carol. Perri, a mother of three, rules her four-bedroom palace in Westchester with a velvet fist, managing to fold even fitted sheets into immaculate rectangles. Pia, a gorgeous and fashionable Chelsea art gallery worker, still turns heads after becoming a single mother via sperm donation. And Gus, a fiercely independent lawyer and activist, doesn't let her break-up from her girlfriend stop her from attending New Year's Day protests on her way to family brunch.
But the Hellinger women aren't pulling off their roles the way they once did. Perri, increasingly filled with rage over the lack of appreciation from her recently unemployed husband Mike, is engaging in a steamy text flirtation with a college fling. Meanwhile Pia, desperate to find someone to share in the pain and joy of raising her three-year-old daughter Lola, can't stop fantasizing about Donor #6103. And Gus, heartbroken over the loss of her girlfriend, finds herself magnetically drawn to Jeff, Mike's frat boy of a little brother. Each woman is unable to believe that anyone, especially her sisters, could understand what it's like to be her. But when a freak accident lands their mother to the hospital, a chain of events is set in motion that will send each Hellinger sister rocketing out of her comfort zone, leaving her to was this the role she was truly born to play?
With The Pretty One , author Lucinda Rosenfeld does for siblings what she did for female friendship in I'm So Happy for You , turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the pleasures and punishments of lifelong sisterhood.
But the Hellinger women aren't pulling off their roles the way they once did. Perri, increasingly filled with rage over the lack of appreciation from her recently unemployed husband Mike, is engaging in a steamy text flirtation with a college fling. Meanwhile Pia, desperate to find someone to share in the pain and joy of raising her three-year-old daughter Lola, can't stop fantasizing about Donor #6103. And Gus, heartbroken over the loss of her girlfriend, finds herself magnetically drawn to Jeff, Mike's frat boy of a little brother. Each woman is unable to believe that anyone, especially her sisters, could understand what it's like to be her. But when a freak accident lands their mother to the hospital, a chain of events is set in motion that will send each Hellinger sister rocketing out of her comfort zone, leaving her to was this the role she was truly born to play?
With The Pretty One , author Lucinda Rosenfeld does for siblings what she did for female friendship in I'm So Happy for You , turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the pleasures and punishments of lifelong sisterhood.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2013
57 people are currently reading
2644 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Rosenfeld
7 books116 followersLucinda Rosenfeld is the author of five novels, including CLASS, a satire about parenting, public school, and the liberal bubble.
Please see: @authorlucindarosenfeld on Facebook. Purchase here: http://amzn.to/2cNULku
Please see: @authorlucindarosenfeld on Facebook. Purchase here: http://amzn.to/2cNULku
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
April 29, 2017
This was just ok, and I tried to get through it quickly to move on to a different book. I didn't expect much going in based on the rating and reviews, and I would give it a 2.5 myself.
I love the cover and the overall storyline, but all three sisters were just so annoying and selfish. I suppose Rosenfeld wrote them this way to make them more realistic, but it just ended up feeling forced. The squabbles between the sisters were eye-roll inducing, and I couldn't believe the way they reacted to certain situations and the things they said to one another.
I love the cover and the overall storyline, but all three sisters were just so annoying and selfish. I suppose Rosenfeld wrote them this way to make them more realistic, but it just ended up feeling forced. The squabbles between the sisters were eye-roll inducing, and I couldn't believe the way they reacted to certain situations and the things they said to one another.
May 8, 2013
I'm not really sure what to say about "The Pretty One". It is a fast and easy read. I finished it in one evening, but not because it was a real page-turner. I think that it held the promise to develop into something other than what it ended up being. I kept waiting for it to turn the corner and become a really great story, but it never got there.
The three sisters are just not that likable and their pettiness borders on annoying and frustrating. They don't seem capable of showing any kind of love, except perhaps to their children. They are written as shallow, jealous, self-centered women who really care about nothing beyond their own walls. The most likable sister is Gus, the political, do-gooder lesbian. Unfortunately, she is the one that has the least story. She could have been developed so much more, but alas, she was semi-ignored. I suspect it may be because the author has little idea of how to write a lesbian character with any realism. I don't think I'm giving anything away to say that it drives me crazy how lesbians are often portrayed (when they are portrayed at all) as unstable, unsure, and/or beset with the inability to find and keep a partner or any level of happiness.
I wish that the author had taken more time in developing this story and the complex sister relationship that it was supposed to be about. I could have lived with the snarky hatefulness shown by the sister's towards each other (and their well-intentioned mother) if I sensed that underneath it all, there was love and bonding. Sadly, that never came across.
The three sisters are just not that likable and their pettiness borders on annoying and frustrating. They don't seem capable of showing any kind of love, except perhaps to their children. They are written as shallow, jealous, self-centered women who really care about nothing beyond their own walls. The most likable sister is Gus, the political, do-gooder lesbian. Unfortunately, she is the one that has the least story. She could have been developed so much more, but alas, she was semi-ignored. I suspect it may be because the author has little idea of how to write a lesbian character with any realism. I don't think I'm giving anything away to say that it drives me crazy how lesbians are often portrayed (when they are portrayed at all) as unstable, unsure, and/or beset with the inability to find and keep a partner or any level of happiness.
I wish that the author had taken more time in developing this story and the complex sister relationship that it was supposed to be about. I could have lived with the snarky hatefulness shown by the sister's towards each other (and their well-intentioned mother) if I sensed that underneath it all, there was love and bonding. Sadly, that never came across.
February 7, 2013
Initially, I thought this one had everything to please me : a cute cover, an interesting tagline, a strong premise. I always like reading about family dynamics, especially about brothers and sisters' relationships. I was confident The Pretty One could easily fall somewhere between good and great.
Alas, it was not to be. And you guys know how much I hate writing negative reviews. I wish I could recommend all of the books I read, especially those received for review!
It started out okay, but quickly I was struggling with it. I did not like any of the characters; I only disliked Pia a little less. Sometimes. I couldn't relate to any of the sisters, and had no sympathy for any of them. This came in huge part from the way the three sisters related to each other : they seemed constantly envious of each other, annoyed, irritated. These were not the unlikable yet complex characters I often love, either; it lacked depth.
The book wasn't redeemed by great writing, either. It was choppy, short, and sadly I didn't connect to it. Neither the writing nor the characters made me care for the story. It didn't carry emotions. I wish I could have felt for the girls' mother, for instance, when things are revealed along the story, but I felt pretty much nothing. I did finish the book, but only because despite its faults, it was a surprisingly fast read.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I actually finished it. It was a quick read, and the story intrigued me enough to keep me reading. I really, really wanted to like it; sadly, The Pretty One wasn't the book for me.
Alas, it was not to be. And you guys know how much I hate writing negative reviews. I wish I could recommend all of the books I read, especially those received for review!
It started out okay, but quickly I was struggling with it. I did not like any of the characters; I only disliked Pia a little less. Sometimes. I couldn't relate to any of the sisters, and had no sympathy for any of them. This came in huge part from the way the three sisters related to each other : they seemed constantly envious of each other, annoyed, irritated. These were not the unlikable yet complex characters I often love, either; it lacked depth.
The book wasn't redeemed by great writing, either. It was choppy, short, and sadly I didn't connect to it. Neither the writing nor the characters made me care for the story. It didn't carry emotions. I wish I could have felt for the girls' mother, for instance, when things are revealed along the story, but I felt pretty much nothing. I did finish the book, but only because despite its faults, it was a surprisingly fast read.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I actually finished it. It was a quick read, and the story intrigued me enough to keep me reading. I really, really wanted to like it; sadly, The Pretty One wasn't the book for me.
December 10, 2012
As someone who has not had the smoothest relationship with her sister, I dove straight into this book expecting to identify with all the characters and love it. Instead a found a book that was frankly a bit of a downer. While this book was a quick and easy read, the sentence structure was short and choppy, and not terribly well composed. The writing, however, would not have bothered me if the story had held up, but you really felt like you spent 300 pages in the midst of a family squabble. The thing I think that bothered me the most about this was the focus on everything negative about all the family members, without many redeeming qualities. I do wonder if Rosenfeld was making a point about family relationships and how easily they can be spoiled by past grievances, and wants to encourage a change; or if she is just that bitter about her family relationships.
I did think that the exploration of the relationship between the three sisters, complete with history and biased perceptions, made for good content and was worth reading, but I wish she had cut it off about 50 pages sooner. It almost seemed like she ran out of ideas, so pulled in every possible cliché for family novels and I think it would have been a stronger book without these elements.
I did think that the exploration of the relationship between the three sisters, complete with history and biased perceptions, made for good content and was worth reading, but I wish she had cut it off about 50 pages sooner. It almost seemed like she ran out of ideas, so pulled in every possible cliché for family novels and I think it would have been a stronger book without these elements.
February 18, 2013
Sisters. Is there a more complicated but meaningful relationship in the world? Many authors have discussed this complex dynamic with varying levels of success — and being the oldest of two girls myself, I’m often drawn to tales of sisterhood and its many incarnations.
I went into The Pretty One hoping for an entertaining, thought-provoking examination of family — and while I got that in small bursts, those moments were few and far between. I found Rosenfeld’s novel to be a fairly depressing mash-up of stereotypes that didn’t shed any light — or delight — on her twisty, ambivalent characters.
I finished it, but mostly because I was stranded at an auto body shop. For three hours.
My major beef: I found every woman in this novel to be unlikeable, selfish or clueless. Not once did I feel warmth toward Gus, Pia or Perri — though Gus was generally the least loathsome of the trio. Perri’s pursuit of perfection became tiresome, and the points at which I think I was supposed to feel empathy — like during her emotional breakdown, say — I just shook my head. Pia seemed lost in her own world, oblivious to anyone else’s problems, and Gus’s brief dalliance with a dude was ridiculous. In each and every dynamic, something was missing.
I might have been able to cling on and push this one up to a 3-star rating (Rosenfeld’s writing is solid) if this whole weird subplot hadn’t erupted late in the novel. In an effort to not blow that out-of-nowhere revelation wide open, I won’t say much more — other than to acknowledge that while I understood the goal of forcing the sisters to reevaluate their traditional family roles, it came off as forced and completely unrealistic. At that point, the book really jumped the shark.
Oh, there were a few moments of clarity in The Pretty One . . . and I did enjoy the pursuit of discovering the identity of Lola’s father. But overall, lack of emotional connection to the Hellingers made this feel like half a book. I would have loved to explore Carol and Bob’s relationship — now that is a story — but wasn’t given that opportunity. Instead, the cheating and lying and cursing and “I’m never speaking to you again!” nonsense that typically runs rampant in homes with teenagers left me feeling cold. These were grown women, after all.
I went into The Pretty One hoping for an entertaining, thought-provoking examination of family — and while I got that in small bursts, those moments were few and far between. I found Rosenfeld’s novel to be a fairly depressing mash-up of stereotypes that didn’t shed any light — or delight — on her twisty, ambivalent characters.
I finished it, but mostly because I was stranded at an auto body shop. For three hours.
My major beef: I found every woman in this novel to be unlikeable, selfish or clueless. Not once did I feel warmth toward Gus, Pia or Perri — though Gus was generally the least loathsome of the trio. Perri’s pursuit of perfection became tiresome, and the points at which I think I was supposed to feel empathy — like during her emotional breakdown, say — I just shook my head. Pia seemed lost in her own world, oblivious to anyone else’s problems, and Gus’s brief dalliance with a dude was ridiculous. In each and every dynamic, something was missing.
I might have been able to cling on and push this one up to a 3-star rating (Rosenfeld’s writing is solid) if this whole weird subplot hadn’t erupted late in the novel. In an effort to not blow that out-of-nowhere revelation wide open, I won’t say much more — other than to acknowledge that while I understood the goal of forcing the sisters to reevaluate their traditional family roles, it came off as forced and completely unrealistic. At that point, the book really jumped the shark.
Oh, there were a few moments of clarity in The Pretty One . . . and I did enjoy the pursuit of discovering the identity of Lola’s father. But overall, lack of emotional connection to the Hellingers made this feel like half a book. I would have loved to explore Carol and Bob’s relationship — now that is a story — but wasn’t given that opportunity. Instead, the cheating and lying and cursing and “I’m never speaking to you again!” nonsense that typically runs rampant in homes with teenagers left me feeling cold. These were grown women, after all.
March 11, 2019
Poorly constructed characterization and no plot to speak of.
All three sisters lacked any character depth, rather, Rosenfeld focused solely on the negative aspects of their personalities. There was nothing redeemable, likable or even realistic about them.
For a book that is supposed to be a character study in human relationships and sibling dynamics, it failed hard.
All three sisters lacked any character depth, rather, Rosenfeld focused solely on the negative aspects of their personalities. There was nothing redeemable, likable or even realistic about them.
For a book that is supposed to be a character study in human relationships and sibling dynamics, it failed hard.
March 6, 2013
This novel took me by surprise. I was unprepared for what it was— an awkwardly comedic, and awkwardly written, story about white, professional, mid-aged, middle class sisters living in suburban New York in the year 2009. If it were in another format there would be a name for it: Romantic Comedy (movie) or Situation Comedy (TV series). In literature there is: Chick Lit and Woman’s fiction (two among many categories that inform a reader what they are about to delve into.) Maybe this could be called: Bitch Lit, for middle-aged ____ bitching. The middle sister is “The Pretty One,” the older sister the married with children perfectionist one, and the younger the confused, rebel one—a lesbian. It took me a while to realize what it was I was reading, and more to the point—what was the point? Which is part of the author’s style—to ask lots of questions without answers (which is the point. I think.) The author does this via the main characters, the three sisters, but their thoughts’ and the narrator’s are blurred, and I often didn’t know who was doing the questioning. In addition, Rosenfeld often uses parenthetical asides, seemingly at random. (Who is talking to whom? To me?) And this: If a distance continues to increase – is it getting farther or further away? (I’m asking you, reader.) Where was the editor? And/or, was this intentional—making the overall point that life is complicated?
A few words about the characters. I didn’t like any of them – the sisters, their parents, their significant others, the children. (There were no pets.) Life was complicated, but none of these characters were—they were all pretty stereotypically shallow, in a non-funny, non-attractive way … which is kind of funny, once I got used to it, but boring. All sexual references were also awkward, and truncated with ellipses, hyphens, dashes, or chapter breaks … . Again, was this intentional because sex is often like that – a big let down? And/or, because of the author’s limitations?
~ ~ ~
Humor is hard to write in, in a story, (not unlike sex) because so much of what is funny about people is the complex interaction of words, facial expressions and body movements. The non-verbal component. Which is a skill not many writers master. ( A soundtrack can help. Emoticons, too.) Humor is better depicted on the screen or stage. In my opinion. In my opinion humor is best, really best, experienced first hand, live, and spontaneously. (Like sex.)
This is Rosenfeld’s forth novel and most likely she’s peaked. Creatives tend to get less creative as they get older. It’s almost a law. Maybe she’ll settle down, and into, being a less curious and complicated wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend – now.
This book, for me, was like eating soup with a celery stick. One more thing. I came to this book by way of a writer friend’s “liking” it on Facebook. The writer is an essayist whom I hold in high regard. My question is: What are the consequences of this review. Damn. Life is complicated – which is not the same as interesting or impelling just for the living of it.
Finally, I’m not saying you won’t like this book, there’s likely a market for it. People are different and so are their “Likes.” I read and reviewed a novel, The Perfect Elizabeth: a tale of two sisters, four years ago and liked it. It was written before 9/11, before smart phones and the pointer world, so there is that; but it was different – serious. The world has changed a lot since 9/11, and no more so than in the publishing industry. Which means there are millions of more choices when trying to decide what to read. And, in my opinion, what you read matters—because what you read has an influence on what you think, and what you think matters because … . Anyways, writers, in my opinion, should take what they write very seriously, even when they’re trying to be funny. A reader deserves a writer’s best effort. Published literature is a permanent record of the time in which it was written, the person who wrote it, the editor, the publisher, and “The Market.” It matters.
A few words about the characters. I didn’t like any of them – the sisters, their parents, their significant others, the children. (There were no pets.) Life was complicated, but none of these characters were—they were all pretty stereotypically shallow, in a non-funny, non-attractive way … which is kind of funny, once I got used to it, but boring. All sexual references were also awkward, and truncated with ellipses, hyphens, dashes, or chapter breaks … . Again, was this intentional because sex is often like that – a big let down? And/or, because of the author’s limitations?
~ ~ ~
Humor is hard to write in, in a story, (not unlike sex) because so much of what is funny about people is the complex interaction of words, facial expressions and body movements. The non-verbal component. Which is a skill not many writers master. ( A soundtrack can help. Emoticons, too.) Humor is better depicted on the screen or stage. In my opinion. In my opinion humor is best, really best, experienced first hand, live, and spontaneously. (Like sex.)
This is Rosenfeld’s forth novel and most likely she’s peaked. Creatives tend to get less creative as they get older. It’s almost a law. Maybe she’ll settle down, and into, being a less curious and complicated wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend – now.
This book, for me, was like eating soup with a celery stick. One more thing. I came to this book by way of a writer friend’s “liking” it on Facebook. The writer is an essayist whom I hold in high regard. My question is: What are the consequences of this review. Damn. Life is complicated – which is not the same as interesting or impelling just for the living of it.
Finally, I’m not saying you won’t like this book, there’s likely a market for it. People are different and so are their “Likes.” I read and reviewed a novel, The Perfect Elizabeth: a tale of two sisters, four years ago and liked it. It was written before 9/11, before smart phones and the pointer world, so there is that; but it was different – serious. The world has changed a lot since 9/11, and no more so than in the publishing industry. Which means there are millions of more choices when trying to decide what to read. And, in my opinion, what you read matters—because what you read has an influence on what you think, and what you think matters because … . Anyways, writers, in my opinion, should take what they write very seriously, even when they’re trying to be funny. A reader deserves a writer’s best effort. Published literature is a permanent record of the time in which it was written, the person who wrote it, the editor, the publisher, and “The Market.” It matters.
September 2, 2020
They say "you get what you pay for", and in this case it's an all too true statement. I purchased this in a bargain bin. This book was a difficult read, not because of the vocabulary or subject matter (linear familial drama infused story), but rather because the plot is cliche, the characters are flat and one dimensional, the dialog is stale, and quite frankly the whole thing is plain white privilege/implicit bias junk.
Examples of implicit bias are as follows,
Page 170: "plump Filipino nurse whose name tag read CINDY..." this is not only the first true mention of any character's race, but also implies that a Filipino RN cannot actually be named Cindy.
Page 233: "Dolores had the habit of calling all adults by their first names, then attaching a 'Mr. or 'Mrs.'. She also had an overfondness for the present tense. Then again, she was bilingual..."
Page 287: "...despite her affection for Disney's only African American princess, Lola would only eat white food..."
Examples of implicit bias are as follows,
Page 170: "plump Filipino nurse whose name tag read CINDY..." this is not only the first true mention of any character's race, but also implies that a Filipino RN cannot actually be named Cindy.
Page 233: "Dolores had the habit of calling all adults by their first names, then attaching a 'Mr. or 'Mrs.'. She also had an overfondness for the present tense. Then again, she was bilingual..."
Page 287: "...despite her affection for Disney's only African American princess, Lola would only eat white food..."
February 28, 2018
I did not like this book.
February 4, 2013
I reviewed this book for www.luxuryreading.com
Sisters. Arguably one of the most complicated types of relationships, these siblings seem to embody the love/hate archetype. Lucinda Rosenfeld’s The Pretty One gives us just such a relationship in the Hellinger sisters: three sisters ready to undermine and outshine each other at every opportunity while also being unable to live without the others.
Now I must admit that I don’t have any sisters. However, I have always been fascinated by this relationship. Seeing friends with sisters, it appeared that there is no one they loved more and no one they loved more to hate. In The Pretty One, this relationship seems heavily skewed towards the love to hate side. All three sisters whine almost constantly about the limits they face within the personality boxes they have grown up in while also seeming to relish the security these well defined expectations give them. Each looks at the others as an interloper on their time and happiness while also lamenting how easy the others have it, making them all seem exceedingly selfish. This combined with the fact that they seem to exaggerate everything made it hard to relate to any of them.
This being said, The Pretty One does do a good job of highlighting how the expectations and stereotypes we all grow up with rarely define who we really are. It also shows how much pressure these definitions place on a person trying to live up to being “the one”. In this the Hellinger sisters are perfect examples and I am sure many sisters will be able to find parts of themselves in the characters. For me, however, The Pretty One made me secretly happy to just have a brother.
Sisters. Arguably one of the most complicated types of relationships, these siblings seem to embody the love/hate archetype. Lucinda Rosenfeld’s The Pretty One gives us just such a relationship in the Hellinger sisters: three sisters ready to undermine and outshine each other at every opportunity while also being unable to live without the others.
Now I must admit that I don’t have any sisters. However, I have always been fascinated by this relationship. Seeing friends with sisters, it appeared that there is no one they loved more and no one they loved more to hate. In The Pretty One, this relationship seems heavily skewed towards the love to hate side. All three sisters whine almost constantly about the limits they face within the personality boxes they have grown up in while also seeming to relish the security these well defined expectations give them. Each looks at the others as an interloper on their time and happiness while also lamenting how easy the others have it, making them all seem exceedingly selfish. This combined with the fact that they seem to exaggerate everything made it hard to relate to any of them.
This being said, The Pretty One does do a good job of highlighting how the expectations and stereotypes we all grow up with rarely define who we really are. It also shows how much pressure these definitions place on a person trying to live up to being “the one”. In this the Hellinger sisters are perfect examples and I am sure many sisters will be able to find parts of themselves in the characters. For me, however, The Pretty One made me secretly happy to just have a brother.
December 10, 2012
This was a quick read for me and was entertaining but there was something missing for me from the three main characters (the sisters) and I didn't feel any connection to them. The conflict felt forced and was never clearly resolved, instead the characters agreed to ignore it.
This book reminded me a lot of The Weird Sisters. It also has three sisters with academic parents with names that they feel they have to "live up to."
This book reminded me a lot of The Weird Sisters. It also has three sisters with academic parents with names that they feel they have to "live up to."
May 9, 2013
This was an ok read. Very quick. I must admit that contemporary fiction is not my favorite genre. My biggest problem is that none of the characters really grow. They are all in exactly the same place as they started. And I kept waiting for any one of the characters to become likeable and it never really happened.
August 10, 2013
This should be called A novel About Whiny Sisters. I rarely put down a book before finishing it but this was awful and I couldn't justify wasting one more minute hoping it would get better.
April 17, 2020
I wanted to like this, but there just seemed to be no point in it to me. It says "a novel about sisters", and that really is all that it's about. We get a look into the relationship between three sisters, a couple of things that go a bit tits-up, and then a nice little resolution with a bow on top at the end - not really my cup of tea!
July 30, 2024
The story was okay. The sisters were not very nice people, I didn’t like any of them. Some interesting things happened in their lives but were dealt with very unrealistically.
August 31, 2016
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
The Pretty One had too much of a contemporary, modern writing theme for my taste (not my cup of tea). I do not mind if there are a few pop culture references here or there, but when I was reading this novel, I only understood half the references (the novel is set in 2010, which is not mentioned until halfway through the book) that were made, because they were the kind of references you would understand at that moment in time, but probably not even remember a couple years later.
Also, the characters, while well-thought out in their individual personalities and stories, were a headache to differentiate. Yes, there was the Pretty One (Olympia, or Pia), the Successful One (Imperia, or Perri), and the Rebellious One (Augusta, or Gus), but after a while all three sisters just meshed into one indistinguishable character that was equal parts annoying, whiny, and unrealistic.
Of the three sisters, Gus was given the least character time. Perri and Pia were explored much more, so most of Gus's opinions and thoughts were heard through the second-hand filter of either Pia or Perri's thoughts. The mom, Carole, was just indescribable. One minute she is this amazing woman in the eyes of Perri, Pia and Gus; the next she is the root of all of the unhappiness in their lives. And finally, there was the Dad, Bob, who is described as quirky but brilliant, loving but forgetful, faithful and diligent . What a unique character, right? I am quite sure Grandpa Bob does not actually exist; he is a figment of their collective imagination. He was probably a life-sized piece of cardboard with a face drawn onto it that just kind of took up space in the house and gave them something to talk about. That is how little personality the man had. Grandpa Bob was pretty much there as a space filler and, more likely, because immaculate conception of three girls isn't possible.
What am I forgetting? Oh yes, the children, the other placeholders. The author's description of the children was alright, but I was a bit troubled by how Sadie, the middle child of Perri, is described as 'perverse' and 'disturbing' and other negative adjectives because she is obsessed with Harry Potter and burying dead toys and being a witch. Is it odd? Yes. But I would not go as far as pitying myself for having to raise a unique child like Sadie (who is only six years old, by the way), as Perri had. That bothered me a lot.
There are a lot of issues I had with this novel, but the biggest one I had was . Why would you even bring up the possibility in the plot if you are not even going to do anything with it? Major plot hole.
In all, I didn't hate the book, but I did not love it either. The Pretty One is definitely not something I would spend money on or read again for any reason.
The Pretty One had too much of a contemporary, modern writing theme for my taste (not my cup of tea). I do not mind if there are a few pop culture references here or there, but when I was reading this novel, I only understood half the references (the novel is set in 2010, which is not mentioned until halfway through the book) that were made, because they were the kind of references you would understand at that moment in time, but probably not even remember a couple years later.
Also, the characters, while well-thought out in their individual personalities and stories, were a headache to differentiate. Yes, there was the Pretty One (Olympia, or Pia), the Successful One (Imperia, or Perri), and the Rebellious One (Augusta, or Gus), but after a while all three sisters just meshed into one indistinguishable character that was equal parts annoying, whiny, and unrealistic.
Of the three sisters, Gus was given the least character time. Perri and Pia were explored much more, so most of Gus's opinions and thoughts were heard through the second-hand filter of either Pia or Perri's thoughts. The mom, Carole, was just indescribable. One minute she is this amazing woman in the eyes of Perri, Pia and Gus; the next she is the root of all of the unhappiness in their lives. And finally, there was the Dad, Bob, who is described as quirky but brilliant, loving but forgetful, faithful and diligent . What a unique character, right? I am quite sure Grandpa Bob does not actually exist; he is a figment of their collective imagination. He was probably a life-sized piece of cardboard with a face drawn onto it that just kind of took up space in the house and gave them something to talk about. That is how little personality the man had. Grandpa Bob was pretty much there as a space filler and, more likely, because immaculate conception of three girls isn't possible.
What am I forgetting? Oh yes, the children, the other placeholders. The author's description of the children was alright, but I was a bit troubled by how Sadie, the middle child of Perri, is described as 'perverse' and 'disturbing' and other negative adjectives because she is obsessed with Harry Potter and burying dead toys and being a witch. Is it odd? Yes. But I would not go as far as pitying myself for having to raise a unique child like Sadie (who is only six years old, by the way), as Perri had. That bothered me a lot.
There are a lot of issues I had with this novel, but the biggest one I had was . Why would you even bring up the possibility in the plot if you are not even going to do anything with it? Major plot hole.
In all, I didn't hate the book, but I did not love it either. The Pretty One is definitely not something I would spend money on or read again for any reason.
April 5, 2013
This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read
I love books about family relationships especially those dealing with siblings who are all different from one another. I honestly didn't feel that I got much out of this book when I finally finished it. So much seemed to happen in this story and nothing truly got resolved (at least inn my opinion).
What I really felt was that I was thrown into the story right away, and readers don't get much of a chance to get to know the characters. The way each of the sisters are described to readers in a way that makes us seem like we should already know them. I wanted more from the sisters and to understand them and their motives better. I felt like each of the characters were very one dimensional to me as a reader. Though despite that I did enjoy some parts of the story, how each of the sisters were so different from one another and their interactions with one another really showed that off.
Rosenfeld did attempt to dig into the sister rivalry in this story, I just think that there was too much happening to really get to that point. Readers see how the parents of these three sisters have helped with the rivalry always comparing the sisters and causing them to attempt to one up each other in adulthood. Rosenfeld also focuses on the relationship of the parents and the children where the middle child is often left out and seems not to have accomplished as much as the other two sisters.
The first chapter of this book was very long and drawn out and made it difficult for me to understand what was really happening. I believe that it was longer because it was supposed to help introduce readers to each of the sisters but I felt like it was slow and it made it difficult for me to get into the story. From there the story switches perspectives between the three sisters and it felt a little too broken up and uneven.
About halfway through the story many things start happening with the sisters and their lives that it just became difficult to follow along. I felt that this story just had too much going on for one book. I think it could have been better if there were different books focused on each sister, giving readers more time to understand and connect with each of the girls, and the problems would be more fleshed out. Everything happened so fast and I felt that nothing was solved by the end of this book, there was too much left open.
I love books about family relationships especially those dealing with siblings who are all different from one another. I honestly didn't feel that I got much out of this book when I finally finished it. So much seemed to happen in this story and nothing truly got resolved (at least inn my opinion).
What I really felt was that I was thrown into the story right away, and readers don't get much of a chance to get to know the characters. The way each of the sisters are described to readers in a way that makes us seem like we should already know them. I wanted more from the sisters and to understand them and their motives better. I felt like each of the characters were very one dimensional to me as a reader. Though despite that I did enjoy some parts of the story, how each of the sisters were so different from one another and their interactions with one another really showed that off.
Rosenfeld did attempt to dig into the sister rivalry in this story, I just think that there was too much happening to really get to that point. Readers see how the parents of these three sisters have helped with the rivalry always comparing the sisters and causing them to attempt to one up each other in adulthood. Rosenfeld also focuses on the relationship of the parents and the children where the middle child is often left out and seems not to have accomplished as much as the other two sisters.
The first chapter of this book was very long and drawn out and made it difficult for me to understand what was really happening. I believe that it was longer because it was supposed to help introduce readers to each of the sisters but I felt like it was slow and it made it difficult for me to get into the story. From there the story switches perspectives between the three sisters and it felt a little too broken up and uneven.
About halfway through the story many things start happening with the sisters and their lives that it just became difficult to follow along. I felt that this story just had too much going on for one book. I think it could have been better if there were different books focused on each sister, giving readers more time to understand and connect with each of the girls, and the problems would be more fleshed out. Everything happened so fast and I felt that nothing was solved by the end of this book, there was too much left open.
June 19, 2013
So, when I first started reading this, like back earlier in the year, I was having a hard time relating for a lot of reasons. The main reasons were: Age, Experiences, and most importantly Sisters. I only have a brother and I can relate absolutely nothing with him, since he's much older than me and we have different interests. But then, I joined a sorority and I got over a thousand sisters overnight, except for my three line sisters who I spent 78 days and 8 minutes with each and every day talking with and doing something. And it was through that experience that I got to see a little bit more about what it's like to have sisters.
Obviously, sorority sisters vs. real sisters is completely different, but there's a main core to it: There's fighting, there's laughing, there's crying, and in the end there's just a heck of a lot of loving, and that's something that I found as a consistent them in this novel.
All three sisters are very different and I found that Rosenfeld did an excellent job in highlighting these differences. I know how hard it can be to find a voice for every single character, because they are supposed to feel real, and real people are just so different from each other. But I think that she pulled out of really well. All their voices came through, even that of the secondary characters.
I like how each sister interacted with each other and the people around them. Yes, they had their differences and they had a lot of faults, but they also had each other and that made the novel even cooler to read as they worked it out.
This novel was funny, witty, heartfelt, and very realistic. It pulled the reader in and didn't let go!
If you are still looking for some nice summer reads, check this one out for sure!
February 20, 2013
There is always plenty of material to be had when you are writing about the complicated relationships that siblings can have. All three of the Hellinger sisters have had achievements in various forms in their lives and while they see each other frequently, they don't seem to really like each other very much. We are introduced to Pia first, whose story seems to be the most prominent for most of the book. Her trip to a New Year's brunch gives the reader a small background into her life and into her relationship with her two other sisters. Although a lot is made of their labels (the pretty one, the political one and the perfect one) and how their mother was guilty of thrusting these roles upon them, I never felt like that idea was fully developed in the writing. Each seems to be trapped in their own hellish existences as they approached middle age and faced individual crises while side-eying each other and feeling competitive.
It's not that I don't appreciate the reality of what the sisters faced in their lives. I actually thought that the author did a good job of getting into their respective heads and showing us their inner turmoil. However, it was a barrage of negativity without any way to create empathy. The sisters seemed to have no redeeming qualities and, quite frankly, I found them all to be unpleasant. I didn't care what happened to them because they were so unlikable to me. The structure of the story was a bit choppy and there was a storyline that was introduced and dropped, which seemed really odd to me. It was almost as if it was too much to keep up with all three sisters, so we didn't get a complete picture of any of them. Although I was intrigued by the idea and the synopsis, this ended up being a book that didn't speak to me.
It's not that I don't appreciate the reality of what the sisters faced in their lives. I actually thought that the author did a good job of getting into their respective heads and showing us their inner turmoil. However, it was a barrage of negativity without any way to create empathy. The sisters seemed to have no redeeming qualities and, quite frankly, I found them all to be unpleasant. I didn't care what happened to them because they were so unlikable to me. The structure of the story was a bit choppy and there was a storyline that was introduced and dropped, which seemed really odd to me. It was almost as if it was too much to keep up with all three sisters, so we didn't get a complete picture of any of them. Although I was intrigued by the idea and the synopsis, this ended up being a book that didn't speak to me.
April 3, 2019
Chick lit is really not my thing. I only gave this book a chance because Lucinda Rosenfeld’s debut novel WHAT SHE SAW... was so good. This alternating POV of three sisters, not so much. In fact, this book was just plain bad.
Major major life events happen to these three sisters and their parents, but none of them are properly dealt with the depth that they deserve. Is all chick lit like this? The characters are stereotypical and way too shallow to be at all likable. None of their conflicts come close to being properly addressed...And the last 4 chapters....UGH. What a terrible terrible ending. It came out of nowhere and only served to highlight the lack of depth of the entire story.
Rosenfeld took on more than her writing talent could handle. WHAT SHE SAW...was a clever character analysis of a deeply flawed young woman. This book barely scratched the surface into the lives of three sisters: “the perfect one”, “the pretty one”, and “the passionate one”. She did herself a disservice by telling the story through all three POVs. She should have stuck to “The Pretty One” because ironically, she was the most realistic character, although that is not saying much. Because she wasted so much time writing from the other sisters’ points of view (which did nothing to make them less stereotypical) the book was not set up properly for its conclusion. It was just bad writing and it was made worse by the clunkiest epilogue imaginable.
Also, not for nothing, but what happens in Chapter 21 is outright illegal.
Major major life events happen to these three sisters and their parents, but none of them are properly dealt with the depth that they deserve. Is all chick lit like this? The characters are stereotypical and way too shallow to be at all likable. None of their conflicts come close to being properly addressed...And the last 4 chapters....UGH. What a terrible terrible ending. It came out of nowhere and only served to highlight the lack of depth of the entire story.
Rosenfeld took on more than her writing talent could handle. WHAT SHE SAW...was a clever character analysis of a deeply flawed young woman. This book barely scratched the surface into the lives of three sisters: “the perfect one”, “the pretty one”, and “the passionate one”. She did herself a disservice by telling the story through all three POVs. She should have stuck to “The Pretty One” because ironically, she was the most realistic character, although that is not saying much. Because she wasted so much time writing from the other sisters’ points of view (which did nothing to make them less stereotypical) the book was not set up properly for its conclusion. It was just bad writing and it was made worse by the clunkiest epilogue imaginable.
Also, not for nothing, but what happens in Chapter 21 is outright illegal.
January 22, 2013
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com...
The Pretty One is a story of sisters - Perri, Pia, and Gus. Perri is the one with the successful business, a solid marriage, and accomplished kids. Olympia or Pia is the beautiful one choosing to be a single mother. Gus is the free spirit in the throes of a breakup.
However, sometimes all is not what it seems. All three have aspects of their lives they keep hidden - an old flame returning, an affair, and other things. Their relationships ebb and flow with love and resentment mixed together. Through it all and at the end of it all, they are sisters and all that entails.
I expected to relate to the characters in the book and their relationships. I did not. The characters seemed somewhat one dimensional and tailored to stereotypes. They do not really evolve or develop as the book progresses.
They also sounded self-indulgent and sometimes petty and mostly very negative. Unfortunately, that feeling seemed to permeate through the book making it not an enjoyable read.
*** Reviewed for the GoodReads Giveaway Program ***
The Pretty One is a story of sisters - Perri, Pia, and Gus. Perri is the one with the successful business, a solid marriage, and accomplished kids. Olympia or Pia is the beautiful one choosing to be a single mother. Gus is the free spirit in the throes of a breakup.
However, sometimes all is not what it seems. All three have aspects of their lives they keep hidden - an old flame returning, an affair, and other things. Their relationships ebb and flow with love and resentment mixed together. Through it all and at the end of it all, they are sisters and all that entails.
I expected to relate to the characters in the book and their relationships. I did not. The characters seemed somewhat one dimensional and tailored to stereotypes. They do not really evolve or develop as the book progresses.
They also sounded self-indulgent and sometimes petty and mostly very negative. Unfortunately, that feeling seemed to permeate through the book making it not an enjoyable read.
*** Reviewed for the GoodReads Giveaway Program ***
February 24, 2013
Three sisters, Three lives and one domineering mother. Perri is the perfect one in every sense with a family of her own and an utterly organised house. Olympia is a pretty and gorgeous one who is living her life as a single parent to her three-years old but can’t resist thinking about someone to share her dreams and fears with, cue her sperm donor. Gus is a political one who has just ended her relationship with her lesbian partner and quite strangely attracted to a dude guy. These three sisters are just way to competitive who have more negative feelings towards each other’s life and decisions than any sisterly love. They want to prove, want to succeed and want to defeat each other. Each one of them feels that the other two can’t understand her. One sudden moment bought them together and now it’s the time to think that where their relationship is heading to. It’s a quick and easy read with some hitches and glitches.
March 30, 2013
This is a contemporary tale of the lives of three grown sisters and their relationships with each other. This review may be unfair because I did not like any of the main characters in this book. That feeling will surely
color this review. Each of these women is very self-centered. I felt that I was being pushed very hard to
suspend believability as to the true nature of these sisters. The most unbelievable sister is the youngest one.
While we are supposed to believe that she is a very intelligent lawyer, very little in her actions support
that brilliant mind. The oldest sister, a high achieving perfectionist, is also suspect in her actions. The middle daughter, the so-called "pretty one", is the most honestly drawn character. The mother of these women is blamed for pushing them into the roles they play in life. There was not a lot to support this theory. The author writes well but the story was a disappointment to me.
color this review. Each of these women is very self-centered. I felt that I was being pushed very hard to
suspend believability as to the true nature of these sisters. The most unbelievable sister is the youngest one.
While we are supposed to believe that she is a very intelligent lawyer, very little in her actions support
that brilliant mind. The oldest sister, a high achieving perfectionist, is also suspect in her actions. The middle daughter, the so-called "pretty one", is the most honestly drawn character. The mother of these women is blamed for pushing them into the roles they play in life. There was not a lot to support this theory. The author writes well but the story was a disappointment to me.
March 6, 2013
I understand conflict. I understand ramping up the stakes. These are what guide modern books--tension--disaster--human turmoil. But I find it easier to take in historical or fantasy books, or frankly when the story involves one protagonist. But with three miserable, squabbling sisters whose parents are clueless and whose lives disintegrate through the book, it's unpleasant to keep reading. It's not like Lincoln, fighting the Civil War with the angst increasing every day. It's just a well-to-do American family, ungrateful for their gifts and jealous of what they don't have.
So I skipped a few chapters, but why not stop reading? Because the author's voice was compelling, and the character of Pia especially was interesting. She was a fool, yes, but she was likeable, as opposed to any character other than her brother-in-law Mike and Pia's daughter Lola. I was rooting for her. I had to read the last third to find out what happens to her.
Skimming every chapter about Perri. Ugh.
So I skipped a few chapters, but why not stop reading? Because the author's voice was compelling, and the character of Pia especially was interesting. She was a fool, yes, but she was likeable, as opposed to any character other than her brother-in-law Mike and Pia's daughter Lola. I was rooting for her. I had to read the last third to find out what happens to her.
Skimming every chapter about Perri. Ugh.
May 30, 2013
Sometimes you're in the mood for something light. Like when you're packing up a house, getting your energy back from extended traveling, and when the other book you're reading is anything but light (Paris, WWII, Jews). So I picked up this book and it was, indeed, light. I stayed with it, as there were things I liked about the premise (the impact of being labeled, family dynamics, etc.), but ultimately the characters felt too pigeonholed to be believed, and they were all pretty shrill. Plot-wise, things really fell apart by the end with several of the story lines. One in particular becomes so over-the-top as to be laughable, with everything neatly tied up and happy. The character whose voice is heard at the end, though, had a finale that seemed more plausible, which was refreshing at that point. I suppose if you, too, only have the bandwidth for something fluffy, this could do the trick, although I'd probably steer you to more cheerful waters.
July 16, 2013
Meet the Hellinger sisters of Hastings-on-Hudson:
• Imperia (Perri): the eldest and the perfect sister. A mother of three and owner of a business, Perri leads a stressful life.
• Olympia (Pia): the pretty sister. She is an artist and a single mother, and she envies all that Perri has.
• Augusta (Gus): the lesbian sister. She makes her own rules and could care less about what her sisters think of her.
As Perri faces her 40th birthday, she experiences a midlife crisis. What she doesn’t know is that her two younger sisters are grappling with crises of their own. Heck, even her father will join the Hellinger family clusterf*ck with his own crisis.
This novel really reminded me of The Weird Sisters. A lot. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
As for the title, I’m not so sure about it. This novel is about three sisters, not just the pretty one.
• Imperia (Perri): the eldest and the perfect sister. A mother of three and owner of a business, Perri leads a stressful life.
• Olympia (Pia): the pretty sister. She is an artist and a single mother, and she envies all that Perri has.
• Augusta (Gus): the lesbian sister. She makes her own rules and could care less about what her sisters think of her.
As Perri faces her 40th birthday, she experiences a midlife crisis. What she doesn’t know is that her two younger sisters are grappling with crises of their own. Heck, even her father will join the Hellinger family clusterf*ck with his own crisis.
This novel really reminded me of The Weird Sisters. A lot. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
As for the title, I’m not so sure about it. This novel is about three sisters, not just the pretty one.
March 12, 2013
http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....
The Pretty One was a pretty good book. The dynamics of the sister relationship makes this book such a fascinating read. They all have such strong personalities and all three of them are a bit trapped by the labels given them all those years ago. I think Pia was my favorite sister. I can easily say that Perri annoyed the crap out of me in great detail, but even I started to feel a little empathy towards her later in the book. I did finish the book feeling like not much had been resolved with the sisterly relationships, beyond the obligatory apologies, but I guess that is the way it goes with most families. Right?
The Pretty One was a pretty good book. The dynamics of the sister relationship makes this book such a fascinating read. They all have such strong personalities and all three of them are a bit trapped by the labels given them all those years ago. I think Pia was my favorite sister. I can easily say that Perri annoyed the crap out of me in great detail, but even I started to feel a little empathy towards her later in the book. I did finish the book feeling like not much had been resolved with the sisterly relationships, beyond the obligatory apologies, but I guess that is the way it goes with most families. Right?
April 20, 2013
i randomly grabbed this one from the new audiobooks without knowing much about it- mainly that it was about three sisters. as i am the youngest of three sisters, this appealed to me.
so much drama in the story. freak accidents, paternity surprises, extra-marital affairs, lesbians changing sides...and just when you think there can't be any more surprises...there are more surprises. it was all too much. plus the sisters' relationships with each other made me crazy. they were such jerks, always saying threatening to cut each other off.
but what kept me listening was rosenfeld's zingers. hidden the the hyper-plotted story are lines that had me barking with laughter in my car. SO funny, and the narrator did a great job. so i'm giving it an extra star for that.
so much drama in the story. freak accidents, paternity surprises, extra-marital affairs, lesbians changing sides...and just when you think there can't be any more surprises...there are more surprises. it was all too much. plus the sisters' relationships with each other made me crazy. they were such jerks, always saying threatening to cut each other off.
but what kept me listening was rosenfeld's zingers. hidden the the hyper-plotted story are lines that had me barking with laughter in my car. SO funny, and the narrator did a great job. so i'm giving it an extra star for that.
May 11, 2013
The book jacket reads, "…turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the life-long pleasures and punishments of sisterhood." The Pretty One wasn't that funny. As a matter of fact I don't recall laughing at all. I have a sister but as she is 10 years older than I we aren't at all close (which is unfortunate) so I cannot relate to the closeness or pleasures of sisterhood. (Gosh, when she graduated high school I was 8 years old!) There is, in one character, the requisite gay character - apparently it has become Der (stupid auto correct) riguere to be gay. Tiring and tedious is more like it. Family ties, someone is always dysfunctional, someone is always the pet, there is always a secret. ho hum. This one was okay.
May 14, 2013
Truly disappointed....
I had such a hard time getting into this book from the beginning.
Three sisters who have each had achievements and failures in their lives. But rather than empathize with each other or even try to understand, they seem to spend most of their time not liking each other and throwing barbs. Seriously, the dialogue is full of high school level snark and the sisters are constantly trying to one-up each other with predictable one-liners. I honestly couldn't find a character to root for as I found their behaviors and one-sidedness annoying.
I did like the author's style and voice, but found the book to have little plot and unlikeable characters. Very disappointed, especially as a first read of this author.
I had such a hard time getting into this book from the beginning.
Three sisters who have each had achievements and failures in their lives. But rather than empathize with each other or even try to understand, they seem to spend most of their time not liking each other and throwing barbs. Seriously, the dialogue is full of high school level snark and the sisters are constantly trying to one-up each other with predictable one-liners. I honestly couldn't find a character to root for as I found their behaviors and one-sidedness annoying.
I did like the author's style and voice, but found the book to have little plot and unlikeable characters. Very disappointed, especially as a first read of this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews