Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber: The Katya Livingston Chronicles

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fatuous
Review: "Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber" by Adele Lang was about half a dozen good chuckles above the level of an outright stinker.

The book, which could have been hilarious but missed, can best be described as "The Evil Anti-Bridget Jones' Diary". Katya Livingston, like Bridget Jones, is a single thirtyish Englishwoman -- but unlike Bridget, who is sweet and earnest despite her dysfunctional qualities, Katya is conniving, vindictive, egomaniacal -- and too often, just plain nasty.

For an example of how this sort of character/story is supposed to be done, read Dorothy Parker's short story, "Diary of a New York Lady". Then read it again. Go ahead, I'll wait.

La-de-da, dum-de-dum [taps foot, buffs fingernails].

Oh, good, you're back. Now do you see how a witty, clever, insightful story about a neurotic, pea-brained, self-absorbed social climber *should* read? Note the light, subtle touch, the deft use of language, the compassion that makes the character human rather than a two-dimensional cartoon? Now flip through a few pages of "Confessions".

Even worse than you'd originally thought, isn't it?

"Confessions" suffers -- first, foremost, and always -- from an unsympathetic and unconvincingly portrayed protagonist (I can hardly call Katya the "heroine"). Despite the fact that everybody has an inner brat that's greedy for too much of everything, it was impossible to identify with Katya. I didn't like her. I didn't feel sorry for her, although it was clear that she had a pretty pathetic life despite her bluff and bravado. I didn't enjoy her escapades in a scandalous, guilty-pleasure, "I wish I could get away with that" sort of way. She's evidently supposed to be charmingly naughty a la "Absolutely Fabulous" -- she did everything but wink at the audience and smirk, "Ain't I something?" -- but I found her simultaneously obnoxious and dull.

The other huge, insurmountable problem is that, as everyone who has ever watched "Saturday Night Live" knows, a joke that was basically good to begin with, and then is run into the ground, eventually invokes the law of diminishing returns to the point where you're moaning, "Please, someone, make it stop!". The characters and events that make an entertaining 10-page story cannot, take my word for it, adequately sustain a 200-page book.

The net result is that of the same 10-page story repeated 20 times, with minor differences; and becoming increasingly more shrill, labored, and thuddingly unfunny with each successive repetition. Katya is hideously rude. Katya treats everybody like dirt. Katya abuses alcohol and/or other drugs. Katya spends a ton of money she doesn't have on yet another shopping binge of extravagant designer clothes. Katya goofs off at work. Katya makes a play for somebody completely inappropriate, demonstrating in the process that she ridiculously overestimates her attractiveness to men. Katya exploits her long-suffering doormat friends, whom she seems to actively dislike, but who nonetheless never seem to wise up to her... over and over, and on and on.

For the first fifty pages, I was -- I admit it -- often chuckling, and occasionally guffawing out loud. By page 100, I was muttering, "Okay, already -- I get the idea". By page 150, "Confessions" had become more a source of frustration than anything else. I'd pretty much given up hope that the rest of the book would be anything but still more variations on the same theme, and probably not even particularly interesting variations. Although there were still a few widely scattered snickers, I had an unpleasant suspicion that any hope of anything resembling a good wholehearted belly laugh, let alone character development or a plot, was pure wishful thinking. PS, I was right.

There are at least a dozen authors who do wicked humor better. Cynthia Heimel, S.J. Perelman, and Bill Bryson spring immediately to mind. In addition to the many humor books that succeed where this book tries and fails, there are at least another dozen "girl power" and "bad girl" books on the shelves of any bookstore in any town that succeed where this book tries and fails. "Confessions" does have a few good laughs, but unless you can pick up a thrift-store copy for a quarter (which ought to be sometime next week), it's not worth bothering with.

Rating:
Summary: Misses the mark
Review: I won't spend too much time recapping the plot, because others have done it, and really, it's a thin plot to begin with. It's just basically the story of the life of Katya. She is the ultimate narcissist, who treats everyone around her like crap. I thought the premise was amusing, as it seemed like it would be a good satire on the whole "Bridget Jones" thing. I did find the book engrossing when I started it; there is no doubt that the author has some writing skills. The pace is good, some of the jokes are funny, and the intelligence of the author (and the lead character, really - Katya's intelligence is about her only redeeming quality) do shine through. Some of the subplots - i.e. the foster child, Katya as birth coach, and a few other things, as gags. The book could be a good outlet for the reader's dark side. It just doesn't work in the end.

What's wrong with it? Katya is just someone I couldn't relate to at all. She's completely one dimensional. All the characters, in fact, are paper thin. Lang makes the mistake of thinking that satirical and stereotypical are synonymous. They aren't. In fact, the satire would've been even more pointed had the book been more well rounded. It also doesn't help that the situations in the book are just that - situations. There is really very little in the way of an ongoing story. Even the bits that worked, mentioned above, don't mesh together well enough to form a real story. The diary format also doesn't work here. What Lang is striving for - a good satire of the whole 'Bridget' genre - is more effectively accomplished in Slave to Fashion. I'd suggest you just read that instead.

Rating:
Summary: Unrelenting and Unrepenting!
Review: Maybe it was easier for me to love this book because I never read Bridget Jones, and everyone seems to compare the two.

Katya Livingston is over the top! Mean, lazy, spiteful, and mercenary. She never lets up. I laughed out loud--a lot!

The book chronicles Katya's journey from overpaid copywriter to overpaid gossip columnist to overpaid tell-all book author to unemployed homeless person, and back to overpaid TV writer and ultimately, star of a Hollywood B movie. Behind her is a path of destruction, and no one is safe: not her friends, not her family, not even small furry animals.

Realistic? Nah. Not meant to be. Though I have to admit some chastity-belt nonsense went too far, this is *meant* to be outlandish.

It does take a while to fall into the rhythm of the book, to realize that Katya won't be redeeming herself anytime soon, and the laughs will be continuous. I kept trying to think of the word that describes this kind of humor. There's sarcasm and irony in it, but neither is quite right. Dry? Droll? Absurd? I'm still not sure, but it's *not* goofy or obvious humor. Maybe I should just say it's hilarious!

The reader, Josephine Bailey, nailed this audiobook performance. Her deadpan delivery was perfect for this preposterous tale. I don't think I would've enjoyed reading this book on the page as much as I did hearing it in her wonderful English accent.

If you're ready for something different, get this audiobook, sit back, and enjoy the wicked, wild ride!

Rating:
Summary: Katya's Divine!!
Review: No, Bridgit Jones she's not. And delightfully so. (Nothing against Bridgit; loved the movie. Only skimmed the book.) Katya has none of the self loathing and depricating Bridgit does. She's the exact opposite. Katya thinks shes fabulous and often genuinly feels sorry for anyone who isn't her. Katya is a woman for women who have (at least on occassion) dabbled in their wicked, self-absorbed, un-nurturing side. Anyone who can laugh at bitchiness and self delusion. She's inconsiderate, rude, self-absorbed and hysterical. Yes she's abominable but if you've ever been able to laugh at such behavior you'll laugh at Katya Livingston. She may not appeal to those who can't see a bit of themselves in Katya. If you not only laugh at Patsy and Edina but relate to them, then you will to Katya.

As for the cover? That picture has nothing to do with the book so don't let it throw you. As for the title she's not a social climber in the American sense of the phrase. You'll laugh out loud all the way through. I only wish Ms. Lang would do a follow up and continue the character.

Rating:
Summary: great brainless fun
Review: ok i have to admit that this book would tend to cater to only women but i think guys can see just as much humor it as women would. the title and the cover are what caught my eye of this hilarious novel. it is like a totally whacked out version of the bridget jones' diary. this is the definition of a beach read or summer fun read, why, because you do not have to think about anything with this book all you have to do is sit back and laugh. i can see women reading this book and think of a person that reminds them of katya livingston, and i can also see men reading this book and it validating our belief that women are kinda crazy. either i feel that it is worth a persons time. especially since a person could read this book in two day, it goes that fast. or just read a little everyday and just pop in to see what the crazy woman is doing on any particular day. however, do not go into this novel expecting to learn anything from it, it is not that kind of novel, it is for those who want to escape for a little while into the world of a person who is completely insane and self deluded. so all i ahve to say is go off and read this book in good humor.