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Becky
Becky Sharp is determined. Determined to get away from the dead-end town where she grew up, determined to make a place for herself in high society and determined to reach the top of the career ladder. And she doesn’t care how many lives she ruins in the process.
Set in 1990s tabloid-era London, Becky charts the rise and fall of a very modern heroine as she inveigles her way into the highest society, where tabloid millionaires mingle and trade favours and fortunes with royalty and aristocracy, pushes her way up through the ranks at the Mercury newspaper with manipulative scoop after scoop, and eventually orchestrates her own dramatic downfall. These are some of the biggest news stories and scandals of the last few decades, and Becky seems to have something to do with every one of them . . .
In this viciously funny, darkly entertaining and ultimately moving read, the much-loved classic Vanity Fair finds itself in 90s London, and Becky couldn’t be a more perfect fit. For fans of Curtis Sittenfeld’s Eligible, Becky by Sarah May is impossible to put down.
Set in 1990s tabloid-era London, Becky charts the rise and fall of a very modern heroine as she inveigles her way into the highest society, where tabloid millionaires mingle and trade favours and fortunes with royalty and aristocracy, pushes her way up through the ranks at the Mercury newspaper with manipulative scoop after scoop, and eventually orchestrates her own dramatic downfall. These are some of the biggest news stories and scandals of the last few decades, and Becky seems to have something to do with every one of them . . .
In this viciously funny, darkly entertaining and ultimately moving read, the much-loved classic Vanity Fair finds itself in 90s London, and Becky couldn’t be a more perfect fit. For fans of Curtis Sittenfeld’s Eligible, Becky by Sarah May is impossible to put down.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2023
69 people are currently reading
1730 people want to read
About the author
Sarah May
68 books35 followersSarah May was born in Northumberland, England in 1972. She studied English at London University and Creative Writing at Lancaster University.
Her acclaimed first novel, The Nudist Colony (1999), was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. A bleak, menacing fable set in a violent and corrupt England, the story centres on 14-year-old Aesop and his manipulative mentor. Her second book, Spanish City (2002), is a novel set in a pleasure resort on the north-east coast of England and chronicling the evolution of pleasure across the twentieth century, for which she was jointly awarded a 2001 Amazon.co.uk Writers' Bursary. The Internationals, set in and around a Macedonian refugee camp during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, was published in 2003. Her fourth novel was The Rise and Fall of the Queen of Suburbia (2006). Her latest book is The Rise and Fall of a Domestic Diva (2008).
Sarah May lives in London.
Her acclaimed first novel, The Nudist Colony (1999), was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. A bleak, menacing fable set in a violent and corrupt England, the story centres on 14-year-old Aesop and his manipulative mentor. Her second book, Spanish City (2002), is a novel set in a pleasure resort on the north-east coast of England and chronicling the evolution of pleasure across the twentieth century, for which she was jointly awarded a 2001 Amazon.co.uk Writers' Bursary. The Internationals, set in and around a Macedonian refugee camp during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, was published in 2003. Her fourth novel was The Rise and Fall of the Queen of Suburbia (2006). Her latest book is The Rise and Fall of a Domestic Diva (2008).
Sarah May lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
October 7, 2022
This Becky Sharp is a hungry young journalist with a flexible arrangement with the truth. She is hugely ambitious and determined to climb the ladder to the top whatever the cost. The novel charts her meteoric rise in the 1990’s and dramatic fall in the 2010’s, shining a light on her own background as well as how she obtains her news scoops. The author weaves fact and fiction in this updating of the much loved classic ‘Vanity Fair’ which takes some bravery and guts!
I cannot believe how long it took me to twig who this is based on and it’s only as the final scandal explodes it dawns on me and then my admiration for what Sarah May has achieved here shoots up several notches! I thoroughly enjoy the intrigue, scandals and shenanigans at the newspapers and the lines that are most deformed crossed in order to achieve that headline grabbing story and increase the reader circulation. The context of the period covered is done extremely well with some fascinating storylines including ‘The Princess’.
The characterisation of Becky is excellent with her ambition, goals and search for the next big thing conveyed well. She’s strong, she’s powerful but is she likeable??? Probably the answer is in the negative. There are a lot of characters in this as there are in the original with many of the same names used but this inevitably means that some are not well fleshed out. I don’t see this as a particular problem as the author is trying to give a modern flavour yet stay true to the original.
At times it’s funny, at others it’s quite dark and there are some very immersive mysteries to keep you reading on. I enjoy the constant changing mood that is created.
My only reservation lies in its length as I feel it’s overlong but it is a clever, contemporary retelling of a classic and Sarah May has certainly done that justice and so I have total respect for the result.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan, Picador for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I cannot believe how long it took me to twig who this is based on and it’s only as the final scandal explodes it dawns on me and then my admiration for what Sarah May has achieved here shoots up several notches! I thoroughly enjoy the intrigue, scandals and shenanigans at the newspapers and the lines that are most deformed crossed in order to achieve that headline grabbing story and increase the reader circulation. The context of the period covered is done extremely well with some fascinating storylines including ‘The Princess’.
The characterisation of Becky is excellent with her ambition, goals and search for the next big thing conveyed well. She’s strong, she’s powerful but is she likeable??? Probably the answer is in the negative. There are a lot of characters in this as there are in the original with many of the same names used but this inevitably means that some are not well fleshed out. I don’t see this as a particular problem as the author is trying to give a modern flavour yet stay true to the original.
At times it’s funny, at others it’s quite dark and there are some very immersive mysteries to keep you reading on. I enjoy the constant changing mood that is created.
My only reservation lies in its length as I feel it’s overlong but it is a clever, contemporary retelling of a classic and Sarah May has certainly done that justice and so I have total respect for the result.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan, Picador for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
October 12, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
⚠️ Content warnings: prostitution, overdose, drowning, pregnancy, death, car accident, terminal disease, cannibalism, fat-phobic comments, shoplifting, sex (including S&M), alcohol and drug use, profanity, blood, child pornography, vomiting, child abuse, mental health illnesses (depression, panic attacks, antidepressants, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and sleeping tablets), murder, sexual harassment, rape, derogatory language, suicide, abduction, mentions real life serial killers, cheating, gun use, bullying, abortion and miscarriage ⚠️
this story takes you through the journey that is Rebecca Sharp’s life, through the rise and the fall of it all. It follows her through her childhood, where she was raised by a single mother who had things that she was also trying to deal with within her life. Her mother worked as a cleaner for a girls boarding school, when Becky starts going with her mother every Saturday to play the piano, whilst her mother cleans. Becky’s mother begins an affair with the piano teacher, who begins to give Becky piano lessons. The book begins by going through Becky’s CV as she’s interviewing as a job to be a nanny, where she ends up being the nanny to the Crawley family. However, she had an ulterior motive behind taking this nannying job - she had her sights on the Mercury newspaper, which Pitt is a part of. Soon her wish is her command and she gets a job at the Mercury newspaper, however she soon finds out that it’s a male dominated world and she will stop at nothing to make herself stand out from the rest. Arguably, she does do this but at a cost.
Becky is a character that you will either love, hate or have admiration for - I had all three as I was reading this book. She is a very cut throat individual, who is cunning and will stop at absolutely nothing to get what she wants, with a dream to make it big within the publishing world. She has truly took herself from being invisible to being a person that everybody knows, for better or worse. However, when she gets to the top, is it all she thought it would be? Was it worth the sacrifices that she made along the way in order to get to where she is? If you’re looking for a book full of drama, this is definitely one that you will enjoy!
Although, throughout the book, the narrative would shift without any indication which made me confused at times. Furthermore, there were some characters who were featured within this book who were truly forgettable or their name would be mentioned, but you wouldn’t find out who they actually are until later, which also added to the confusion experienced through reading this book. There were times where I actually had to search the character’s name as I couldn’t remember who they were or at the time that the character was first mentioned, their relationship to Becky hadn’t been revealed yet, which left you unsure as to who they were.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillian, Picador for the opportunity to read this book!
I have posted this review to my NetGalley and Goodreads accounts. I will also post a review on my Instagram and Tiktok a week before the publication date (26th January 2023). This book will be available to purchase as a hardback for £14.99, an e-book for £7,99 or audiobook for £11.99.
⚠️ Content warnings: prostitution, overdose, drowning, pregnancy, death, car accident, terminal disease, cannibalism, fat-phobic comments, shoplifting, sex (including S&M), alcohol and drug use, profanity, blood, child pornography, vomiting, child abuse, mental health illnesses (depression, panic attacks, antidepressants, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and sleeping tablets), murder, sexual harassment, rape, derogatory language, suicide, abduction, mentions real life serial killers, cheating, gun use, bullying, abortion and miscarriage ⚠️
this story takes you through the journey that is Rebecca Sharp’s life, through the rise and the fall of it all. It follows her through her childhood, where she was raised by a single mother who had things that she was also trying to deal with within her life. Her mother worked as a cleaner for a girls boarding school, when Becky starts going with her mother every Saturday to play the piano, whilst her mother cleans. Becky’s mother begins an affair with the piano teacher, who begins to give Becky piano lessons. The book begins by going through Becky’s CV as she’s interviewing as a job to be a nanny, where she ends up being the nanny to the Crawley family. However, she had an ulterior motive behind taking this nannying job - she had her sights on the Mercury newspaper, which Pitt is a part of. Soon her wish is her command and she gets a job at the Mercury newspaper, however she soon finds out that it’s a male dominated world and she will stop at nothing to make herself stand out from the rest. Arguably, she does do this but at a cost.
Becky is a character that you will either love, hate or have admiration for - I had all three as I was reading this book. She is a very cut throat individual, who is cunning and will stop at absolutely nothing to get what she wants, with a dream to make it big within the publishing world. She has truly took herself from being invisible to being a person that everybody knows, for better or worse. However, when she gets to the top, is it all she thought it would be? Was it worth the sacrifices that she made along the way in order to get to where she is? If you’re looking for a book full of drama, this is definitely one that you will enjoy!
Although, throughout the book, the narrative would shift without any indication which made me confused at times. Furthermore, there were some characters who were featured within this book who were truly forgettable or their name would be mentioned, but you wouldn’t find out who they actually are until later, which also added to the confusion experienced through reading this book. There were times where I actually had to search the character’s name as I couldn’t remember who they were or at the time that the character was first mentioned, their relationship to Becky hadn’t been revealed yet, which left you unsure as to who they were.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillian, Picador for the opportunity to read this book!
I have posted this review to my NetGalley and Goodreads accounts. I will also post a review on my Instagram and Tiktok a week before the publication date (26th January 2023). This book will be available to purchase as a hardback for £14.99, an e-book for £7,99 or audiobook for £11.99.
January 29, 2023
I received this book from Book Break UK in exchange for an honest review.
Starting in the 1990s, Becky follows the ambitious Rebecca Sharp as she makes her way into the world, determined to make something of herself - and achieve her dream of becoming a successful journalist. Fast forward 5 years, and she is now a writer in The Mercury, and about to break a Royal scandal of epic proportions.
This book is a mix between Vanity Affair (the character names and relationships and the drive we see in Becky), and also mimics the career path of IRL journalist and news editor Rebecca Brooks, and the News of the World phone hacking scandals at the time. I thought I was making up the connections between Becky, and the IRL Rebecca until I double checked my facts and realised this was 100% a connection the author was going for, with a fairly heavy hand.
This book is mostly about ambition and striding towards it with everything you have. The relationships Becky forms in her life, from that with her husband Rawdon, her lover George and frenemy Amelia, are minor compared to her relationship with The Mercury and her love of her job. And while I wouldn't say by any means Becky is a likable protagonist, that doesn't mean I didn't like her. I actually quite admired her one track mind, and her ballsy movements within a world saturated by men. This book was also a reminder of that mad tabloid era from the 90s Princess Di moments to the early 2000s - and while I wouldn't say by any means the tabloids are better now, there was just something bigger, splashier about them then before social media and online news.
I found this book entertaining, and when I connected the story with its IRL inspiration, I actually enjoyed it more.
Starting in the 1990s, Becky follows the ambitious Rebecca Sharp as she makes her way into the world, determined to make something of herself - and achieve her dream of becoming a successful journalist. Fast forward 5 years, and she is now a writer in The Mercury, and about to break a Royal scandal of epic proportions.
This book is a mix between Vanity Affair (the character names and relationships and the drive we see in Becky), and also mimics the career path of IRL journalist and news editor Rebecca Brooks, and the News of the World phone hacking scandals at the time. I thought I was making up the connections between Becky, and the IRL Rebecca until I double checked my facts and realised this was 100% a connection the author was going for, with a fairly heavy hand.
This book is mostly about ambition and striding towards it with everything you have. The relationships Becky forms in her life, from that with her husband Rawdon, her lover George and frenemy Amelia, are minor compared to her relationship with The Mercury and her love of her job. And while I wouldn't say by any means Becky is a likable protagonist, that doesn't mean I didn't like her. I actually quite admired her one track mind, and her ballsy movements within a world saturated by men. This book was also a reminder of that mad tabloid era from the 90s Princess Di moments to the early 2000s - and while I wouldn't say by any means the tabloids are better now, there was just something bigger, splashier about them then before social media and online news.
I found this book entertaining, and when I connected the story with its IRL inspiration, I actually enjoyed it more.
January 20, 2023
DNF 52%
It's such a shame when a book with such a great premise is let down like this! I was hoping for something I couldn't put down, something almost Taylor Jenkins Reid-esque, but this is such a dull book. Not much happens before 50%, so I can't force myself to read the rest of it, because that either means everything I hoped will be crammed into the last half and the pacing will be weird, or it will continue dragging with not much going on.
I haven't read Vanity Fair, but I expect that staying faithful to the retelling has stunted this book plot-wise. There are a lot of characters I couldn't always follow, none of which are explored in much depth, and the whole thing just feels very rigid, robotic, and bland.
I found the mid-chapter flashbacks to Becky's childhood very confusing. They'd often happen right when something interesting was going on, disrupting the pace of the story. It was really hard to orientate yourself as to what time period of her life we were in.
I can't believe this book is about some of the most scandalous moments in UK tabloid history and somehow manages to be dull.
Content warnings: drug/alcohol abuse, child abuse/neglect, sexism, fatphobia/eating disorders, death of a parent - probably more after the 50% mark.
Thank you Netgalley and Picador for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
It's such a shame when a book with such a great premise is let down like this! I was hoping for something I couldn't put down, something almost Taylor Jenkins Reid-esque, but this is such a dull book. Not much happens before 50%, so I can't force myself to read the rest of it, because that either means everything I hoped will be crammed into the last half and the pacing will be weird, or it will continue dragging with not much going on.
I haven't read Vanity Fair, but I expect that staying faithful to the retelling has stunted this book plot-wise. There are a lot of characters I couldn't always follow, none of which are explored in much depth, and the whole thing just feels very rigid, robotic, and bland.
I found the mid-chapter flashbacks to Becky's childhood very confusing. They'd often happen right when something interesting was going on, disrupting the pace of the story. It was really hard to orientate yourself as to what time period of her life we were in.
I can't believe this book is about some of the most scandalous moments in UK tabloid history and somehow manages to be dull.
Content warnings: drug/alcohol abuse, child abuse/neglect, sexism, fatphobia/eating disorders, death of a parent - probably more after the 50% mark.
Thank you Netgalley and Picador for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2022
The plot of this novel is a mash up between a modern retelling of Rebecca Sharp's rise and fall in Vanity Fair and the real life story of Rebekah Brooks's rise and fall as editor of the Sun. It's cleverly done, a real page turner and the main character and narrator, Becky, is very well drawn. It will also have a massive nostalgia factor for anyone who, like me, grew up in the nineties. On the downside, it felt a little rushed in places and, aside from Becky, none of the other characters - of which there are many - is particularly fleshed out. Somewhere between three and four stars for me.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 29, 2023
Becky is a dark and intriguing read with a strong nod to Vanity Fair. I was never sure I really liked Becky - a harsh and troubled childhood shaped her completely and although I could cheer her ambition in such a male world - her willingness to climb the ladder no matter what was sometimes hard to read.
Her relationships were fascinating to try and unpick - the lack of role models early on obviously gave her a skewed view on love and friendship and I felt sorry for her in the end. A clever tale with a question of morality at its very heart.
Her relationships were fascinating to try and unpick - the lack of role models early on obviously gave her a skewed view on love and friendship and I felt sorry for her in the end. A clever tale with a question of morality at its very heart.
December 16, 2022
Another version of the classic Vanity Fair, oh why do authors keep doing This??????
Becky Sharp has always had to fight for what she wants. She is ruthless , the morals of an alley cat and definitely not likeable. The first part of this book was so slow but also too busy as there were so many characters to get to know. It did get better but was very predictable, still an entertaining read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
Becky Sharp has always had to fight for what she wants. She is ruthless , the morals of an alley cat and definitely not likeable. The first part of this book was so slow but also too busy as there were so many characters to get to know. It did get better but was very predictable, still an entertaining read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
January 30, 2023
This is the second retelling of Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray I have read but I have still yet to read the original! In this retelling, Becky is from a council estate and grew up with an unstable mum, who, as the book starts has recently died. Being a little inventive on her CV, she manages to get a job as a nanny for newspaper mogul Pitt Crawley, despite having no experience of childcare. Making friends with another nanny, Amelia Sedley, she soon finds herself hanging out with rich young people and before long gets the attention of Pitt and when she is inevitably let go of as a nanny, she gets a job working at his newspaper, doing whatever it takes to be successful, without caring who gets hurt along the way.
Set in the 1990s, the story uses true life events as its inspiration – we have a lover of “The Princess” who is willing to sell his story about their relationship. There is a young girl who goes missing and Becky integrates herself within the family with the promise that her newspaper will help find her but really she relishes the extra copies her paper will sell. There is also reference to phone hacking the missing girls phone.
Other characters from Vanity Fair who make an appearance are George Osborn who also works in journalism and is loved by Amelia and is the occasional sexual partner of Becky, and Rawdon Crawley, Pitt’s son who later becomes Becky’s husband.
Despite Becky’s duplicitous nature, I actually quite liked her. We see her ruthlessness as she claws her way to the top, not caring who gets hurts along the way and I admired her ability to rise to the top of her predominantly sexist and male dominated profession. The story looks back at her upbringing, how she was a talented pianist who wanted better things for herself but had a mum who drank heavily and had multiple partners, and who ruined Becky’s chances of getting a music scholarship at a prestigious school.
A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read, with Becky the author gives fresh life to the story of Vanity Fair and I loved it!
Set in the 1990s, the story uses true life events as its inspiration – we have a lover of “The Princess” who is willing to sell his story about their relationship. There is a young girl who goes missing and Becky integrates herself within the family with the promise that her newspaper will help find her but really she relishes the extra copies her paper will sell. There is also reference to phone hacking the missing girls phone.
Other characters from Vanity Fair who make an appearance are George Osborn who also works in journalism and is loved by Amelia and is the occasional sexual partner of Becky, and Rawdon Crawley, Pitt’s son who later becomes Becky’s husband.
Despite Becky’s duplicitous nature, I actually quite liked her. We see her ruthlessness as she claws her way to the top, not caring who gets hurts along the way and I admired her ability to rise to the top of her predominantly sexist and male dominated profession. The story looks back at her upbringing, how she was a talented pianist who wanted better things for herself but had a mum who drank heavily and had multiple partners, and who ruined Becky’s chances of getting a music scholarship at a prestigious school.
A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read, with Becky the author gives fresh life to the story of Vanity Fair and I loved it!
January 22, 2023
Having no knowledge of Vanity Fair (another classic I feel that I should have read but have never got round to) it’s hard to pass comment on the success of this modern retelling.
In ‘Becky’ our main character is journalist Becky Sharp. Determined to escape her home-town and poor childhood, Becky wants to be noticed. A quick learner, Becky is adept at getting what she wants. We follow her through her rise through the ranks, to her ultimate involvement in some murky events that bring many of her contemporaries (and her) down.
From the details we get it’s clear that Becky is a character who is ruthless in her quest to make a better life. She is used to using situations and people to her advantage. While these are unpleasant qualities, as we learn more about her life and see those around her I found myself less judgmental.
I’m unsure about the character who seems to be regarded by many as the heroine of the original, Amelia. In this she was insipid, we saw little of her to be able to really form an opinion of her and she did little to suggest she was there as anything other than to show an alternative to the behaviours exhibited by Becky. For all her faults, Becky was a much more interesting character.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this. And now I suppose I should think about reading the original!
In ‘Becky’ our main character is journalist Becky Sharp. Determined to escape her home-town and poor childhood, Becky wants to be noticed. A quick learner, Becky is adept at getting what she wants. We follow her through her rise through the ranks, to her ultimate involvement in some murky events that bring many of her contemporaries (and her) down.
From the details we get it’s clear that Becky is a character who is ruthless in her quest to make a better life. She is used to using situations and people to her advantage. While these are unpleasant qualities, as we learn more about her life and see those around her I found myself less judgmental.
I’m unsure about the character who seems to be regarded by many as the heroine of the original, Amelia. In this she was insipid, we saw little of her to be able to really form an opinion of her and she did little to suggest she was there as anything other than to show an alternative to the behaviours exhibited by Becky. For all her faults, Becky was a much more interesting character.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this. And now I suppose I should think about reading the original!
March 8, 2023
I don’t think I could rly even tell you what this was about. It was very hard to follow. 🤷♀️
March 5, 2023
Becky is like if a British Ottessa Moshfegh told the story of the News Of The World phone-hacking scandal, using Vanity Fair as a template. May touches on everything – gender inequality, colonialism, celebrity culture, corruption in politics, the wealth gap – without overegging the pudding. She offers incredible moments of blazing insight (“There are no female toilets on the executive floor,” page 149), and a rollicking story to boot – far more fun to read than the 19th century version.
My full review of Becky is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of Becky is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
February 8, 2023
This was a discovery for me u known world of jounalism. Really xould not belive how entertaing it was. I would never could guess or immagine. So thank you Pan Macmillan and netgalley for this opportunity
February 24, 2023
becky with the bland story
December 27, 2022
Becky is a contemporary re-telling of the much-loved classic Vanity Fair. I didn’t realise this was inspired by Vanity Fair going in until I read the authors foreword at the beginning of the novel. This really added something unique and I’ll confess I’ve never read the classic but did some Google searching prior to reading through this. I enjoyed this unique take on the classic story and found myself invested in Becky’s story and outcome. I loved the 90s contemporary setting and other influences and found the story engaging and easy to follow. The book was well written and the characters had depth in particular Becky. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an arc of this book.
August 16, 2023
'Becky' takes us inside our oftentimes vulgar and distasteful national media. The characters are all twats, but that's kind of the point. I haven't read Vanity Fair so can't comment on any similarity, or difference, between the two books. There's a lot of jumping about different time periods and I found it confusing at times.
July 12, 2023
Frustratingly, this one seemed to skip over all the parts of the plot I was hoping to deep dive into, and focus on the more mundane aspects of Becky’s story.
October 8, 2023
I thought this was pretty enjoyable - I enjoyed the references to past affairs, such as Princess Diana and the ethics of the press (phone hacking), and how it was made relevant to the modern day. Rebecca herself is an interesting character - I liked how we learn about her past through flashbacks.
Overall an enjoyable read.
Overall an enjoyable read.
February 13, 2024
3.75 stars
Although this is a retelling of a classic (vanity fair), i can’t comment on that as i haven’t read the original. however, i do recognise a large amount of the plot points echoing the real life of Rebekah Black, which makes this feel slightly less original. regardless this is still a well written page turner
Although this is a retelling of a classic (vanity fair), i can’t comment on that as i haven’t read the original. however, i do recognise a large amount of the plot points echoing the real life of Rebekah Black, which makes this feel slightly less original. regardless this is still a well written page turner
April 30, 2024
probably 3.5
April 9, 2023
Modern retelling of Vanity Fair which also borrows heavily from Rebekah Brooks's life. Thoroughly enjoyable page-turner, with a very vividly drawn Becky whose naked ambition is clear from the start.
February 6, 2023
Becky Sharp will do anything to escape her past. From mingling with celebrities and royalty, Becky will stop at nothing to reach the top of the newspaper ladder at The Mercury. She’s ruthless, getting all the best scoops and she is part of every scandalous story that emerges. But Becky has more in common with these people than she thinks. She has spent her life building herself up to be the top of her game. But in a moment, everything can come tumbling down…
I haven’t read Vanity Fair but all of the main characters in Becky are based on those in Thackeray’s novel. Rachel has transported them into the world of media and journalism. An interesting concept and something that had me hooked from the first chapter. Growing up in the 90s, I remember all too well the sensationalism and media obsession with Princess Diana and certain celebrities which Sarah alludes to this in her novel. The phone-tapping scandal rocked the world of the celebrities, politicians and royalty, and Sarah manages to capture perfectly in this story.
Becky as a protagonist is one tough cookie. She has gone through so much but refuses to let it define her. She’s savage when it comes to getting the biggest scoop and her dogged determination to get where she wants leaves a wake of relationships and friendships behind her. Her childhood really has a huge impact on her and I liked how Sarah jumps from the present day to the past to give the readers and insight into what made Becky what she is. At times it is a depressing story filled with some very poignant moments but Sarah successfully depicts Becky’s insatiable hunger to escape from her past and mould herself into a figure of authority in the world of media and journalism. Although she is not a likeable character for many reasons, Sarah ensures that Becky’s reasoning behind every decision she makes is there for us to see.
A gripping narrative full of lies, betrayals, secrets and devastating consequences. Becky is out now. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc.
I haven’t read Vanity Fair but all of the main characters in Becky are based on those in Thackeray’s novel. Rachel has transported them into the world of media and journalism. An interesting concept and something that had me hooked from the first chapter. Growing up in the 90s, I remember all too well the sensationalism and media obsession with Princess Diana and certain celebrities which Sarah alludes to this in her novel. The phone-tapping scandal rocked the world of the celebrities, politicians and royalty, and Sarah manages to capture perfectly in this story.
Becky as a protagonist is one tough cookie. She has gone through so much but refuses to let it define her. She’s savage when it comes to getting the biggest scoop and her dogged determination to get where she wants leaves a wake of relationships and friendships behind her. Her childhood really has a huge impact on her and I liked how Sarah jumps from the present day to the past to give the readers and insight into what made Becky what she is. At times it is a depressing story filled with some very poignant moments but Sarah successfully depicts Becky’s insatiable hunger to escape from her past and mould herself into a figure of authority in the world of media and journalism. Although she is not a likeable character for many reasons, Sarah ensures that Becky’s reasoning behind every decision she makes is there for us to see.
A gripping narrative full of lies, betrayals, secrets and devastating consequences. Becky is out now. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc.
February 6, 2023
Becky Sharp will do anything to escape her past. From mingling with celebrities and royalty, Becky will stop at nothing to reach the top of the newspaper ladder at The Mercury. She’s ruthless, getting all the best scoops and she is part of every scandalous story that emerges. But Becky has more in common with these people than she thinks. She has spent her life building herself up to be the top of her game. But in a moment, everything can come tumbling down…
I haven’t read Vanity Fair but all of the main characters in Becky are based on those in Thackeray’s novel. Rachel has transported them into the world of media and journalism. An interesting concept and something that had me hooked from the first chapter. Growing up in the 90s, I remember all too well the sensationalism and media obsession with Princess Diana and certain celebrities which Sarah alludes to this in her novel. The phone-tapping scandal rocked the world of the celebrities, politicians and royalty, and Sarah manages to capture perfectly in this story.
Becky as a protagonist is one tough cookie. She has gone through so much but refuses to let it define her. She’s savage when it comes to getting the biggest scoop and her dogged determination to get where she wants leaves a wake of relationships and friendships behind her. Her childhood really has a huge impact on her and I liked how Sarah jumps from the present day to the past to give the readers and insight into what made Becky what she is. At times it is a depressing story filled with some very poignant moments but Sarah successfully depicts Becky’s insatiable hunger to escape from her past and mould herself into a figure of authority in the world of media and journalism. Although she is not a likeable character for many reasons, Sarah ensures that Becky’s reasoning behind every decision she makes is there for us to see.
A gripping narrative full of lies, betrayals, secrets and devastating consequences. Becky is out now. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc.
I haven’t read Vanity Fair but all of the main characters in Becky are based on those in Thackeray’s novel. Rachel has transported them into the world of media and journalism. An interesting concept and something that had me hooked from the first chapter. Growing up in the 90s, I remember all too well the sensationalism and media obsession with Princess Diana and certain celebrities which Sarah alludes to this in her novel. The phone-tapping scandal rocked the world of the celebrities, politicians and royalty, and Sarah manages to capture perfectly in this story.
Becky as a protagonist is one tough cookie. She has gone through so much but refuses to let it define her. She’s savage when it comes to getting the biggest scoop and her dogged determination to get where she wants leaves a wake of relationships and friendships behind her. Her childhood really has a huge impact on her and I liked how Sarah jumps from the present day to the past to give the readers and insight into what made Becky what she is. At times it is a depressing story filled with some very poignant moments but Sarah successfully depicts Becky’s insatiable hunger to escape from her past and mould herself into a figure of authority in the world of media and journalism. Although she is not a likeable character for many reasons, Sarah ensures that Becky’s reasoning behind every decision she makes is there for us to see.
A gripping narrative full of lies, betrayals, secrets and devastating consequences. Becky is out now. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc.
November 15, 2022
Becky hasn't had an easy start in life but through sheer determination she makes a name for herself in the fast-paced, cut-throat world of '90s tabloid journalism. Climbing through the ranks, Becky brings in the biggest scoops and scandals until she is editor-in-chief of the Mercury. But can Becky stay at the top when the newspaper is accused of illegal phone hacking?
I have never read Vanity Fair by William Thackeray, the classic novel on which 'Becky' is based so I was glad to have Sarah May's introduction to explain who Rebecca Sharp is and where she has come from (in a literary sense!). Vanity Fair/Becky is a rags-to-riches and back to rags again tale about a young woman who is determined to do things her way and succeed at all costs.
The drama that Becky gets involved in keeps the story ticking along nicely. I particularly enjoyed how May weaves real events into the narrative, e.g. the absolute obsession that the media had (has?!) with Princess Diana, as that gave a strong sense of the time period that we are placed in.
The ultimate scandal echoes that of 2011's phone-hacking case against The News of the World, with Becky a representation of Rebekah Brooks (who was editor-in-chief from 2000-2003, when the offences took place). British readers will likely recall that the most horrifying revelation that emerged was that NOTW journalists hacked the voicemail of abducted and murdered teenager, Milly Dowler (Ms Brooks was acquitted in 2014). The tension in Becky taking us from the arrest through to court was tense and kept me turning the pages to see how it would turn out!
The narrative goes back and forth from present day to Becky's childhood/early teenage years with her mother, a young single-parent who is lonely and looking for love in the wrong places. This format enables May to show us how Becky learns to cope and where she gets her "self-preservation at all costs" mentality from.
On some levels this does make the reader more sympathetic towards Becky and understanding her motives for certain things she does, however ultimately, I didn't really like her as a character. I found her too cold and calculating to ever really be on her side and rooting for her - the decades long affair with a childhood friend/work colleague when she professes to love her husband completely just didn't click. Perhaps this is a deliberate decision by May to create a divisive character? I have read Gone With the Wind a couple of times and whilst Scarlett O'Hara is one of those characters you love to hate (stealing her sister's beau, trampling all over Rhett Butler's heart!), there's something about her that makes you want her to succeed - and I just don't feel the same about Becky.
There's a lot to like here and I think has a lot of potential as a TV drama, but it just doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Picador Books and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have never read Vanity Fair by William Thackeray, the classic novel on which 'Becky' is based so I was glad to have Sarah May's introduction to explain who Rebecca Sharp is and where she has come from (in a literary sense!). Vanity Fair/Becky is a rags-to-riches and back to rags again tale about a young woman who is determined to do things her way and succeed at all costs.
The drama that Becky gets involved in keeps the story ticking along nicely. I particularly enjoyed how May weaves real events into the narrative, e.g. the absolute obsession that the media had (has?!) with Princess Diana, as that gave a strong sense of the time period that we are placed in.
The ultimate scandal echoes that of 2011's phone-hacking case against The News of the World, with Becky a representation of Rebekah Brooks (who was editor-in-chief from 2000-2003, when the offences took place). British readers will likely recall that the most horrifying revelation that emerged was that NOTW journalists hacked the voicemail of abducted and murdered teenager, Milly Dowler (Ms Brooks was acquitted in 2014). The tension in Becky taking us from the arrest through to court was tense and kept me turning the pages to see how it would turn out!
The narrative goes back and forth from present day to Becky's childhood/early teenage years with her mother, a young single-parent who is lonely and looking for love in the wrong places. This format enables May to show us how Becky learns to cope and where she gets her "self-preservation at all costs" mentality from.
On some levels this does make the reader more sympathetic towards Becky and understanding her motives for certain things she does, however ultimately, I didn't really like her as a character. I found her too cold and calculating to ever really be on her side and rooting for her - the decades long affair with a childhood friend/work colleague when she professes to love her husband completely just didn't click. Perhaps this is a deliberate decision by May to create a divisive character? I have read Gone With the Wind a couple of times and whilst Scarlett O'Hara is one of those characters you love to hate (stealing her sister's beau, trampling all over Rhett Butler's heart!), there's something about her that makes you want her to succeed - and I just don't feel the same about Becky.
There's a lot to like here and I think has a lot of potential as a TV drama, but it just doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Picador Books and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2023
A modern, 1990’s, day retelling of fictional Vanity Fair, mixed with the factual tale of Rebekah Brook’s meteoric rise at The Sun newspaper and her subsequent fall from grace. It’s cleverly done with the main protagonist Becky Sharp portrayed as a scheming, self serving woman determined to get to the top, no matter who she has to walk over to get there. Despite all the name, and sometimes gender, changes it is pretty clear who the various characters are the author is talking about throughout.
Briefly, Becky arrives in London to work as nanny for a newspaper mogul’s children but her only reason for taking the job was to get him to notice her and give her a journalist job at The Mercury. This she does and 6 months later she is on her way. As she rises to the top of the tree she is heavily involved in some of the most shocking and scandalous stories of the time: a princess having an affair with a polo playing army officer, a missing girl found dead and the subsequent phone hacking scandal.
The narrative moves between the present, and the past where Becky is growing up in a dilapidated home with a mother who is reliant on Becky, this clearly affects Becky’s view on love, wealth and popularity- something she never enjoyed as a child or teen. Despite this I didn’t like her, there are no excuses for some of her deplorable actions. In the main I did enjoy the book but some of the rehash of the stories that were in the papers at the time did make for very uncomfortable reading and you should be aware. Well written and compulsive reading that I finished in one afternoon, yes I enjoyed it.
Briefly, Becky arrives in London to work as nanny for a newspaper mogul’s children but her only reason for taking the job was to get him to notice her and give her a journalist job at The Mercury. This she does and 6 months later she is on her way. As she rises to the top of the tree she is heavily involved in some of the most shocking and scandalous stories of the time: a princess having an affair with a polo playing army officer, a missing girl found dead and the subsequent phone hacking scandal.
The narrative moves between the present, and the past where Becky is growing up in a dilapidated home with a mother who is reliant on Becky, this clearly affects Becky’s view on love, wealth and popularity- something she never enjoyed as a child or teen. Despite this I didn’t like her, there are no excuses for some of her deplorable actions. In the main I did enjoy the book but some of the rehash of the stories that were in the papers at the time did make for very uncomfortable reading and you should be aware. Well written and compulsive reading that I finished in one afternoon, yes I enjoyed it.
October 21, 2022
I knew this had to be a retelling of Vanity Fair as soon as I read the name of the heroine. However, it's been years since I read it at university, and my memory of the classis was patchy at best. But Becky is not "just a retelling" (and I think we've all ready a few disappointing ones), it tackles a big task and makes it its own while staying true to the spirit of the original.
Like the original Becky Sharp, this Becky is not a likable character - nor is she supposed to be. Likeable is what society wants us girls to be - and Becky won't have none of that. She's a women who knows what she wants out of life and is prepared to do what it takes to get it. She is, dare I say it, leading a man's life?
We follow Becky's path through the cutthroat publishing world (I've worked in publishing, and let me tell you, that part is spot-on) to glory - and beyond, sketching her eventual downfall. And the book does not spare us any details. If you are sensitive about any kinds of issues, it would be best to look up a list of trigger warnings for this book. I'm not too sensitive about most things, but even I had to swallow a couple of times.
Part chick-lit, part mystery, part societal criticis, Becky, like the original, spans a wide range of topics and its pages are necessarily peopled with a host of side characters that can become a little confusing at times. I believe these things are owed to its relationship to the original, but modern reading tastes tend to run to somewhat shorter books with fewer characters. Actually I think that is what I liked best about it, however; the fact that this book dares to defy the publishing industry's expectations of what a book is supposed to be like and breaks out of the genre corset prepared for it. Much like Becky herself, it is not to be contained within the conventions of its time.
Did I like it? It's difficult to say. Becky is not my typical kind of book. But I think it took a difficult topic and ran with it very well, and is absolutely worth giving a read.
I want to thank Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.
Like the original Becky Sharp, this Becky is not a likable character - nor is she supposed to be. Likeable is what society wants us girls to be - and Becky won't have none of that. She's a women who knows what she wants out of life and is prepared to do what it takes to get it. She is, dare I say it, leading a man's life?
We follow Becky's path through the cutthroat publishing world (I've worked in publishing, and let me tell you, that part is spot-on) to glory - and beyond, sketching her eventual downfall. And the book does not spare us any details. If you are sensitive about any kinds of issues, it would be best to look up a list of trigger warnings for this book. I'm not too sensitive about most things, but even I had to swallow a couple of times.
Part chick-lit, part mystery, part societal criticis, Becky, like the original, spans a wide range of topics and its pages are necessarily peopled with a host of side characters that can become a little confusing at times. I believe these things are owed to its relationship to the original, but modern reading tastes tend to run to somewhat shorter books with fewer characters. Actually I think that is what I liked best about it, however; the fact that this book dares to defy the publishing industry's expectations of what a book is supposed to be like and breaks out of the genre corset prepared for it. Much like Becky herself, it is not to be contained within the conventions of its time.
Did I like it? It's difficult to say. Becky is not my typical kind of book. But I think it took a difficult topic and ran with it very well, and is absolutely worth giving a read.
I want to thank Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.
November 24, 2022
A modern take on Vanity Fair which only made me wish I’d had more recent memories of Thackeray’s novel. I last enjoyed that one ten years ago; possibly time for a refresh.
Becky Sharp is an ambitious young journalist, one who will draw the line at very little. Constantly searching for the next big story, and prepared to behave in abhorrent ways to get it, she is incredibly unlikeable. And yet, May allows us into her mind so although I was unable to like her, I was able to understand her to a degree.
We travel through Becky’s life, navigating her pitfalls, celebrating her success, experiencing karma unmercifully chasing her. At the end of the novel, we’re forced to ask ourselves whether it was all worth it. Do the sacrifices we make, the people we hurt, the morals we shirk, allow us a better life? Quite often it doesn’t seem so.
Most interesting of all is the way in which May weaves real life events into the narrative. We’re familiar with the morally objectionable behaviours of journalists in the 90s and 00s, and May shows us these starkly, from Princess Diana to the News of the World phone hacking scandal. Whilst neither of these events help us warm to Becky, it’s fascinating to understand them from the inside of a newspaper office.
I did feel the narrative was jarring in places, and there were a number of characters I was engaged with who weren’t given as much attention or fleshing out as I would have liked. Becky’s only focus, however, is Becky, so this light touch of other characters seemed a bit fitting.
An interesting read, and engaging dip into the world of newspapers, ambition, and the consequences of self-interest and lack of remorse. I’m looking forward to seeing what May does next.
Becky Sharp is an ambitious young journalist, one who will draw the line at very little. Constantly searching for the next big story, and prepared to behave in abhorrent ways to get it, she is incredibly unlikeable. And yet, May allows us into her mind so although I was unable to like her, I was able to understand her to a degree.
We travel through Becky’s life, navigating her pitfalls, celebrating her success, experiencing karma unmercifully chasing her. At the end of the novel, we’re forced to ask ourselves whether it was all worth it. Do the sacrifices we make, the people we hurt, the morals we shirk, allow us a better life? Quite often it doesn’t seem so.
Most interesting of all is the way in which May weaves real life events into the narrative. We’re familiar with the morally objectionable behaviours of journalists in the 90s and 00s, and May shows us these starkly, from Princess Diana to the News of the World phone hacking scandal. Whilst neither of these events help us warm to Becky, it’s fascinating to understand them from the inside of a newspaper office.
I did feel the narrative was jarring in places, and there were a number of characters I was engaged with who weren’t given as much attention or fleshing out as I would have liked. Becky’s only focus, however, is Becky, so this light touch of other characters seemed a bit fitting.
An interesting read, and engaging dip into the world of newspapers, ambition, and the consequences of self-interest and lack of remorse. I’m looking forward to seeing what May does next.
January 24, 2023
Becky by Sarah May📚
Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC.
PUBLICATION DATE: January 26, 2023
Becky was a confusing book to read, the way it was written was not cohesive and I felt it was pretty hard to read and comprehend. It took me a while to read the book, but the plot was pretty nice. It is a re-telling of the classic ‘Vanity Fair’. Though I’ve not read the original, I could get the gist of it through ‘Becky’. It is story of a woman in an unfortunate situation, rising from her ashes to be a successful, ruthless entrepreneur.
The plot was slow and haphazard. The writing was choppy and bizarre. The tone of the book was exciting and had me on the edge. The narration was interesting but could have been better. I think the book could have been better with more rigid editing and hope that happens in the finished copy as I’ve only read the ARC.
Set in the world of Journalism in 90s tabloid era in London, it wrote about a lot of scandals related to the royal family. There were a lot of illegal things happening in the background. Becky lied and clawed her way to the top and she was emotionally involved with her work always. Her family was never her top priority. But at some points of life, family has to come first, will
Becky figure that out or lose whatever she fought for?
Rating- ⭐⭐⭐
- Afreen Khalil
Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC.
PUBLICATION DATE: January 26, 2023
Becky was a confusing book to read, the way it was written was not cohesive and I felt it was pretty hard to read and comprehend. It took me a while to read the book, but the plot was pretty nice. It is a re-telling of the classic ‘Vanity Fair’. Though I’ve not read the original, I could get the gist of it through ‘Becky’. It is story of a woman in an unfortunate situation, rising from her ashes to be a successful, ruthless entrepreneur.
The plot was slow and haphazard. The writing was choppy and bizarre. The tone of the book was exciting and had me on the edge. The narration was interesting but could have been better. I think the book could have been better with more rigid editing and hope that happens in the finished copy as I’ve only read the ARC.
Set in the world of Journalism in 90s tabloid era in London, it wrote about a lot of scandals related to the royal family. There were a lot of illegal things happening in the background. Becky lied and clawed her way to the top and she was emotionally involved with her work always. Her family was never her top priority. But at some points of life, family has to come first, will
Becky figure that out or lose whatever she fought for?
Rating- ⭐⭐⭐
- Afreen Khalil
December 2, 2022
This is billed as a modern take on 'Vanity Fair', which if I'm honest, I don't think is necessary. This almost spoiled my reading as I was already aware of the plot trajectory.
Luckily, the book is so good this didn't matter. Becky is the titular character who wants to work for the Mercury Newspaper. The book is told in a dual timeline. Becky in the 90's as she pursues her machiavellian desire to reach the top, and Becky as a child and the events that have shaped her. Cleverly woven into the story is the real life tabloid hacking scandal, which added real nuance to the story. All of London media life is on display as the story progresses - the glitz and glamour and the underlying seediness. It's a dog eat dog world, and the frenetic energy of this setting creates a tense atmosphere that really enhanced my reading.
Becky herself is an amazing character; driven, determined, hard as nails and yet strangely fragile. I couldn't help but admire her as she succeeds in a mans world and share her pain as occasional glimpses are provided in to what this costs her.
It's a great book, and one that left me with a lot of thoughts that I keep coming back to, weeks after turning the last page.
I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
Luckily, the book is so good this didn't matter. Becky is the titular character who wants to work for the Mercury Newspaper. The book is told in a dual timeline. Becky in the 90's as she pursues her machiavellian desire to reach the top, and Becky as a child and the events that have shaped her. Cleverly woven into the story is the real life tabloid hacking scandal, which added real nuance to the story. All of London media life is on display as the story progresses - the glitz and glamour and the underlying seediness. It's a dog eat dog world, and the frenetic energy of this setting creates a tense atmosphere that really enhanced my reading.
Becky herself is an amazing character; driven, determined, hard as nails and yet strangely fragile. I couldn't help but admire her as she succeeds in a mans world and share her pain as occasional glimpses are provided in to what this costs her.
It's a great book, and one that left me with a lot of thoughts that I keep coming back to, weeks after turning the last page.
I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
May 22, 2023
In an author's note, May states that she drew on Thackeray's Vanity Fair for the character of Becky. May's Becky is a tabloid journalist who works her way to becoming editor, and on the way steps over (and on) many people. We learn about Becky's difficult childhood, which ultimately plays out in her adult relationships, and impacts her career. Although the Vanity Fair parallels are there, the character of Becky seemed to be drawn heavily from the real-life story of Rebekah Brooks and the News International phone hacking scandal, right down to the detail about a murdered school girl.
I found it difficult to believe that the people in Becky's life remained present (and loyal) when she was clearly only concerned for herself, and given that the story spans decades, it became tiresome.
2/5
I found it difficult to believe that the people in Becky's life remained present (and loyal) when she was clearly only concerned for herself, and given that the story spans decades, it became tiresome.
2/5
November 27, 2022
Becky is a modern retelling of Vanity Fair set in the tabloid heyday. Arguably the story leans just as heavily on the Rebekah Brooks scandal; the opening disclaimer that 'any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental' has never felt quite so ironic.
In many ways these two sources of inspiration are a match made in heaven, but it also means that as a reader, you know pretty much exactly what's going to happen from page one. Not only is Becky deliberately dislikeable, she's dislikeable in all the ways you expect, which takes some of the joy out of it. Sure, there's satisfaction in watching all the pieces of the story slot together, but for a novel all about scandal it lacks the capacity to shock.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
In many ways these two sources of inspiration are a match made in heaven, but it also means that as a reader, you know pretty much exactly what's going to happen from page one. Not only is Becky deliberately dislikeable, she's dislikeable in all the ways you expect, which takes some of the joy out of it. Sure, there's satisfaction in watching all the pieces of the story slot together, but for a novel all about scandal it lacks the capacity to shock.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
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