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Lace #2
Lace 2
Sequel to Lace, this book is an international novel about four glamorous women and lifelong friends and how their opulent, fantastic lives are inextricably linked.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
34 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Shirley Conran
50 books113 followersShirley Conran is the ex-wife of British designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer Sir Terence Conran. She is the mother of designers Sebastian Conran and Jasper Conran. A bestselling author in her own right whose most memorable books include Lace and Superwoman.
She was educated at the University of Portsmouth. In addition to novel writing, she wrote regularly for The Observer newspaper's women's page and was the first women's editor of The Observer Colour Magazine and women's editor of The Daily Mail newspaper where she launched the weekly women's magazine 'Femail'. She also has great experience as a designer in textiles and as a colour consultant - she had her own paint range. She handled the publicity for the Women in Media Campaign devoted to sex discrimination legislation. She was on the selection committee of the Council of Industrial Design for eight years. She also has been a columnist for Vanity Fair (magazine).
Shirley Conran is well known for having said: "First things first, second things never".
She was successfully treated for skin cancer several years ago.
She has homes in France and London.
She was educated at the University of Portsmouth. In addition to novel writing, she wrote regularly for The Observer newspaper's women's page and was the first women's editor of The Observer Colour Magazine and women's editor of The Daily Mail newspaper where she launched the weekly women's magazine 'Femail'. She also has great experience as a designer in textiles and as a colour consultant - she had her own paint range. She handled the publicity for the Women in Media Campaign devoted to sex discrimination legislation. She was on the selection committee of the Council of Industrial Design for eight years. She also has been a columnist for Vanity Fair (magazine).
Shirley Conran is well known for having said: "First things first, second things never".
She was successfully treated for skin cancer several years ago.
She has homes in France and London.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 9, 2014
The first Lace was a good old fashioned trashy novel. The sequel lacked cohesion, sadly, and doesn't match up. The story begins with uber-celebrity Lili kidnapped for a hefty ransom, to be paid by her mysterious father. Well, we know in Lace who that is, and you'd think the lengthy flashback would provide more insight into it. Instead we're treated to a lengthy, boring recap of Lily and Judy's relationship until that point - plus there are parts with two of Judy's friends added for balance. The fourth friend, Kate, is all but written out.
There's a side plot about two men Judy flinged with, not mentioned in the first book, that seemed tacked on here. By the end, there are so many things unresolved. I have to wonder if Conran planned a third book to tie those loose ends. Reading the second book, it's like she wrote this as an afterthought because the first one did so well.
If you loved Lace, you might not like this one.
There's a side plot about two men Judy flinged with, not mentioned in the first book, that seemed tacked on here. By the end, there are so many things unresolved. I have to wonder if Conran planned a third book to tie those loose ends. Reading the second book, it's like she wrote this as an afterthought because the first one did so well.
If you loved Lace, you might not like this one.
November 22, 2010
loved it just as much as the first... full of all kinds of sinful things!
June 23, 2011
Like the first book, I'd seen (and enjoyed) the miniseries years before reading it (although the first series is a classic of sumptuous camp and the second saw a new actress playing Judy, Lili mysteriously losing that atrocious accent, and a overly contrived storyline - is one really to believe that these rich and powerful women and all their friends are unable to come up with one million in ransom money?), and I had a somewhat difficult time blocking out the events of the first teleplay and remembering the MAJOR differences between it and the novel.
I recall reading Lace after having fallen in love with the saga of Lili's powerplay against Judy, Maxine, and Pagan (the television version of Judy is more of an amalgamation of both Kate and Judy in the book, Verve! magazine is replaced by Lace magazine, and Lili is far more ruthless and conniving in her quest than the sympathetic Lili of the novel) that stands on its own as one of the greatest television events of all time. The problem is that the writers of the miniseries made so many significant changes to the story that the two stories that a reader may find it difficult to separate what happened in the novel from what happened in the television version. One could say that it would be better to read the books before watching the television versions, but I think that would prevent some fans from falling in love with the cult classics. Instead, one may want to read both books back-to-back to get the entirety of the story down and watch both television versions back-to-back for the same reason.
Even in the twenty-first century, one can infer that the novels were considered major examples of progressive, salacious entertainment filled with powerful female characters that the world had never really known previously. At the heart of the stories is the depiction of a true, lifelong friendship exemplified by the everlasting bonds between a headstrong British tomboy (Pagan, the most creative, memorable, politically minded, and identifiable [my favorite character of the books] of the five main characters), a self-conscious and kind-hearted French girl (Maxine doesn't start off as a beauty in the books), a talented American journalist (Kate, who is more often mentioned by her friends in conversation than actually interacting in the major events of the story), a self-made bitch from West Virginia who needlessly holds onto more secrets than any of the other women (Judy Jordan - not Judy Hale from Hayes, Kansas as in the miniseries), and Lili, an international media sensation whose characterization would likely be unbelievable in today's society.
Shirley Conran wrote about women - the way women think, the ideas they have, and the differences between the sexes - in a way that women had really never really been detailed before. Her subjects ranged from topical and realistic (the treatment of women in Muslim countries and the continued practice of mutilation through female circumcision and women's rights - especially reproductive rights, a major theme through both novels) to seedy and taboo (orgasms, incest, and lifelong secrets).
Lace 2 starts off strong, but fizzles in the very end. I found myself wanting much more information than Conran provided her readers. In the end, I felt as if Lace 2 was in a hurry to reach its conclusion despite the fact that it had been very well constructed in the first two hundred pages. I didn't care as much about the identity of Lili's father (which felt as if it were written as more of an afterthought than a major plot point) as I did about Maxine's feelings of inadequacy as an aging women in a society and marriage obsessed with youth and beauty, Pagan's grief over the sudden death of her long-time husband and best friend, the fate of Verve! magazine in the midst of a political scandal, and why the hell Kate was never involved in any of the action of the novel.
Read the books back-to-back. Enjoy them, but be sure that you check out the 1984 five-hour miniseries with one of the most famous quotes in television history ("Which one of you bitches is my mother?"). It is, by far, a totally different story and clearly superior to its subsequent sequel (which couldn't possibly do the novel justice due to the major changes already written for the television version).
I recall reading Lace after having fallen in love with the saga of Lili's powerplay against Judy, Maxine, and Pagan (the television version of Judy is more of an amalgamation of both Kate and Judy in the book, Verve! magazine is replaced by Lace magazine, and Lili is far more ruthless and conniving in her quest than the sympathetic Lili of the novel) that stands on its own as one of the greatest television events of all time. The problem is that the writers of the miniseries made so many significant changes to the story that the two stories that a reader may find it difficult to separate what happened in the novel from what happened in the television version. One could say that it would be better to read the books before watching the television versions, but I think that would prevent some fans from falling in love with the cult classics. Instead, one may want to read both books back-to-back to get the entirety of the story down and watch both television versions back-to-back for the same reason.
Even in the twenty-first century, one can infer that the novels were considered major examples of progressive, salacious entertainment filled with powerful female characters that the world had never really known previously. At the heart of the stories is the depiction of a true, lifelong friendship exemplified by the everlasting bonds between a headstrong British tomboy (Pagan, the most creative, memorable, politically minded, and identifiable [my favorite character of the books] of the five main characters), a self-conscious and kind-hearted French girl (Maxine doesn't start off as a beauty in the books), a talented American journalist (Kate, who is more often mentioned by her friends in conversation than actually interacting in the major events of the story), a self-made bitch from West Virginia who needlessly holds onto more secrets than any of the other women (Judy Jordan - not Judy Hale from Hayes, Kansas as in the miniseries), and Lili, an international media sensation whose characterization would likely be unbelievable in today's society.
Shirley Conran wrote about women - the way women think, the ideas they have, and the differences between the sexes - in a way that women had really never really been detailed before. Her subjects ranged from topical and realistic (the treatment of women in Muslim countries and the continued practice of mutilation through female circumcision and women's rights - especially reproductive rights, a major theme through both novels) to seedy and taboo (orgasms, incest, and lifelong secrets).
Lace 2 starts off strong, but fizzles in the very end. I found myself wanting much more information than Conran provided her readers. In the end, I felt as if Lace 2 was in a hurry to reach its conclusion despite the fact that it had been very well constructed in the first two hundred pages. I didn't care as much about the identity of Lili's father (which felt as if it were written as more of an afterthought than a major plot point) as I did about Maxine's feelings of inadequacy as an aging women in a society and marriage obsessed with youth and beauty, Pagan's grief over the sudden death of her long-time husband and best friend, the fate of Verve! magazine in the midst of a political scandal, and why the hell Kate was never involved in any of the action of the novel.
Read the books back-to-back. Enjoy them, but be sure that you check out the 1984 five-hour miniseries with one of the most famous quotes in television history ("Which one of you bitches is my mother?"). It is, by far, a totally different story and clearly superior to its subsequent sequel (which couldn't possibly do the novel justice due to the major changes already written for the television version).
December 24, 2015
I neglected to mention the first book, I was caught reading it by one of my parent's friends. She was not to happy with me reading the book and apparently had words with my parents. This led me to a slightly dark time in my life because I was on a book restriction. My parents would lock my books up and I was not allowed to read. It was very difficult for me as an early book addict. I was also not allowed to go to the public library to borrow books every week. Instead I had to wait a few weeks and I was only allowed to borrow 8 at a time. This horrendous constraint made me look for the longest books I could find so I could savour them.
I bring this up because I finally got to the library to find this second book and I tried to borrow it. Apparently there was a block on my account because I was underage. Yes, I was 13. So... I had to sweet talk my way into getting this book borrowed. With much excitement, I started to read this book.
What was I hoping for? I wanted more graphic sexual details. I wanted that submission Lily experienced when she yielded to the men she fucked. As with all addicts, I wanted something harder. Something more explicit. This was a fail for me and I was so disappointed. Even after all these years, I still remember my disappointment after finishing the book. I felt as though I lead on and then left hanging. This book was the end of my love affair with Ms. Conran.
I bring this up because I finally got to the library to find this second book and I tried to borrow it. Apparently there was a block on my account because I was underage. Yes, I was 13. So... I had to sweet talk my way into getting this book borrowed. With much excitement, I started to read this book.
What was I hoping for? I wanted more graphic sexual details. I wanted that submission Lily experienced when she yielded to the men she fucked. As with all addicts, I wanted something harder. Something more explicit. This was a fail for me and I was so disappointed. Even after all these years, I still remember my disappointment after finishing the book. I felt as though I lead on and then left hanging. This book was the end of my love affair with Ms. Conran.
Read
August 13, 2011I've been looking for this book for the longest and I have finally found it. Once again I finish it in two days. Some people say they were disappointed with it. I gotta admitt it isn't as detail as the first but I still was quite content with the outcome of it.
Read
May 25, 2022I definitely got caught up in this for the last 20 or 25%. I may write a proper review.
November 5, 2021
Couldn't really get into it. It wasn't anywhere near as good as the first one. The dialogue and storyline were actually pretty ridiculous in some places. DNF.
October 5, 2017
Wasnt interesting until the last 100 pages or so. The synopsis on the back is very deceiving.
August 27, 2013
I did not take me long to finish this book it only looks that way. The one bad thing about a kobo is when you miss place the plug to charge your kobo. Now that I found the plug I was able to finish Lace 2 and it was just as good as I remeber it when read the first time. This book is a perfect story for the summer, find a relaxing chair and enjoy.
September 19, 2008
Not as good as the first book, but still a good read.
Back Cover Blurb:
Sequal to Lace, this book is an international novel about four glamorous women, who are lifelong friends and how their opulent, fantastic lives are linked.
Back Cover Blurb:
Sequal to Lace, this book is an international novel about four glamorous women, who are lifelong friends and how their opulent, fantastic lives are linked.
December 8, 2007
One of my favorite books for the dirty parts.
April 12, 2010
This was OK as it was intriguing to learn how the characters progressed but it wasn't a patch on Lace itself.
July 4, 2014
enjoyed this much bettet
August 7, 2015
So FREAKING GOOD!!!!!
June 19, 2015
The novel did not live up to it's first novel. It was good in it's own way but I was hoping for the same feelings that came from reading Lace.
April 28, 2019
Nothing like the first one. Disappointing.
February 10, 2023
I read another review of this book, and they said it was like there were 100 or so pages missing - I feel the same way; lots of loose ends weren't tied up effectively and I feel like somebody didn't collect the whole manuscript off the desk when they sent it for publication.
I wish the characters had the depth of the first novel, as each had so much more to explore. I was very happy about the relationship development of a couple of characters, but again, this could have been developed further with some extra pages.
I wish the characters had the depth of the first novel, as each had so much more to explore. I was very happy about the relationship development of a couple of characters, but again, this could have been developed further with some extra pages.
March 11, 2022
Беше вълнуващо приключение, което не ми се искаше да свършва. И имаше съвсем малко написано за Кейт, искаше ми се да споменат още за личния й живот, което не стана и накрая да имаше още няколко епизода на семейно щастие за всички положителни герои. Безспорно тези две книги ми станаха от най-любимите, сериала е съвсем различен, но и него си го обожавам. Обожавам си ги четирите жени и Лили.
August 16, 2021
2.5 stars.
I loved seeing these characters again (although poor Kate was ignored as much as in the adaptation), but for a book that's centred around Lili finding her father . . . she never does find out who it is, and I wanted so badly to see her reaction.
I loved seeing these characters again (although poor Kate was ignored as much as in the adaptation), but for a book that's centred around Lili finding her father . . . she never does find out who it is, and I wanted so badly to see her reaction.
August 23, 2022
Disappointing and. Not a patch on the original. One of the key characters ran off at the start never to be heard from again, and so much of the main plot was left unfinished. Too many new characters that weren't as interesting or developed. Took me ages to finish as I got a bit bored.
September 22, 2017
Second part series of womens porn hahahahaa
August 18, 2019
Read it because I'd seen the TV series and the first book. I liked it. Not an outstanding book, but well worth the time (like the first book).
March 8, 2020
Препоръчвам книгата на всички дами. Няма да останете разочаровани.
Read
June 4, 2020If you love the original, don't bother with this one.
August 28, 2021
Read as a teen & I liked it then.
October 4, 2022
Talk about interlocking directorates. These department heads and movie heads all know each other over brunch no less.
May 10, 2024
RIP: May 2024. From the Sun “Dame Shirley began writing books after she was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in her late 30s and could no longer work full-time.”
August 31, 2024
The original Lace was so good but this was just a jumbled mess with no real storyline. Gave up after 125 pages
November 10, 2024
wasn't interesting until the last 100 pages or so. The synopsis is very deceiving
November 19, 2024
Cute and shorter sequel to the first book. Makes me want to be a part of this group of successful women!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews