Rating: Summary: Chemical Pink - Embarrasing Review: This book was like a car wreck on the highway wreck. No matter how messy, disgusting, or annoying Ms. Arnoldi gets, you're compelled to keep reading to see if she'll stoop further. She often does. The characters seem like they were from a B-movie, one dimensional, corny dialogue, and unbelievable situations. While she may have set out to create an original novel showing people's obsessions, what she made is just a silly novel.
Rating: Summary: Twisted!! I loved it! Review: Tired of pointless books about a fairytale land? Chemical Pink is gritty and real. A true escape into someone else's world.
Rating: Summary: Interesting subject, blandly told Review: The LA Times did a great write-up on this book from the angle of the writer exposing the drug culture in professional bodybuilding. It didn't hurt that the author was an attractive bodybuilder who just happens to be married to a writer or artist in LA. Coupled with the exceptional Amazon customer reviews I eagerly looked forward to this book.Maybe my expectations were too high. I read the book quickly but as I awaited some extreme action event or revelation to heighten my excitement, I noticed I was already 3/4 of the way through the book. Ok, I mildly enjoyed getting an inside look at precisely what a bodybuilder goes through in the steroid cycles leading up to competition. And the sexual escapades and disclosures didn't bother me although they eventually become somewhat boring. Unfortunately, I never felt the tremendous emotional attachment to the characters one generally looks for to really enjoy a novel. This is a story of a bodybuilding obsessed woman who hooks up with a rich trainer who in return wants to "hook up". Repeatedly, and kinky. It's also a story of her relationship with her young daughter and that daughter's resentment to her bodybuilding. And there is also the former trainer who appears out of thin air and then disappears quickly and serves virtually no purpose in developing a cohesive story line for the book. I'm glad the other reviewers enjoyed this book and am still struggling to understand why I didn't like it more. It just missed the button which I can only attribute to poor storytelling or poor character development. Of course there is one other possibility. Maybe I'm just a poor reader.
Rating: Summary: Amazing debut novel Review: Being a sucker for "Pygmalion"- inspired tales, I found this book both entertaining and moving. I now see the women I encounter at Gold's Gym in a whole different, and somewhat more poignant light. Well done.
Rating: Summary: wow. what a read! Review: This book was recommended to me by a friend who said I should read something different. And I wasn't disappointed! Although the subject grosses me out (for lack of a better expression), I couldn't put this book down. What a great story teller Ms. Arnoldi is! If you are not familiar with the professional weight lifting world, be prepared to get a no-holds-barred look at what it really takes. If you are, well, good luck.
Rating: Summary: Compelling Review: The body building world is a strange place, and I could not put down this riveting story. Horrifying and captivating at once. I couldn't look away.
Rating: Summary: mesmerized Review: Incredibly vivid writing. Engrossing. Original. Bizarre. Couldn't put it down, even when I wanted to.I'm buying it as a gift for all my friends this year. This one will shake up a few suburban book clubs! Can't wait to read what she comes up with next.
Rating: Summary: Great Debut Review: A wonderful and sharp first novel that excites on every page. Full of horror and surprise. A great read. If Harry Crews wrote "My Fair Lady" he might have come up with something this good.
Rating: Summary: Tickled Pink Review: I really enjoyed this book. I was completely drawn into the world of body building, steroids, and wierd sexual obsession. The author clearly knows of what she writes about. I was fascinated. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel!
Rating: Summary: Erotic, intellectual and ummm.... weird. Review: I am a fitness nut and I bought this book because I thought it would speak my language. Well, it didn't speak my language with the exception of a few strange references to drugs that I have researched on the internet and exercises that I am familiar with. That being said, it was so twisted and erotic that I felt compelled to read the entire book. It seemed better after I reflected on it than it did when I initially finished reading it. It is a common story line in basic, woman meets man, woman has daughter, woman is more into man than daughter. Daughter feels rejected, grandma steps in. You get the picture. The strangeness of Charles psychosis combined with Aurora's ability to be led made for a good overall story. If you are looking at this book for instruction in bodybuilding don't. If you are looking at it as a thriller, don't. It is more of a mix of the Lifetime channel and those guys who pick up Volkswagons on ESPN during the late night hours.
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