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Belle de Jour #3
Playing the Game
Game over? Belle is starting to wonder if she should call time on the call girl get a day job, a life free from secrets and have a 'normal' relationship with the Boy. But will Belle cope with the nine-to-five, a staggering decline in her underwear budget and no more paid sex? As Belle explores life and love after the game, her story is frank, smart and refreshingly honest. Punctuated with advice, anecdotes and reflections in her inimitable voice, this is a novel of secrets and lies, scabrous wit and more than a little lust.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2008
6 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Belle de Jour
31 books211 followersBrooke Magnanti is a forensic scientist and writer, who, until her identity was revealed in November 2009, was known by the pen name Belle de Jour.
While completing her doctoral thesis, in 2003 and 2004, Magnanti worked as a call girl. Her diary, published as the anonymous blog Belle de Jour: Diary of a London Call Girl became popular, as speculation surrounded the identity of Belle de Jour. Magnanti went on to The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl in 2005 and The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl in 2006. These were followed by Playing the Game, Belle de Jour's Guide to Men, and Belle's Best Bits.
In 2007, the books were adapted for TV as Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper. In November 2009, fearing her real identity was about to come out, Magnanti revealed her real name and occupation as a scientist. Her first book published under her real name was the non-fiction The Sex Myth in 2012.
Magnanti's first crime novel, The Turning Tide, will be published by Orion in 2016.
While completing her doctoral thesis, in 2003 and 2004, Magnanti worked as a call girl. Her diary, published as the anonymous blog Belle de Jour: Diary of a London Call Girl became popular, as speculation surrounded the identity of Belle de Jour. Magnanti went on to The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl in 2005 and The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl in 2006. These were followed by Playing the Game, Belle de Jour's Guide to Men, and Belle's Best Bits.
In 2007, the books were adapted for TV as Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper. In November 2009, fearing her real identity was about to come out, Magnanti revealed her real name and occupation as a scientist. Her first book published under her real name was the non-fiction The Sex Myth in 2012.
Magnanti's first crime novel, The Turning Tide, will be published by Orion in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 15, 2020
It's an easy, fun read. Well, not always fun but... *not spoiling
Started reading while at the beach - perfect! Came home and it got more and more difficult to continue. I think this book is simply not meant for me. Me and Belle are just too different!
Started reading while at the beach - perfect! Came home and it got more and more difficult to continue. I think this book is simply not meant for me. Me and Belle are just too different!
April 8, 2022
This book is okay. I am always happy to see representation of sex workers in novels, though this book is by no means a one-size-fits-all portrayal. Playing The Game is a diary, the third instalment in a series, about a girl named Belle leaving the call-girl business, going through a breakup and learning to live normally.
Personally I found it a little tasteless at times, particularly in the judgements of other women - there are too many examples to list depicting Belle as less than pleasant in her comments towards other women - I stopped counting after page 210 - "Make friends with your piece of fluff? No thanky thanky, mister. If I know women - and I don't know women, only well enough to know that in general I don't WANT to know women - she'll stab me in the back at the nearest opportunity.".
For some people her icy attitude towards women might make it feel more honest and realistic and therefore a better read, but for me it definitely brings a sense of unlikability to Belle. She is definitely "not like other girls" and she calls women 'females'. Yawn. Liking sex does not make you special - there's no need to pretend to be better than the rest of us womenfolk, honey.
Speaking of sex, there is nothing wrong with the portrayal of sex in this book - some have labelled it 'saucy', though it is definitely more matter-of-fact than smutty or sexy in my opinion. That doesn't make it bad, and I definitely see how the honesty and tone could be enjoyable for readers.
Other reviewers have commented on the fact that her mental health was not properly addressed within the book. Yes, it is possible or likely that Belle has undiagnosed depression and aside from a brief comment about whether or not to try therapy, it is not mentioned. I would not say that this goes against the book, actually - undiagnosed depression is an unfortunate reality and it may be deliberately left to the reader to understand the subtext. I do not think this book could be seen as triggering, and for that reason I would suggest that if the author does not wish to include depression in her book by name then that is up to her - if it is in fact an artistic choice and not autobiographical (if the book is true autobiography, then of course she would not mention a mental health problem if she is in fact unaware of it).
Other reviewers have also called the book boring, which is of course subjective - if you like character studies then this is absolutely fine, but if you are more plot-orientated then this may not be the book for you.
While I did not find it particularly boring (especially when compared to other similar books), there were a handful of spelling and grammar mistakes in this book. Tssk!
In summary, this book was a fine read, especially if you are interested in the real people behind the sex industry. Worth a read if you meet the niche audience (and don't mind a little internalised misogyny).
Personally I found it a little tasteless at times, particularly in the judgements of other women - there are too many examples to list depicting Belle as less than pleasant in her comments towards other women - I stopped counting after page 210 - "Make friends with your piece of fluff? No thanky thanky, mister. If I know women - and I don't know women, only well enough to know that in general I don't WANT to know women - she'll stab me in the back at the nearest opportunity.".
For some people her icy attitude towards women might make it feel more honest and realistic and therefore a better read, but for me it definitely brings a sense of unlikability to Belle. She is definitely "not like other girls" and she calls women 'females'. Yawn. Liking sex does not make you special - there's no need to pretend to be better than the rest of us womenfolk, honey.
Speaking of sex, there is nothing wrong with the portrayal of sex in this book - some have labelled it 'saucy', though it is definitely more matter-of-fact than smutty or sexy in my opinion. That doesn't make it bad, and I definitely see how the honesty and tone could be enjoyable for readers.
Other reviewers have commented on the fact that her mental health was not properly addressed within the book. Yes, it is possible or likely that Belle has undiagnosed depression and aside from a brief comment about whether or not to try therapy, it is not mentioned. I would not say that this goes against the book, actually - undiagnosed depression is an unfortunate reality and it may be deliberately left to the reader to understand the subtext. I do not think this book could be seen as triggering, and for that reason I would suggest that if the author does not wish to include depression in her book by name then that is up to her - if it is in fact an artistic choice and not autobiographical (if the book is true autobiography, then of course she would not mention a mental health problem if she is in fact unaware of it).
Other reviewers have also called the book boring, which is of course subjective - if you like character studies then this is absolutely fine, but if you are more plot-orientated then this may not be the book for you.
While I did not find it particularly boring (especially when compared to other similar books), there were a handful of spelling and grammar mistakes in this book. Tssk!
In summary, this book was a fine read, especially if you are interested in the real people behind the sex industry. Worth a read if you meet the niche audience (and don't mind a little internalised misogyny).
January 11, 2021
It really wasnt a good book. I read the first fso several years ago and enjoyed them, but this one felt like the main character, Belle was childish and whiny and kind of unlikable, was this ghost written? If was also depressing for most of it without touching on mental illness, she never once said I am depressed, just that she wanted a new lover and a job that wasnt boring and just kind of went on with how boring her life is after the sex industry finished. Dissatisfying and not sure why it was written (as its fiction, as the precious two were non fiction). Weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2023
I love this book so much. Belle is witty but she is so "real" and just seems like the kind of girl in her twenties who I would have loved to have been friends with at that age. Her writing is beautiful, subtle, and intellectual at times and her approach to sex is raw but matter-of-fact and most of the sex scenes are only implied. Belle just seems like a very ordinary person; smart, sparkling and fun at times, yet prone to relationship problems and moods like anyone else.
February 19, 2022
Good book, much less content about her call girl work and more focused on her struggling with getting a job and having relationships after being a call girl. the book is well written and easy to read. the only thing is that there are inconsistencies within the timeline between this and the previous book. but if you overlook that it’s an enjoyable read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2019
A novel? Must be what they're calling autofiction. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it ravenously. Leave your mind open for the conclusion. It suits her.
September 4, 2024
It’s alright
January 17, 2013
Playing the Game by Belle de Jour is the novelization of her life. After reading the actually diary Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Confessions of a Working Girl, I felt that this book was the biggest disappointment in this genre. It wasn’t bad but I just didn’t fully get sucked in.
This book is one of other books written by Belle De Jour. I was looking forward to reading this book since I enjoyed the other book by Belle so much. It was so much and entertaining. So I had really high hopes for this book. Maybe my hopes were too high.
The book read a lot like the secret diary. So it made me wonder where the novelization was occurring and where it ended. But it failed to have the more fun aspects of her personality. It was a duller form of Belle. I would have loved a bit more tips and more lists (not the top ten lists at the end of each month/chapter). The book took on the pitfall of many of my stories, putting too much of myself into the main character and thus making it harder for others to truly connect since it doesn’t feel like fiction nor does it feel like true diary.
I had issues with the formatting. It was as if she was trying too hard to do two things at the same time: keep the diary formatting and push along the plot. There were several times where events that normally would have happened in one day were split up into two or there especially the over analysis of fairly trivial things that you would only think for a day, not multiple days. Then as the book went on, there were more and more typos which really didn’t help things.
But in the end the book didn’t hit my sweet spots. Watching her go from escorting to the civilian world wasn’t exciting. You saw her go from carefree to paranoid to sullen and then almost unwilling to become a courtesan. Which made no sense, why was she so skeptical of the idea? It was never clear. It was almost as if she was trying to live up to the rouse that she should be careful and skeptical rather then wanting to go for the sex with money with a guy she was into and lacking the pitfalls of a relationship (after months of failing to find a real beau again).
So yeah, I was disappointed with Playing the Game. It was just an okay book. But after reading other goodies from the same author, I was hoping for more of the same but when put into a fictional world. I judge fiction harsher then non-fiction.
This book is one of other books written by Belle De Jour. I was looking forward to reading this book since I enjoyed the other book by Belle so much. It was so much and entertaining. So I had really high hopes for this book. Maybe my hopes were too high.
The book read a lot like the secret diary. So it made me wonder where the novelization was occurring and where it ended. But it failed to have the more fun aspects of her personality. It was a duller form of Belle. I would have loved a bit more tips and more lists (not the top ten lists at the end of each month/chapter). The book took on the pitfall of many of my stories, putting too much of myself into the main character and thus making it harder for others to truly connect since it doesn’t feel like fiction nor does it feel like true diary.
I had issues with the formatting. It was as if she was trying too hard to do two things at the same time: keep the diary formatting and push along the plot. There were several times where events that normally would have happened in one day were split up into two or there especially the over analysis of fairly trivial things that you would only think for a day, not multiple days. Then as the book went on, there were more and more typos which really didn’t help things.
But in the end the book didn’t hit my sweet spots. Watching her go from escorting to the civilian world wasn’t exciting. You saw her go from carefree to paranoid to sullen and then almost unwilling to become a courtesan. Which made no sense, why was she so skeptical of the idea? It was never clear. It was almost as if she was trying to live up to the rouse that she should be careful and skeptical rather then wanting to go for the sex with money with a guy she was into and lacking the pitfalls of a relationship (after months of failing to find a real beau again).
So yeah, I was disappointed with Playing the Game. It was just an okay book. But after reading other goodies from the same author, I was hoping for more of the same but when put into a fictional world. I judge fiction harsher then non-fiction.
September 10, 2011
This review was written for The Review Diaries: http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/201...
I loved the ‘Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl’ and its follow up. They were sharp, funny, and included as many taboo topics as possible. Belle’s voice was incredibly clear, and they became my dirty little secret read – because face it, whilst there are fabulous tips on love and life, most people who read her books are reading them for the explicit descriptions of her life as a call girl.
However ‘Playing the Game’ fell more than a little short. Riddled with typos, it felt rushed and too slow all at the same time. Rushed in that it didn’t feel edited, and too slow because the pacing was all wrong. In this novelised version of her life, she quits being a call girl less than a third of the way into the book and then ambles along through a nine to five job and a series of awful dates and relationships. It just felt a bit aimless. I think part of the charm and success about the first two books were they were non-fiction, candid recollections of a woman who was doing a job most of us wouldn’t have the guts to do, and telling us all the intimate details. It was the fantasy side of reality.
‘Playing the Game’ loses that shine, and whilst there were still very funny moments, ratings of dates, geeky references to ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’, and lists of do’s and don’ts for the modern girl in any situation, it just didn’t do it for me.
There were a lot of moments that felt incredibly familiar, and I’m not sure if they were lifted from earlier books or moments from the television series, so it did feel like some of it was a bit of a cop out. There were several plot threads that weren’t tidied off, and considering this was supposed to be fiction, I expect at least a bit of that. In fact the end itself felt like a let down. It just wasn’t the Belle I’d grown to love from her first books.
So whilst I thoroughly recommend checking out Belle de Jour’s non-fiction books ‘Intimate Adventures’ and ‘Further Adventures’ I’d suggest giving ‘Playing the Game’ a miss. Why settle for second rate when she’s already given us the best?
I loved the ‘Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl’ and its follow up. They were sharp, funny, and included as many taboo topics as possible. Belle’s voice was incredibly clear, and they became my dirty little secret read – because face it, whilst there are fabulous tips on love and life, most people who read her books are reading them for the explicit descriptions of her life as a call girl.
However ‘Playing the Game’ fell more than a little short. Riddled with typos, it felt rushed and too slow all at the same time. Rushed in that it didn’t feel edited, and too slow because the pacing was all wrong. In this novelised version of her life, she quits being a call girl less than a third of the way into the book and then ambles along through a nine to five job and a series of awful dates and relationships. It just felt a bit aimless. I think part of the charm and success about the first two books were they were non-fiction, candid recollections of a woman who was doing a job most of us wouldn’t have the guts to do, and telling us all the intimate details. It was the fantasy side of reality.
‘Playing the Game’ loses that shine, and whilst there were still very funny moments, ratings of dates, geeky references to ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’, and lists of do’s and don’ts for the modern girl in any situation, it just didn’t do it for me.
There were a lot of moments that felt incredibly familiar, and I’m not sure if they were lifted from earlier books or moments from the television series, so it did feel like some of it was a bit of a cop out. There were several plot threads that weren’t tidied off, and considering this was supposed to be fiction, I expect at least a bit of that. In fact the end itself felt like a let down. It just wasn’t the Belle I’d grown to love from her first books.
So whilst I thoroughly recommend checking out Belle de Jour’s non-fiction books ‘Intimate Adventures’ and ‘Further Adventures’ I’d suggest giving ‘Playing the Game’ a miss. Why settle for second rate when she’s already given us the best?
September 5, 2011
I don't know what I expected to feel for Belle De Jour. Empowerment? Awe? Empathy? Having watched the Secret Diary of a Call Girl on tv (with Billie Piper as Belle/Hannah) - that's what I expected.
Don't.
As is often the case, the book is nothing like the tv series. The only thing they have in common is a prostitute as the central character. While Billie's character is vulnerable, relatable, likable - the real Belle De Jour....
All I felt is incredulity and pity for a woman who can't relate to people who dont want to abuse her or treat her like a piece of meat with holes in it. And all this is delivered in a tone that says to the reader: "If you don't want to let a man take a dump on your chest, there's something wrong with you. Prude."
Left me feeling cold and frankly, a bit ill.
Don't.
As is often the case, the book is nothing like the tv series. The only thing they have in common is a prostitute as the central character. While Billie's character is vulnerable, relatable, likable - the real Belle De Jour....
All I felt is incredulity and pity for a woman who can't relate to people who dont want to abuse her or treat her like a piece of meat with holes in it. And all this is delivered in a tone that says to the reader: "If you don't want to let a man take a dump on your chest, there's something wrong with you. Prude."
Left me feeling cold and frankly, a bit ill.
November 22, 2016
After the finale of the previous book (in which Belle decides to get serious about her non-Call Girl career and give The Boy another chance) I was fully expecting her to do another 180 in this book. How long can a series of books continue when the premise is that the protagonist is a Call Girl, but in which she chooses distinctly not to be said Call Girl? Well, it took some time, but I was not left wanting, as by the final pages Belle has chucked the Boy once and for all (YAY) and has decided to dabble in the art of being a courtesan at the behest of a very intriguing silver fox. She’s keeping her day job for now, but I’m betting that it’s not long for this world if she can settle into some sort of stable lifestyle as a kept woman - or it’ll all blow up in her face (hopefully not)!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2011
Terrible. I wonder if the real Belle actually wrote any of this or if it was ghost written and she was paid for the use of her name? Whatever the case the writing was a poor imitation of Belle's previous tone in the first two books. It seemed forced and exaggerated. Instead of being natural and edgy, it came off as trying too hard to titillate. I'd say pass on this one and just read the first two.
October 30, 2013
The third part of the Call Girl series by Belle de Jour, and allthough not bad, I can't really say that I liked it all that much. It was quite a slow read.
However I did enjoy the langage and the way Belle de Jour writes, but for me this is the weakest book in the series (I have yet to read no 4.)
I can also add that I have read some chapters of this before in the "Belle's Best Bits" book and I did enjoy the shortened version more.
However I did enjoy the langage and the way Belle de Jour writes, but for me this is the weakest book in the series (I have yet to read no 4.)
I can also add that I have read some chapters of this before in the "Belle's Best Bits" book and I did enjoy the shortened version more.
September 26, 2016
Constantly amazes me how often I get shocked by this woman, but a good read if a very saucy one.
I think the fact that I have seen a photo of this woman has ruined it for me though. I did have a image in my head of her appearance and now I know she does not fit it, it just doesn't wok for me anymore. Rather like a actor who is nothing like how you envisioned the character in the book to appear like.
I think the fact that I have seen a photo of this woman has ruined it for me though. I did have a image in my head of her appearance and now I know she does not fit it, it just doesn't wok for me anymore. Rather like a actor who is nothing like how you envisioned the character in the book to appear like.
July 24, 2010
I'm torn between giving this a 3 or a 4 star rating. It was good to read at my own leisure but I wasn't desperate to keep picking it back up. Saying that, it was an easy read and I loved the writing style - the laid back and quite casual tone of Belle really helped me to make a connection to her. The book was very frank and quite humorous. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it was a must-read.
December 5, 2015
In this book, Belle has given up prostitution and adjusts to everyday life. I hate to say it because it was well written, but I found this really blah. I wanted to hear about her life as a call girl! Also, of her three novels this is almost completely fiction (compared to the other two, which were autobiographical). This made me enjoy it less, too.
February 3, 2010
It seems like the first half of the book she lifted almost word for word from her previous memoir "The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl" with just a few details changed. It wasn't until halfway through that I thought I was reading something original.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2014
This book was quite good,but because of the tv series all I could hear while reading was Billie Piper's voice. Am quite interested to see if Belle has written anymore after this one as I would love to know how this chapter in her life ended.
October 15, 2016
I loved the wit and intelligence of the real life version: 'The Intimate Adventures...'
This reduces her to a shoe-loving, shallow, Sex and the City-esque materialistic bore who's only interest is boyfriends. (And shoes). Not even a hint of the intriguing, smart woman in the actual memoir.
This reduces her to a shoe-loving, shallow, Sex and the City-esque materialistic bore who's only interest is boyfriends. (And shoes). Not even a hint of the intriguing, smart woman in the actual memoir.
May 16, 2010
Not as exciting as her first. A lot of personal turmoil in this one.
Read
January 17, 2018The first book was fun. The second, not so much. This one, I just wanted to say "Honey, give it up and grow up." I didn't get very far because I didn't have the patience to deal with her immaturity.
August 2, 2011
Average. Fairly entertaining but slightly annoying.
Read
September 16, 2011Realy couldn't get into this book, I thaught I'd try some of the origanal stories as I love the series
August 19, 2019
At times witty, at times boring. And a rather abrupt ending, leaving the reader waiting for a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews