Rating: 
Summary: "Elegance" Is Thoughtless About Disabled People
Review: I deeply enjoyed the book "Elegance" until I began to notice the many negative references to mentally disabled people. The first chapters offered the character's poor use of make-up until she "looked like a Down's person." Then I think a character in a bar acted like a "special-needs" person. Then came retarded, tard, person living in a special-needs home, etc. Does this author need to resort to this type of metaphor for her characters? And was the editoral staff so inattentive that no one found this objectionable? After all, imagine if these references had used race as their foundation. By the end of the book I lost all enthusiasm for what had been a fun read. True elegance is using your gifts to show skill and thought, not putting down an entire class of people.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and predictable.
Review: I don't know how this got to be a best seller. The author took a wonderful premise and did almost nothing with it. Boring and predictable. Save your time and money and pass on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting book
Review: I have only read the first couple of chapters, and already I love it. The author has an easy-to-read writing style.
Rating: 
Summary: perfect :-)
Review: I highly recommend this book. It is sooo much better than most chick lit bookks I've read lately!! Very entertaining, easy to read, delightful!!
Rating:
Summary: First rate read!
Review: I rarely read fiction. But I was attracted to the this book when I saw it in the book store because of its title, "Elegance". I own an older non-fiction book by Genevieve Dariaux also called, "Elegance". So I decided to see what the book was about.To my surprise much of the book is based on the non-fiction book by Dariaux. The main character in the book finds a dusty copy of "Elegance" in the used book store. Using the books advice she slowly transforms herself from an unhappy housewife with a dull job and a packed closet but nothing to wear into a woman of style and substance. Each chapter begins with quotes from the Dariaux book (most of which are in the original book, a few have been made up by the author or changed.) And as each chapter goes along our heroine learns something that relates to the quote about style or elegance. For example, weight, men, restaurants, underwear are among the topics covered. I especially enjoyed the chapter on lingerie. As I thought of my own worn DKNY nighties, our heroine Louise is learning that "everything you own should do its job with some semblance of grace and dignity." and that we tend to dress and look better for complete strangers than our loved ones. Hmmm time for a little shopping for me!
Our heroine also learns that a sparse closet with very fine clothes that you wear and wear and always look fresh in is far better than a wardrobe jam packed with tawdry items that don't last,or look good. The book is a learning tool for the character, Louise and for the reader. And of course the book is not only a tool that teaches elegance but it plots the ups and downs of Louise's life. I love the book. Though I have read many pure fashion books, this fiction book rivals them. It had me pulling out my Dariaux book and rereading for what I missed. A super read!
Rating:
Summary: First rate read!
Review: I rarely read fiction. But I was attracted to the this book when I saw it in the book store because of its title, "Elegance". I own an older non-fiction book by Genevieve Dariaux also called, "Elegance". So I decided to see what the book was about. To my surprise much of the book is based on the non-fiction book by Dariaux. The main character in the book finds a dusty copy of "Elegance" in the used book store. Using the books advice she slowly transforms herself from an unhappy housewife with a dull job and a packed closet but nothing to wear into a woman of style and substance. Each chapter begins with quotes from the Dariaux book (most of which are in the original book, a few have been made up by the author or changed.) And as each chapter goes along our heroine learns something that relates to the quote about style or elegance. For example, weight, men, restaurants, underwear are among the topics covered. I especially enjoyed the chapter on lingerie. As I thought of my own worn DKNY nighties, our heroine Louise is learning that "everything you own should do its job with some semblance of grace and dignity." and that we tend to dress and look better for complete strangers than our loved ones. Hmmm time for a little shopping for me!
Our heroine also learns that a sparse closet with very fine clothes that you wear and wear and always look fresh in is far better than a wardrobe jam packed with tawdry items that don't last,or look good. The book is a learning tool for the character, Louise and for the reader. And of course the book is not only a tool that teaches elegance but it plots the ups and downs of Louise's life. I love the book. Though I have read many pure fashion books, this fiction book rivals them. It had me pulling out my Dariaux book and rereading for what I missed. A super read!
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: I read a lot of chick-lit and was surprised by the quality of this one! It was much better than it's peers. I'm a fashion junky so I enjoyed the "Elegance" excerpts. I know we all tend to throw fashion rules out the window anymore...BUT...there's a lot to be said for guidelines. (The average person - with no taste - needs SOME help.) I thought the exerpts added a lot of humour. Since I'm a 5+ book/week reader, any book's plot that surprises me gets an automatic 5 stars. If you are wanting something frothy, this book may surprise you with it's darkness. But, yes Virginia, there is a happy ending. If you like Jane Green, Marian Keyes, or Katie Fforde, try this book.
Rating:
Summary: Amateurish and Meandering
Review: I really wanted to like this book, but just can't give it the thumbs up. The protagonist is completely unsympathetic... an infantile drama queen whose problems are all self-inflicted. Secondary characters and situations drag on for pages with no payoff or interesting conclusion. The theme is personal growth, yet our leading lady is the same twit on the last page that she is on the first, if somewhat better dressed. Not a good sign when you find yourself doing the mental rewrite as you read it. Pass.
Rating:
Summary: Light and Fun
Review: I think many of the low ratings are based on readers taking this book too seriously. The main character did become a bit neurotic and self-absorbed, however, that's what made it so fun. This is easy reading chick-lit. I looked forward to sitting down with this fun book whenever I was able to squeeze in time. Elegance is a delightful read.
Rating:
Summary: FUN READ!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The character comes alive immediately and left me with the impression that she was someone I actually knew. It was also entertaining to travel to England for a few hours.
It's natural that readers would try to compare this story to Bridget Jones, but that's unfair and short-sighted. True, the book follows a romantic formula and the action occurs in England, but Louise, the main character is quite different than Bridget - and she's worth meeting!
Give the book a try - This first novel by Kathleen Tessaro demonstrates considerable talent. I hope she continues to write because I believe her work will even get better. - Ann Jones
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