Title: Lipstick Jungle
Author: Candace Bushnell
Author: Candace Bushnell
Year of Publication: 2005
Genre: Fiction, chick-lit
Blurb: The "Sex and the City" author's fourth novel follows three women who are among New York City's movers and shakers: a movie executive, a magazine editor, and a fashion designer.
Opening Sentence: "September is glorious in Manhattan, and this year was no exception."
[source: Goodreads.com]
As with Sex and the City, I watched the tv series version of Lipstick Jungle before being inspired to pick up the book. However, whilst I preferred the television adaptation of Sex and the City, I definitely favoured the Lipstick Jungle novel to it's predecessor. It was easier to follow and there was a lot more scope for plot and character development. There is less of an emphasis on relationships and more on career ambition and progression, although, like SaTC, ultimately it is a story of close female friendship.
This is definitely Bushnell at her best, from her evocative descriptions of New York's ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons, to her almost anthropological depictions of New Yorkers.
On a more negative note, there is the depressing, but perhaps truthful, notion that you can't maintain a steady career and happy relationship together. Nevertheless, the portrayal of three career-driven women definitely gives the female readers something to aspire to, and I finished the book feeling incredibly ambitious!
A perfect summer read.
My rating:4/5
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