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Třpytní
Třpytní jsou elita. Topí se v luxusu a život tráví nicneděláním. Jako otrok neustálých změn – a brutálních soudů – v oblasti módy se i Simon snaží být dokonalý, bez poskvrny. Protože kdyby to bylo jinak, stane se nemódním, a nikdo přece nechce být nemódní, nedejbože ohyzdný… Na jednom večírku začne Simone krvácet z nosu, čímž neúmyslně odstartuje zbrusu novou módní vlnu – jenomže uznání připadne někomu jinému. Vzájemná řevnivost obou rivalů roste a hrozí, že brzy zničí celou opulentní utopii, v níž třpytní žijí. Protože nikdo nedovede být tak krutý jako ti nejkrásnější lidé. Vstupte do světa nádherných kostýmů, grandiózních paláců v nebesích, opulentních večírků a přísně daných pravidel, jak získat zmrzlinu. Úchvatná utopie ze světa módy, která se soustředí na rodinu a bizarní život nejvyšší třídy!
280 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2022
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1045 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
July 3, 2022
This book was really a treat. The glitterati rule the magazine covers with their fabulosity and displays of limitless wealth. They have jobs, but performing work is just not done. Only the unfashionable, or uglies, actually work. Fashion trends spread like wildfire and then burn out. Starting a new trend gets you on the covers and can instill envy among the most petty of the glitterati. When Simone accidentally starts a new trend by wearing the wrong color ensemble and makeup to his office one day (the horror!) he attracts the attention of Justine. From then on she works to out-trend him and she starts by stealing the concept for nosebleed fashion that rightfully should have been his (really, it was his nose that bled all over his clothes in the first place).
Simone and his wife Georgie were a hoot - from their cooed endearments to their matched beauty. They were always in accord, even about what to do when they discovered a very small ugly in their garden. I loved the couple, but Simone is certainly the main character in the book. His development was fun to watch.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
A taste of the book:
“Murder was both very impolite and highly unfashionable.”
“Simone secretly hoped the unfashionables would all catch a disease and die. Of course, it wasn’t fashionable to think such thoughts. The fashion was that the uglies were to be pitied, and charity in the form of discarded past-season wardrobes was a sign of good character. But Simone only said he sent his old wardrobe down to the unfashionables. In reality, he burned his clothes when he was done with them. The mere thought of his discarded clothes touching the skin of any of those aesthetically impaired creatures made him feel ill.”
“It’s an exclusive Karpa Fishh blend. He cultivated a floral greenhouse over a period of twenty years, then burned it all in one go and bottled the scent. Beauty and destruction. Only a hundred bottles exist.”
“Simone only ever allowed himself at most three smiles a day; any more might compromise the integrity of his face.”
“… Simone delivered his very best poses as he sashayed down the runway to the beat; all those special stances he had been saving up for an event as esteemed as this. Beside him, Georgie synchronized her movements to his, so that both of them moved in a gorgeous, flowing dance of beauty, their heartbeats matching the beat and each other. Together, they moved from spotlight to spotlight, caught up in the splendid rhythm of the catwalk.”
Simone and his wife Georgie were a hoot - from their cooed endearments to their matched beauty. They were always in accord, even about what to do when they discovered a very small ugly in their garden. I loved the couple, but Simone is certainly the main character in the book. His development was fun to watch.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
A taste of the book:
“Murder was both very impolite and highly unfashionable.”
“Simone secretly hoped the unfashionables would all catch a disease and die. Of course, it wasn’t fashionable to think such thoughts. The fashion was that the uglies were to be pitied, and charity in the form of discarded past-season wardrobes was a sign of good character. But Simone only said he sent his old wardrobe down to the unfashionables. In reality, he burned his clothes when he was done with them. The mere thought of his discarded clothes touching the skin of any of those aesthetically impaired creatures made him feel ill.”
“It’s an exclusive Karpa Fishh blend. He cultivated a floral greenhouse over a period of twenty years, then burned it all in one go and bottled the scent. Beauty and destruction. Only a hundred bottles exist.”
“Simone only ever allowed himself at most three smiles a day; any more might compromise the integrity of his face.”
“… Simone delivered his very best poses as he sashayed down the runway to the beat; all those special stances he had been saving up for an event as esteemed as this. Beside him, Georgie synchronized her movements to his, so that both of them moved in a gorgeous, flowing dance of beauty, their heartbeats matching the beat and each other. Together, they moved from spotlight to spotlight, caught up in the splendid rhythm of the catwalk.”
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June 13, 2022Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: none
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if they’re glowing. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book, then write a detailed review about it that some people on GR will look at would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
Spoilers ho.
Nrgh, I don’t quite know what to say about this. And it might just be a case of wrong reader wrong book. Potentially wrong reader wrong book wrong genre altogether. Because, the thing is, satire is a difficult beast to corral. By its nature, it requires you not to care. And the problem with not caring is that, well, you don’t care? On top of which Glitterati seems to sort of hedge its bets between not-caring and secretly trying to make you care. Except the people, or maybe the one person, it wants you to care about is a member of the ultraelite who is so detached from the world at large that, even if he does develop a flair for art near the end, still has no idea what capitalism or childhood is.
Glitterati is set in a nebulous far future where the lives of the ultrarich have been completely detached from the rest of society: with any elements of experience deemed to be traumatic, be that a trip to the doctors, childhood, understanding of their own wealth, or the way society works, literally erased from their brains they live lives entirely dedicated to aesthetic ideals. The hero, Simone, inadvertently wears white one day, believing it to be Tuesday, when it is instead Wednesday, upon which people wear purple, which catalyses a chain of events that lead to him becoming a trendsetter, getting locked in a ruthless rivalry with a fellow fashionista, encountering a child (which he and his wife understand as a small drunk human) and finally inadvertently committing a crime which throws him to contact with all sorts of unaesthetic elements of reality like prison and the law.
Weirdly, despite the book being mostly a fever dream of excess and vapidity, it does kind of have a happy ending?
In any case, there were definitely things I admired here: the writing is fluid and vivid, the characterisation is, y’know, about as sound as it can be considering the POV character is literally missing most of his brain, there were some amusing moments (like the sequence with the lemon), some unexpectedly touching moments (Simone’s relationship with his wife is genuinely sweet, tender and sincere), and the world is imaginatively realised, with some decent neo-future fashion porn if that’s your thing. I also liked that there’s a kind of … interestingly de-gendered quality to everything: from the characters names (Simone and his wife, Georgie, for example) to the clothes they wear (Simone wears skirts and dresses interchangeably with more conventionally masculine attire, and Georgie vice versa), and while Simone is very in love with his wife he isn’t above admiring the rippling physique of his best friend Darlington (who is married to another man). Frankly, I rather admired Darlington’s rippling physique myself.
Where the book kind of lost me was around, um, what it was actually about? I mean, what was it a satire *of*? That the lives of the ultrarich are detached and inaccessible to the rest of us? Yeah, I think I got that memo already? That the ultrarich are, in their own way, an industry? Uh-huh. That even people who exist in rarefied spheres can be exploited or victimised? Okay. That fashion is kind of shallow? Wait, are we still doing that after Miranda Priestly’s ‘Cerulean’ monologue? Surely not. And I, honestly, have no idea what to make of Simone’s redemption arc, whereby he kind of undergoes emotional development in prison (because prisons, right, so beneficial to the incarcerated), buys a child from her mother (because poor people will literally sell their kids for a pair of designer shoes), and ultimately runs away from getting his memory wiped again because he wants to retain his personal growth, ending up on a massive luxury yacht with Georgie and the kid that has been gifted to them by a famous fashion designer who has recognised that Simone is an artist.
I don’t even know what to do with any of this. Maybe just be dazzled and not think too hard about what it means? I couldn’t even tell if I was meant to be pleased Simone got some kind of privilege-fuelled happy ending i.e. that his discovery of art was supposed to be genuinely redemptive for him or if it was simply another expression of wealth and power in action. Like, the ultrarich get to explore ART. Poor people get to sell their kids. And, y’know, it’s more than possible I just failed to “get” this book and what it was saying.
Or, ironically, it could be a case of style over substance?
Relevant disclaimers: none
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if they’re glowing. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book, then write a detailed review about it that some people on GR will look at would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
Spoilers ho.
Nrgh, I don’t quite know what to say about this. And it might just be a case of wrong reader wrong book. Potentially wrong reader wrong book wrong genre altogether. Because, the thing is, satire is a difficult beast to corral. By its nature, it requires you not to care. And the problem with not caring is that, well, you don’t care? On top of which Glitterati seems to sort of hedge its bets between not-caring and secretly trying to make you care. Except the people, or maybe the one person, it wants you to care about is a member of the ultraelite who is so detached from the world at large that, even if he does develop a flair for art near the end, still has no idea what capitalism or childhood is.
Glitterati is set in a nebulous far future where the lives of the ultrarich have been completely detached from the rest of society: with any elements of experience deemed to be traumatic, be that a trip to the doctors, childhood, understanding of their own wealth, or the way society works, literally erased from their brains they live lives entirely dedicated to aesthetic ideals. The hero, Simone, inadvertently wears white one day, believing it to be Tuesday, when it is instead Wednesday, upon which people wear purple, which catalyses a chain of events that lead to him becoming a trendsetter, getting locked in a ruthless rivalry with a fellow fashionista, encountering a child (which he and his wife understand as a small drunk human) and finally inadvertently committing a crime which throws him to contact with all sorts of unaesthetic elements of reality like prison and the law.
Weirdly, despite the book being mostly a fever dream of excess and vapidity, it does kind of have a happy ending?
In any case, there were definitely things I admired here: the writing is fluid and vivid, the characterisation is, y’know, about as sound as it can be considering the POV character is literally missing most of his brain, there were some amusing moments (like the sequence with the lemon), some unexpectedly touching moments (Simone’s relationship with his wife is genuinely sweet, tender and sincere), and the world is imaginatively realised, with some decent neo-future fashion porn if that’s your thing. I also liked that there’s a kind of … interestingly de-gendered quality to everything: from the characters names (Simone and his wife, Georgie, for example) to the clothes they wear (Simone wears skirts and dresses interchangeably with more conventionally masculine attire, and Georgie vice versa), and while Simone is very in love with his wife he isn’t above admiring the rippling physique of his best friend Darlington (who is married to another man). Frankly, I rather admired Darlington’s rippling physique myself.
Where the book kind of lost me was around, um, what it was actually about? I mean, what was it a satire *of*? That the lives of the ultrarich are detached and inaccessible to the rest of us? Yeah, I think I got that memo already? That the ultrarich are, in their own way, an industry? Uh-huh. That even people who exist in rarefied spheres can be exploited or victimised? Okay. That fashion is kind of shallow? Wait, are we still doing that after Miranda Priestly’s ‘Cerulean’ monologue? Surely not. And I, honestly, have no idea what to make of Simone’s redemption arc, whereby he kind of undergoes emotional development in prison (because prisons, right, so beneficial to the incarcerated), buys a child from her mother (because poor people will literally sell their kids for a pair of designer shoes), and ultimately runs away from getting his memory wiped again because he wants to retain his personal growth, ending up on a massive luxury yacht with Georgie and the kid that has been gifted to them by a famous fashion designer who has recognised that Simone is an artist.
I don’t even know what to do with any of this. Maybe just be dazzled and not think too hard about what it means? I couldn’t even tell if I was meant to be pleased Simone got some kind of privilege-fuelled happy ending i.e. that his discovery of art was supposed to be genuinely redemptive for him or if it was simply another expression of wealth and power in action. Like, the ultrarich get to explore ART. Poor people get to sell their kids. And, y’know, it’s more than possible I just failed to “get” this book and what it was saying.
Or, ironically, it could be a case of style over substance?
April 25, 2022
4.5/5
Glitterati is wild. It explores the insane world of hardcore fashionistas who despise ugliness. And denim (shudder).
The Ultrarich live a life of absolute luxury, isolated from “uglies” (the normal people), and have their every whim catered to. Simone is one of them. Unaware of his overwhelming financial power (he doesn’t even know what money is), he enjoys life and beauty in all forms. As long as colorful cocktails complement his attire, and others admire him, life is good.
Unlike most Glitterati, however, Simone doesn’t just follow new fashion trends, he accidentally sets new ones. Call it intuition. Like when he gets a nosebleed at the party, but someone else takes credit for that new trend (which inevitably leads to overzealous fashionistas lobotomizing themselves while trying to make their noses bleed with something sharp). This accident starts Simone’s feud with Justine, which has dire consequences.
Glitterati had me enthralled with its fast pace and wild ideas. I followed Simone’s story with bated breath and laughed a lot. I love grotesque elements woven into the narrative, and Langmead incorporates them effortlessly into the story. And the world of Glitterati IS absurd: their memories are regularly erased because retaining traumatic (or even unpleasant) memories can lead to esthetic impairment (with symptoms such as frowning, sighing, or weeping; not esthetic.) If you’re foolish enough to wear something unfashionable, you’ll be ostracized and ridiculed. Fashions change all the time, and some trends are dangerous - like a fashion for deadly clothes. Yup, as in outfits that can kill you at any moment.
Because of frequent memory erasure, Glitterati have no memory of their childhood. They don’t even know what a child is. When a child gets lost on Simone and Georgie’s property and they find it unconscious, they decide to dispose of the body, but are afraid that if they touch it, they’ll catch a disease that made the child small and unfashionable.
It’s wild, I tell you, but in the best possible way. Manic, effortlessly and darkly funny, utterly unpredictable. Now, a word about Simone. Some readers will hate him from the start. Like all Glitterati, he’s comically self-absorbed and empty. Fashion is his religion, as is beauty. I adored his narration and even cheered for him to win the fight for the latest suit from the Dramaskil’s Blue collection! If you can connect with absurd characters, you’ll be ok. If, however, you prefer protagonists you can relate to, well, look for them elsewhere. To be fair, Simone changes significantly as the story progresses (though the change happens in the last 20% of the book).
The world takes place in a dystopian world with Vibro-rails gliding across cities, but the world-building is minimal. There’s little explanation of how The Glitterati function or how the economics work. Hundreds of people rely on Glitterati's continued placidity and living in the moment without focusing on trivial things (like money). Don’t expect any in-depth examination of the dystopia, though. You won’t get one.
I loved Glitterati; it’s probably the craziest book I read this year. And the most fun. I recommend it to anyone looking for a wild read that doesn’t take itself seriously and makes entertainment its priority. Great prose and Langmead's vivid imagination make it a pleasure to read.
"Today was Friday, which meant neon"
Glitterati is wild. It explores the insane world of hardcore fashionistas who despise ugliness. And denim (shudder).
The Ultrarich live a life of absolute luxury, isolated from “uglies” (the normal people), and have their every whim catered to. Simone is one of them. Unaware of his overwhelming financial power (he doesn’t even know what money is), he enjoys life and beauty in all forms. As long as colorful cocktails complement his attire, and others admire him, life is good.
Unlike most Glitterati, however, Simone doesn’t just follow new fashion trends, he accidentally sets new ones. Call it intuition. Like when he gets a nosebleed at the party, but someone else takes credit for that new trend (which inevitably leads to overzealous fashionistas lobotomizing themselves while trying to make their noses bleed with something sharp). This accident starts Simone’s feud with Justine, which has dire consequences.
Glitterati had me enthralled with its fast pace and wild ideas. I followed Simone’s story with bated breath and laughed a lot. I love grotesque elements woven into the narrative, and Langmead incorporates them effortlessly into the story. And the world of Glitterati IS absurd: their memories are regularly erased because retaining traumatic (or even unpleasant) memories can lead to esthetic impairment (with symptoms such as frowning, sighing, or weeping; not esthetic.) If you’re foolish enough to wear something unfashionable, you’ll be ostracized and ridiculed. Fashions change all the time, and some trends are dangerous - like a fashion for deadly clothes. Yup, as in outfits that can kill you at any moment.
Because of frequent memory erasure, Glitterati have no memory of their childhood. They don’t even know what a child is. When a child gets lost on Simone and Georgie’s property and they find it unconscious, they decide to dispose of the body, but are afraid that if they touch it, they’ll catch a disease that made the child small and unfashionable.
It’s wild, I tell you, but in the best possible way. Manic, effortlessly and darkly funny, utterly unpredictable. Now, a word about Simone. Some readers will hate him from the start. Like all Glitterati, he’s comically self-absorbed and empty. Fashion is his religion, as is beauty. I adored his narration and even cheered for him to win the fight for the latest suit from the Dramaskil’s Blue collection! If you can connect with absurd characters, you’ll be ok. If, however, you prefer protagonists you can relate to, well, look for them elsewhere. To be fair, Simone changes significantly as the story progresses (though the change happens in the last 20% of the book).
The world takes place in a dystopian world with Vibro-rails gliding across cities, but the world-building is minimal. There’s little explanation of how The Glitterati function or how the economics work. Hundreds of people rely on Glitterati's continued placidity and living in the moment without focusing on trivial things (like money). Don’t expect any in-depth examination of the dystopia, though. You won’t get one.
I loved Glitterati; it’s probably the craziest book I read this year. And the most fun. I recommend it to anyone looking for a wild read that doesn’t take itself seriously and makes entertainment its priority. Great prose and Langmead's vivid imagination make it a pleasure to read.
July 30, 2022
Glitterati is the wildest most over the top book I think I’ve ever read and I must say I really, thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a fabulously grand, sci-fi dystopian set in a world ruled by the Glitterati— the wealthy elite, whose lives are so entrenched in luxury they govern solely on aesthetic beauty and the ever changing whims of fashion.
Simone, our protagonist is one of them, his every need is catered to as he pursues aesthetic perfection, isolated from the uglys (the unfashionable, denim-clad working class who actually keep society running.)
So far removed from regular society, this ultra rich class have no idea how wealthy they really are (they have no concept of money and every traumatic experience is erased from their memories—including their own childhoods.)
Simone lives for fashion but unlike his peers, he inadvertently starts his own trends which begins a feud with rival fashionista Justine which threatens the very existence of the opulent utopia all Glitterati depend on.
I really loved the detailed, aesthetic prose, and the fashion—farfetched, overly dramatic and occasionally even deadly—was something I found really interesting. As someone who loves watching high fashion/ Haute Couture shows, the trends that Langmeade has created aren’t too different from the strange ensembles that appear at Paris Fashion Week (sans the poisonous dresses and self inflicted nosebleeds that is.) The social commentary surrounding the fashion industry and our capitalist society as a whole: the importance of designer labels, exploitation of labour and the extreme wealth gap were also quite relevant.
Simone (our blissfully ignorant protagonist) lives so far removed from “regular society” that the thought of labour intensive jobs that make his life possible such as gardeners, cooks or even cleaners is just an abstract concept to him. They make messes that (to them) seem to magical resolve themselves which lends itself to the satirical and darkly humour plus tone of the entire book.
Simone’s fashion faux pas—which turns him into a trend setting genius is the beginning of Simone’s life changing journey but it’s Louise (the ‘unfashionable’ child found in his garden) that really becomes the catalyst for his transformation, leading him to reevaluate his life and society in general.
There were some rather funny scenes which revolved around just how little the Glitterati know about the real world—all traumatic memories are removed so neither Georgie (Simone’s wife) nor Simone even know what a child is. And their analogy that Louisa was just a small creature similar to a drunk person was oddly funny to me.
The one downside was that the format isn’t really set up in chapters so it sometimes made if difficult to know where to stop, or had me rereading a previous page due to being halfway through a paragraph or in the middle of the action.
Overall, this was a fabulously thrilling tale of fashion, family and betrayal that’s perfect for dystopian fiction lovers or anyone looking for a quick, wildlly entertaining read that doesn’t take itself to seriously.
Also, thanks to Titan Books for the finished copy.
Simone, our protagonist is one of them, his every need is catered to as he pursues aesthetic perfection, isolated from the uglys (the unfashionable, denim-clad working class who actually keep society running.)
So far removed from regular society, this ultra rich class have no idea how wealthy they really are (they have no concept of money and every traumatic experience is erased from their memories—including their own childhoods.)
Simone lives for fashion but unlike his peers, he inadvertently starts his own trends which begins a feud with rival fashionista Justine which threatens the very existence of the opulent utopia all Glitterati depend on.
I really loved the detailed, aesthetic prose, and the fashion—farfetched, overly dramatic and occasionally even deadly—was something I found really interesting. As someone who loves watching high fashion/ Haute Couture shows, the trends that Langmeade has created aren’t too different from the strange ensembles that appear at Paris Fashion Week (sans the poisonous dresses and self inflicted nosebleeds that is.) The social commentary surrounding the fashion industry and our capitalist society as a whole: the importance of designer labels, exploitation of labour and the extreme wealth gap were also quite relevant.
Simone (our blissfully ignorant protagonist) lives so far removed from “regular society” that the thought of labour intensive jobs that make his life possible such as gardeners, cooks or even cleaners is just an abstract concept to him. They make messes that (to them) seem to magical resolve themselves which lends itself to the satirical and darkly humour plus tone of the entire book.
Simone’s fashion faux pas—which turns him into a trend setting genius is the beginning of Simone’s life changing journey but it’s Louise (the ‘unfashionable’ child found in his garden) that really becomes the catalyst for his transformation, leading him to reevaluate his life and society in general.
There were some rather funny scenes which revolved around just how little the Glitterati know about the real world—all traumatic memories are removed so neither Georgie (Simone’s wife) nor Simone even know what a child is. And their analogy that Louisa was just a small creature similar to a drunk person was oddly funny to me.
The one downside was that the format isn’t really set up in chapters so it sometimes made if difficult to know where to stop, or had me rereading a previous page due to being halfway through a paragraph or in the middle of the action.
Overall, this was a fabulously thrilling tale of fashion, family and betrayal that’s perfect for dystopian fiction lovers or anyone looking for a quick, wildlly entertaining read that doesn’t take itself to seriously.
Also, thanks to Titan Books for the finished copy.
May 24, 2022
An absurd, dark, hilarious satire full of some of the worst - and morally ugly - people I've ever encountered.
I delighted in hating absolutely everyone, but I also couldn't stop reading.
Fabulous.
I delighted in hating absolutely everyone, but I also couldn't stop reading.
Fabulous.
May 30, 2022
The nitty-gritty: Bizarre, funny, and shocking, Glitterati is as sparkling and dangerous as the outfits worn by the characters.
Glitterati is one of those books that creeps up on you. It starts slow, dumping the reader into a bizarre world with seemingly unlikable characters doing odd things, and before you know it, those same characters have wormed their way into your heart. This is the fourth book I’ve read by Oliver K. Langmead, and it’s completely different from anything else he’s written. In Glitterati, the author uses satire to explore class differences and prejudices in unexpected and humorous ways. This story is full of the absurd and the grotesque, and the backdrop is a futuristic fashion industry full of outrageous characters whose sole purpose in life is to be fashionable.
Simone is a glitterati, one of the upper class privileged whose life revolves around fashion. Simone spends his days looking at fashion magazines, agonizing over which outfit to wear, and practicing poses so that people will notice how fashionable and aesthetic he is. Simone is married to Georgie, who is just as fashionable as he is. Anyone who isn’t a glitterati is an unfashionable, or an ugly. Those people are to be avoided at all costs, and why would Simone come into contact with them anyway? Simone, Georgie and the other glitterati live in a bubble of fashion, protected from a life of drudgery they know nothing about.
But one day, everything changes. Simone’s coworker Justine invites them to a party, where Simone suffers a nosebleed and ruins the perfectly pristine white suit he’s wearing. He tries to escape the party unnoticed, but a photographer manages to snap a picture of the disaster. The next day, he’s shocked to see Justine plastered all over the fashion magazines with blood dripping down her face and covering her outfit. Justine has stolen Simone’s nosebleed and turned it into fashion! Simone vows to get back at her, but this sets off a chain of events that threaten to bring Simone’s carefully preserved fashionable world to an end.
What a weird story this was! And trust me, this is my type of “weird.” The first part of the story introduces the reader to a very odd world, where the life of the glitterati, or fashionistas as they are also called, revolves around staying on top of the latest trends at all costs. For example, each day of the week has a fashionable color, so if Wednesdays are for wearing purple, you do not want to show up in white. Fashion extends to hair, makeup and accessories, so each piece of the wardrobe is carefully executed to have the most impact in public. Glitterati know exactly which poses to strike (cue Madonna) and what kind of light to stand under in order to look their best at all times. I was fascinated by the detailed descriptions of the outlandish outfits and the glitterati’s focus on living a life devoted to fashion.
And at first, it seems that’s all the story has to offer, description after strange description of the glitterati and their wild outfits. But little by little, cracks begin to appear in Simone’s world, and that’s when things get interesting. When Simone shatters a crystal champagne glass upon seeing Justine’s betrayal, he must go to the doctor to get his hand fixed up, and that’s when we meet Dr. Cask for the first time. Dr. Cask performs a horrific procedure that results in a completely new hand for Simone, after which he surgically erases all the awful memories of the party. Simone takes all this in stride, as if he’s been through this many times before, but for the reader it’s a sinister story element that makes you wonder what the hell is going on.
Georgie and Simone discover a child in their garden, which leads to all kinds of ridiculous things happening, but the child is also an important catalyst for some big life changes for Simone. It’s during this time that Simone begins to realize that his life is not what he thought it was—at all—and that perhaps he has been wrong about many things, including fashion. I loved this character growth so much, especially since Simone isn’t that likable in the beginning of the story and nearly impossible to root for.
The story has a sort of gender-bent quality to it, and after a confusing start, I really started to enjoy Langmead’s treatment of gender. First, Simone is male but his name is feminine, and Georgie is female but her name is masculine. Simone wears dresses and makeup and high heels and even appreciates his friend Darlington’s (also male) cut physique and tight swim trunks, but he’s deeply in love with his wife. It’s a society where gender doesn’t really have much meaning and anyone can wear anything, and I thought it was a refreshing change.
The story veers from shocking (glitterati sticking ice picks up their nose in order to bleed all over their outfits for the sake of fashion) to anger-inducing (the way the glitterati look down on the uglies) to ludicrous (Simone dressing in medieval armor in order to confront Justine) to moments of unexpected tenderness (when Simone realizes that Georgie’s beauty has nothing to do with fashion at all). In short, the story is one surprise after another, all of it skillfully handled and executed.
In the midst of all this lively entertainment, Langmead makes some sharp observations about class privilege and division and the elite’s ability to ignore the lower, working classes completely. When we finally learn why the glitterati exist, it’s like the author has pulled back the curtain and exposed the grease-crusted gears that make society work, and it was horrifying. The ending was surprisingly emotional and hopeful, and I was so proud of Simone for embracing such an uncomfortable journey. Readers looking for unusual, high quality speculative fiction do not want to miss this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Glitterati is one of those books that creeps up on you. It starts slow, dumping the reader into a bizarre world with seemingly unlikable characters doing odd things, and before you know it, those same characters have wormed their way into your heart. This is the fourth book I’ve read by Oliver K. Langmead, and it’s completely different from anything else he’s written. In Glitterati, the author uses satire to explore class differences and prejudices in unexpected and humorous ways. This story is full of the absurd and the grotesque, and the backdrop is a futuristic fashion industry full of outrageous characters whose sole purpose in life is to be fashionable.
Simone is a glitterati, one of the upper class privileged whose life revolves around fashion. Simone spends his days looking at fashion magazines, agonizing over which outfit to wear, and practicing poses so that people will notice how fashionable and aesthetic he is. Simone is married to Georgie, who is just as fashionable as he is. Anyone who isn’t a glitterati is an unfashionable, or an ugly. Those people are to be avoided at all costs, and why would Simone come into contact with them anyway? Simone, Georgie and the other glitterati live in a bubble of fashion, protected from a life of drudgery they know nothing about.
But one day, everything changes. Simone’s coworker Justine invites them to a party, where Simone suffers a nosebleed and ruins the perfectly pristine white suit he’s wearing. He tries to escape the party unnoticed, but a photographer manages to snap a picture of the disaster. The next day, he’s shocked to see Justine plastered all over the fashion magazines with blood dripping down her face and covering her outfit. Justine has stolen Simone’s nosebleed and turned it into fashion! Simone vows to get back at her, but this sets off a chain of events that threaten to bring Simone’s carefully preserved fashionable world to an end.
What a weird story this was! And trust me, this is my type of “weird.” The first part of the story introduces the reader to a very odd world, where the life of the glitterati, or fashionistas as they are also called, revolves around staying on top of the latest trends at all costs. For example, each day of the week has a fashionable color, so if Wednesdays are for wearing purple, you do not want to show up in white. Fashion extends to hair, makeup and accessories, so each piece of the wardrobe is carefully executed to have the most impact in public. Glitterati know exactly which poses to strike (cue Madonna) and what kind of light to stand under in order to look their best at all times. I was fascinated by the detailed descriptions of the outlandish outfits and the glitterati’s focus on living a life devoted to fashion.
And at first, it seems that’s all the story has to offer, description after strange description of the glitterati and their wild outfits. But little by little, cracks begin to appear in Simone’s world, and that’s when things get interesting. When Simone shatters a crystal champagne glass upon seeing Justine’s betrayal, he must go to the doctor to get his hand fixed up, and that’s when we meet Dr. Cask for the first time. Dr. Cask performs a horrific procedure that results in a completely new hand for Simone, after which he surgically erases all the awful memories of the party. Simone takes all this in stride, as if he’s been through this many times before, but for the reader it’s a sinister story element that makes you wonder what the hell is going on.
Georgie and Simone discover a child in their garden, which leads to all kinds of ridiculous things happening, but the child is also an important catalyst for some big life changes for Simone. It’s during this time that Simone begins to realize that his life is not what he thought it was—at all—and that perhaps he has been wrong about many things, including fashion. I loved this character growth so much, especially since Simone isn’t that likable in the beginning of the story and nearly impossible to root for.
The story has a sort of gender-bent quality to it, and after a confusing start, I really started to enjoy Langmead’s treatment of gender. First, Simone is male but his name is feminine, and Georgie is female but her name is masculine. Simone wears dresses and makeup and high heels and even appreciates his friend Darlington’s (also male) cut physique and tight swim trunks, but he’s deeply in love with his wife. It’s a society where gender doesn’t really have much meaning and anyone can wear anything, and I thought it was a refreshing change.
The story veers from shocking (glitterati sticking ice picks up their nose in order to bleed all over their outfits for the sake of fashion) to anger-inducing (the way the glitterati look down on the uglies) to ludicrous (Simone dressing in medieval armor in order to confront Justine) to moments of unexpected tenderness (when Simone realizes that Georgie’s beauty has nothing to do with fashion at all). In short, the story is one surprise after another, all of it skillfully handled and executed.
In the midst of all this lively entertainment, Langmead makes some sharp observations about class privilege and division and the elite’s ability to ignore the lower, working classes completely. When we finally learn why the glitterati exist, it’s like the author has pulled back the curtain and exposed the grease-crusted gears that make society work, and it was horrifying. The ending was surprisingly emotional and hopeful, and I was so proud of Simone for embracing such an uncomfortable journey. Readers looking for unusual, high quality speculative fiction do not want to miss this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
February 7, 2023
This is a super weird and wacky (and gruesome/bloody) story at times and I found myself hooked into it. It's definitely an elitist life, and a world where there are two types of people, the regular, drudge-y normal people, and the elite Glitterati who are fashionistas to the max. The world of the Glitterati is ever changing based on the trends of fashion, and there's literally NOTHING they won't do to make the latest trends, including killing, maiming and generally being super crazy. They are an entirely untouchable and un-relatable group, and super weird but fun to read about!
Simone is our main character who accidentally sparks some new fashions inadvertently, but he doesn't get credit for them. He's got a rival who is trying to steal his thunder, and the story loosely follows their rivalry and the lengths they will go to.
I liked the gender-fluidity of the fashion in this world, it's not at all rigid and men and women will all wear make up and create their 'looks' to stay in with the crowd. There's a bizarreness to the Glitterati for sure, but they are also fascinatingly odd and I couldn't stop reading about them and whatever weirdness they would get up to next!
Honestly this is a bit of a rollercoaster and very fun to pick up between heavier books. I found myself comparing it a little to Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (which wasn't a bad thing as they're different but I liked both a lot) and I think it's a fun insight into the lives of the super-rich and the way they can live on an entirely different plane of existence from the 'normals'. 4*s from me and I intend to read more by this author :)
Simone is our main character who accidentally sparks some new fashions inadvertently, but he doesn't get credit for them. He's got a rival who is trying to steal his thunder, and the story loosely follows their rivalry and the lengths they will go to.
I liked the gender-fluidity of the fashion in this world, it's not at all rigid and men and women will all wear make up and create their 'looks' to stay in with the crowd. There's a bizarreness to the Glitterati for sure, but they are also fascinatingly odd and I couldn't stop reading about them and whatever weirdness they would get up to next!
Honestly this is a bit of a rollercoaster and very fun to pick up between heavier books. I found myself comparing it a little to Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (which wasn't a bad thing as they're different but I liked both a lot) and I think it's a fun insight into the lives of the super-rich and the way they can live on an entirely different plane of existence from the 'normals'. 4*s from me and I intend to read more by this author :)
August 19, 2024
I am sad. This could have been a fun satire. Instead it was a mildly amusing reverie. Nothing positive, and the negatives are all "what did we read this for?" type questions.
It was fine, in the end, like its characters--brainless and surface deep.
It was fine, in the end, like its characters--brainless and surface deep.
April 28, 2022
A very dystopian novel indeed.
I found it so hilarious at Simone’s reaction of what a child was and what to do with It LOL.
This novel is so far over the top and absurd. I found it to be interesting. Although it was a little long.
The world in this novel is run by the rich who are obsessed with fashion. They even remove memories of giving birth. It appears as if this novel is based on so much bitchy-ness on upstaging each other and taking each other’s idea and so on. It does come across as very immature for a world of adults. I felt as if it was going in circles of what to wear and what not to wear and who dared to wear whichever outfit. At times Simone was referred to as a she and then a he? Is this a grammar error?
I did enjoy the plot to an extent so I am being polite in my rating today.
3/5 stars
———————-
Review on:
https://clife.blog/2022/04/28/book-re...
I found it so hilarious at Simone’s reaction of what a child was and what to do with It LOL.
This novel is so far over the top and absurd. I found it to be interesting. Although it was a little long.
The world in this novel is run by the rich who are obsessed with fashion. They even remove memories of giving birth. It appears as if this novel is based on so much bitchy-ness on upstaging each other and taking each other’s idea and so on. It does come across as very immature for a world of adults. I felt as if it was going in circles of what to wear and what not to wear and who dared to wear whichever outfit. At times Simone was referred to as a she and then a he? Is this a grammar error?
I did enjoy the plot to an extent so I am being polite in my rating today.
3/5 stars
———————-
Review on:
https://clife.blog/2022/04/28/book-re...
May 30, 2022
There is a full review of this book on my website. It is one of the most original books I have come across. It tackles so many problems with the world we live in like how disconnected the 1% is from rest of society, influencer culture, and the absurd trends that come and go. This book is amazing on so many levels.
September 23, 2024
I liked it... but I could not finish it. I decided to stop at the 40% mark. The characters were great, the story spot on, and the dystopian world so sinister and sterile it left me wanting more. In the end, I stopped as the body horror of the ultrarich glitterati and the pain they inflict on the "uglies" was a little much for me. I'm pretty sure I can correlate a spike in nightmares every evening after I read a few chapters.
Art should make you uncomfortable and this book did a great job. I stand by it, Langmead is a brilliant author.
Art should make you uncomfortable and this book did a great job. I stand by it, Langmead is a brilliant author.
April 19, 2022
Read an eARC from NetGalley
Content warning: Nosebleeds, vomiting, drug abuse, graphic depiction of surgery, fatphobia
Glitterati takes place in a futuristic world where fashion rules the lives of its elite. Simone is one such denizen, bound by rules until he makes a faux pas that proves to be fashionable. A friendly competition between him and a coworker turns deadly when being in the upper echelon of society isn’t enough.
Fascinating in the precision of its prose, this glamorous tale is full of aesthetic and takes fashion rules to their highest extremes.
I don’t think anyone told Langmead that a protagonist has to be likeable. Simone is vapid, contemptable, and deep under the trance of his high fashion, Glitterati lifestyle. Unlike other stories, he is not one looking to upset the status quo. In fact, the status quo is entirely the appeal of this book. Like a beautiful train wreck, you can’t stop staring, even as the more horrendous elements come to light. For example, I am still disturbed by the free use of medicinal memory erasure.
The aesthetic is futuristic and precise in its language. There’s a lot of care put into the crafting of invented fashion designers, trends, and even the weekly rituals around accepted colors and outfits. With regards to social conventions, there are ways to greet each other, specific rhythms and patterns of speech. It’s so meticulously realized and finely crafted. Not a single element of world-building can exist beyond this book.
The tone can also be cheeky at times. The story takes a sharp turn towards plot when a child appears in Georgie and Simone’s estate and where this cheekiness shines. Because of aforementioned brain washing, the elite have no memories of children, so when the kid shows up, they think it’s a creature not unlike a drunk adult. It’s funny in that way that prevents tears. The commitment to the dehumanization within the society is, again, something I couldn’t tear my eyes away from.
I anticipate this might not be a read for everyone, but I found myself entranced by this deadly world of dramatic fashion.
Content warning: Nosebleeds, vomiting, drug abuse, graphic depiction of surgery, fatphobia
Glitterati takes place in a futuristic world where fashion rules the lives of its elite. Simone is one such denizen, bound by rules until he makes a faux pas that proves to be fashionable. A friendly competition between him and a coworker turns deadly when being in the upper echelon of society isn’t enough.
Fascinating in the precision of its prose, this glamorous tale is full of aesthetic and takes fashion rules to their highest extremes.
I don’t think anyone told Langmead that a protagonist has to be likeable. Simone is vapid, contemptable, and deep under the trance of his high fashion, Glitterati lifestyle. Unlike other stories, he is not one looking to upset the status quo. In fact, the status quo is entirely the appeal of this book. Like a beautiful train wreck, you can’t stop staring, even as the more horrendous elements come to light. For example, I am still disturbed by the free use of medicinal memory erasure.
The aesthetic is futuristic and precise in its language. There’s a lot of care put into the crafting of invented fashion designers, trends, and even the weekly rituals around accepted colors and outfits. With regards to social conventions, there are ways to greet each other, specific rhythms and patterns of speech. It’s so meticulously realized and finely crafted. Not a single element of world-building can exist beyond this book.
The tone can also be cheeky at times. The story takes a sharp turn towards plot when a child appears in Georgie and Simone’s estate and where this cheekiness shines. Because of aforementioned brain washing, the elite have no memories of children, so when the kid shows up, they think it’s a creature not unlike a drunk adult. It’s funny in that way that prevents tears. The commitment to the dehumanization within the society is, again, something I couldn’t tear my eyes away from.
I anticipate this might not be a read for everyone, but I found myself entranced by this deadly world of dramatic fashion.
July 27, 2022
Glitterati by Oliver K. Langmead is an absurd dystopia, a world where the fashionable live perfectly posed lives away from the work and troubles of the unfashionables. The protagonists are vain and wilfully ignorant, but there is something compelling about the initially petty conflicts that absorb them.
Picture a world where everyone is beautiful, where beauty and style are the primary goal of any endeavour, and where things like money are no concern, food and cleaning something that just happens. Like the feed of an instagram influencer, the world of the glitterati is one of poises, fine clothes and fleeting styles.
Simone is vapid and almost cruel in his selfishness, aware of the unfashionables, but with no awareness that their unfashionable lives must be requires to run the industries that create all the fine products he consumes. He is ignorant of many things – indeed in this world traumatic memories, such as injury, can be and often are purged from the memories of the fashionable (because depression is oh so unfashionable). His one saving feature is his love for his wife Georgie, something supportive and respectful in a mostly cut-throat world.
Two incidents drive the plot of the novel. The first, a bitter rivalry between Simone and another fashionista, one who uses his ability to stumble upon new fashions to her own advantage, someone crafty and especially cruel. As they clash, things escalate, eventually causing real peril for Simone and Georgie.
The second is a toddler that suddenly appears in their garden, a toddler in a part of society where there are no children (much like how the rich often fob their kids off onto nannies and boarding schools, the children of the glitterati are removed and taught separately, returning only when they are of an age to be fashionable like their parents, their minds erased of everything that came before). At first they fear the unfashionable child, but time with it slowly starts to change them for the better.
Simone is a hard protagonist to like, especially in the first half (at least) of the book, so much of my enjoyment early on came from the satirical nature, the absurdity of these people. I did think that the book was perhaps a bit longer than its premise warranted, but I was satisfied with how everything panned out. Since the book is told from the perspective of Simone (in third person) we also get a myriad of descriptions of the outfits of each character, which of course change every day depending on the current fashions. That may get tedious for some readers.
Glitterati is ultimately a small scale story about an ignorant person finally learning to change despite the pressures not to. It’s surprisingly heartfelt, darkly funny with a biting satirical edge.
Rating: 8/10
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For reviews like this and more, visit my blog
Picture a world where everyone is beautiful, where beauty and style are the primary goal of any endeavour, and where things like money are no concern, food and cleaning something that just happens. Like the feed of an instagram influencer, the world of the glitterati is one of poises, fine clothes and fleeting styles.
Simone is vapid and almost cruel in his selfishness, aware of the unfashionables, but with no awareness that their unfashionable lives must be requires to run the industries that create all the fine products he consumes. He is ignorant of many things – indeed in this world traumatic memories, such as injury, can be and often are purged from the memories of the fashionable (because depression is oh so unfashionable). His one saving feature is his love for his wife Georgie, something supportive and respectful in a mostly cut-throat world.
Two incidents drive the plot of the novel. The first, a bitter rivalry between Simone and another fashionista, one who uses his ability to stumble upon new fashions to her own advantage, someone crafty and especially cruel. As they clash, things escalate, eventually causing real peril for Simone and Georgie.
The second is a toddler that suddenly appears in their garden, a toddler in a part of society where there are no children (much like how the rich often fob their kids off onto nannies and boarding schools, the children of the glitterati are removed and taught separately, returning only when they are of an age to be fashionable like their parents, their minds erased of everything that came before). At first they fear the unfashionable child, but time with it slowly starts to change them for the better.
Simone is a hard protagonist to like, especially in the first half (at least) of the book, so much of my enjoyment early on came from the satirical nature, the absurdity of these people. I did think that the book was perhaps a bit longer than its premise warranted, but I was satisfied with how everything panned out. Since the book is told from the perspective of Simone (in third person) we also get a myriad of descriptions of the outfits of each character, which of course change every day depending on the current fashions. That may get tedious for some readers.
Glitterati is ultimately a small scale story about an ignorant person finally learning to change despite the pressures not to. It’s surprisingly heartfelt, darkly funny with a biting satirical edge.
Rating: 8/10
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For reviews like this and more, visit my blog
May 17, 2022
Wow, I think this is the craziest book I've ever read!
Think Zoolander meets Blackmirror meets Isimov, but in a dystopian world where beauty and fashion are everything. It's wild, fun, grotesque, absurd, vividly imaginative and highly entertaining.
Langmead, besides being creatively a genius, is also a great writer and his prose is excellent.
It might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I'm sure if you give it a try you will find it as engaging and enticing as I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Think Zoolander meets Blackmirror meets Isimov, but in a dystopian world where beauty and fashion are everything. It's wild, fun, grotesque, absurd, vividly imaginative and highly entertaining.
Langmead, besides being creatively a genius, is also a great writer and his prose is excellent.
It might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I'm sure if you give it a try you will find it as engaging and enticing as I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2022
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Glitterati by Oliver K. Langmead is a fun, campy dystopian novel with elements of horror. The story revolves around Simone, one of the Glitterati, the elite class in a dystopian world. He spends his time going to parties with other fashion-obsessed people and sniffing their noses at the so-called "uglies" of the world, who are the lower class. But is everything really perfect in the lives of the rich and fashionable? When a "ugly" child turns up unexpectedly in Simone's garden, it ends up turning his life upside down.
Here is a humorous excerpt from Chapter 1, which introduces us to Simone and his wife Georgie:
"“Is it Wednesday, or Tuesday?”
“It’s Tuesday today.”
“Did we not have a Tuesday yesterday?”
Georgie paused, to consider. Then, she said, “No, dearest. We had a Monday yesterday. I recall it being Monday quite clearly, in fact, because Gabriel was wearing a beaded Savinchay dress, and as you well know, it would be outrageous to wear beads on any other day of the week.”
That settled it, then.
Simone unpeeled his face from the pink leather chaise-longue. Last night had been a rainbow of cocktails, resulting in the headache now threatening to impinge on his usually immaculate poise. He went across to the gold-plated Manchodroi dresser, which he only ever used on Tuesdays, and was astonished to find that his usual dose of painkillers was gone."
Overall, Glitterati is a dystopian novel that comments on our society's obsession with beauty, money, and status. One highlight of this book is how fun it is. There are several humorous moments, especially when discovering how looks-obsessed Simone is. The world that he inhabits is interesting and engrossing to read about. I did take off 1 star, because I did get tired of the premise and the main character after a while. What was original at the beginning started to grate as the story went on. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of dystopian novels, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!
Glitterati by Oliver K. Langmead is a fun, campy dystopian novel with elements of horror. The story revolves around Simone, one of the Glitterati, the elite class in a dystopian world. He spends his time going to parties with other fashion-obsessed people and sniffing their noses at the so-called "uglies" of the world, who are the lower class. But is everything really perfect in the lives of the rich and fashionable? When a "ugly" child turns up unexpectedly in Simone's garden, it ends up turning his life upside down.
Here is a humorous excerpt from Chapter 1, which introduces us to Simone and his wife Georgie:
"“Is it Wednesday, or Tuesday?”
“It’s Tuesday today.”
“Did we not have a Tuesday yesterday?”
Georgie paused, to consider. Then, she said, “No, dearest. We had a Monday yesterday. I recall it being Monday quite clearly, in fact, because Gabriel was wearing a beaded Savinchay dress, and as you well know, it would be outrageous to wear beads on any other day of the week.”
That settled it, then.
Simone unpeeled his face from the pink leather chaise-longue. Last night had been a rainbow of cocktails, resulting in the headache now threatening to impinge on his usually immaculate poise. He went across to the gold-plated Manchodroi dresser, which he only ever used on Tuesdays, and was astonished to find that his usual dose of painkillers was gone."
Overall, Glitterati is a dystopian novel that comments on our society's obsession with beauty, money, and status. One highlight of this book is how fun it is. There are several humorous moments, especially when discovering how looks-obsessed Simone is. The world that he inhabits is interesting and engrossing to read about. I did take off 1 star, because I did get tired of the premise and the main character after a while. What was original at the beginning started to grate as the story went on. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of dystopian novels, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!
June 8, 2022
Oliver Langmead’s Glitterati is a rollercoaster of a book. The story follows Simone – one of the Glitterati. The Glitterati are the absolute elite in society – they live their lives in complete luxury, but they must follow the strict rules around what is fashionable and what is not. If a new fashion comes along they must join in, or risk being seen as unfashionable. When Simone attends a party and accidentally has a nosebleed, it sparks a new trend. Simone expects to be hailed as a fashion genius, but another Gltterati – Justine – takes credit. This sparks an intense rivalry between the two and Simone must do everything he can to stop Justine from destroying him.
Glitterati is a fast-paced read, and one I read in just a few sittings. It’s such a unique idea and I was fascinated by the absurd, over the top life that Simone and the other Glitterati lead. The ever-changing fashions were unreal – even ones that could kill you. There are some quite funny moments in the story too – such as when Simone is confronted with denim or children. Langmead has a really vivid writing style so each scene practically leaps off the page. The story felt well written and well executed.
Overall Glitterati is an enjoyable read, but the characters are so unlikeable it’s hard to root for Simone to succeed. As a result, I didn’t feel as invested in the story. Glitterati is certainly a unique tale and if you’re on the hunt for a fresh take on the dystopian genre, Glitterati should definitely be your next read.
Glitterati is a fast-paced read, and one I read in just a few sittings. It’s such a unique idea and I was fascinated by the absurd, over the top life that Simone and the other Glitterati lead. The ever-changing fashions were unreal – even ones that could kill you. There are some quite funny moments in the story too – such as when Simone is confronted with denim or children. Langmead has a really vivid writing style so each scene practically leaps off the page. The story felt well written and well executed.
Overall Glitterati is an enjoyable read, but the characters are so unlikeable it’s hard to root for Simone to succeed. As a result, I didn’t feel as invested in the story. Glitterati is certainly a unique tale and if you’re on the hunt for a fresh take on the dystopian genre, Glitterati should definitely be your next read.
December 16, 2022
A strange dark comedy of surreal stylists at the top of society and unaware of how their world works. Very engaging but may have needed a bit more bite
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
May 1, 2022
I was approved for an e-arc on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t really know what to say about this book. It’s a bit nonsensical: the plot goes all over the place and reads a bit like a trashy book you’d read on the beach but with a dystopian twist. I don’t mean this in a bad way either.
My biggest gripe is that I think more could have been done to explore the deeper themes. There were some very interesting questions raised but it felt a bit surface level.
If you want something that requires you to suspend all belief but is, oddly, quite enjoyable, then this is the book for you. I was reading this alongside some very heavy books and it was a nice change.
I don’t really know what to say about this book. It’s a bit nonsensical: the plot goes all over the place and reads a bit like a trashy book you’d read on the beach but with a dystopian twist. I don’t mean this in a bad way either.
My biggest gripe is that I think more could have been done to explore the deeper themes. There were some very interesting questions raised but it felt a bit surface level.
If you want something that requires you to suspend all belief but is, oddly, quite enjoyable, then this is the book for you. I was reading this alongside some very heavy books and it was a nice change.
May 19, 2025
I honestly started reading this book because of a review that called it “The Hunger Games crossed with Rupaul’s Drag Race”, which if you know me, was incredibly targeted. While I wouldn’t say it’s quite either of those things, it was definitely a very enjoyable and wild read. I found myself engrossed in the high end world of the Glitteratti, dazzled by the incredible descriptions of futuristic fashion and impressed by the seamless discourse of classism in the world of the ultra wealthy.
December 28, 2022
Slightly baffled at the idea that you're supposed to sympathise with... the poor enlightened billionaire?
September 21, 2023
Hilarious, satirical, and so so sweet
June 7, 2022
Glitterati is the latest novel from Oliver K. Langmead, who wrote the stunning Birds of Paradise last year. Whilst Birds of Paradise looked backwards, taking a look at the history of the world, the garden of Eden, and the first humans, Glitterati looks forward, to an unspecified future point where the mega rich live lives of luxury.
Glitterati follows Simone, a man who lives a life of absolute luxury. He, and the other Glliterati, spend their days obsessing over fashion, about looking fabulous, and chasing the next trend. Simone has a job in a beautiful, gleaming building with other Glitterati, but the job seems to consist of posing around the office, reading magazines, and pretending to be in meetings. Jobs themselves seem to be a fashion choice, and no real Glitterati would actually work for a living.
When Simone gets his days mixed up and arrives to work wearing white rather than the expected purple that he should have been wearing on a Wednesday, he gets praised for his daring choice, and is invited to a swanky party held by the much beloved Justine. The party goes well, until Simone snorts too much cocaine and ends up having a nosebleed. Simone escapes the party, hiding his shame; but is outraged the next day when Justine is on the covers of magazines sporting her latest fashion, nosebleeds. Simone believes that Justine stole his look and sets out to get back at her. This spurs off a series of events that sets the two Glitterati as enemies, and ends up changing Simone's life forever.
I feel bad saying this, but I really don't think Glitterati was the right book for me. There's nothing wrong with it, it's written really well and has some beautiful prose, but I think the subject matter is just too far out of the area of things I enjoy for me to have been the target audience for this book. Which is a shame, because Birds of Paradise was one of my favourite books of last year; I really wanted to like this one. But, not every book is going to appeal to every person, and that's fine. And whilst this review may seem negative, please be aware that this is only my opinion, and that others love this book. So please, if it sounds like something you like pick up a copy and give it a try.
Glitterati is a book that seems to celebrate in the excess of the ultra wealthy and the mega fashionable. It feels like a combination of reality shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians and London Fashion Week. Simone, and every other person we spend any real time with in this book, are wealthy to the point where they never have to think about money, where they can do whatever they like whenever they like, and don't even need to acknowledge that capitalism is a thing because they have enough money to make it happen. And everything they do is shaped around fashion and aesthetic beauty to the point where their actual lives seem empty of any real goals, passion, or personality.
The fashions on display in the book are often over the top. They seem impractical and often silly, and the lives of the fashionables seems to be one long exercise in showing off how opulent and pretty you are. Clothing isn't worn to be comfortable, or practical. Fashion seems to either be used to fit in with the crowds, with everyone dressing to certain themes on certain days, or as a way of expressing certain moods as facial expressions seem to be a thing forgotten for the Glitterati as any change in the face could ruin their perfect make-up. For example, if you're upset with someone and want to confront them about something you dress in armour, strapping decorative plates and weapons to yourself.
I know I'm not a fashionable person in real life, and I care about comfort more than how fashionable I look, so I know I don't get things like this; but it felt like Langmead had taken a look at the strangest and weirdest runway fashions in the world and asked 'what if that was everyday?'. And that's not a bad idea, and it presents some interesting and unique things that make the book stand out. But it also made it feel like this was something that I just didn't understand too. I wasn't sure if it was a satire or a serious look at what a future where these trends and themes evolved into everyday wear. I can't help but feel if I knew more about fashion, make-up, and being glamorous that I'd have gotten more out it.
The book is filled with long descriptions of clothing, make-up, and accessories that Simone uses in order to make himself fashionable. The reader gets given names of designers and companies, dropped in as casual references as a way of building the world. I liked this, I enjoyed the fact that Langmead slowly built the world of the fashionable with small context details like this, and that as the book went on you'd begin to see the same names pop up again and again. But there's a lack of larger world-building that I found left me scratching my head by the end of the book.
The fashionables live in paradise, existing in a world away from the 'uglies'. Their homes , their playgrounds, and their jobs exist near regular people, but above them or to one side. The two groups never meet, never mix, and the fashionables try not to think of regular folks. But regular people clean their homes, they cook their meals, they make their clothes. Regular folk exist within the Glitterati world unseen and un-thought of. The Glitterati are able to remove memories, to have their entire childhoods erased, and to wipe away any unkind moments of their lives. They have all this advanced technology, and have this system set up where they live in luxurious ignorance because regular people work behind the scenes. But the book never explains how or why.
We never learn how the fashionable society came into existence, how they're able to live like this whilst the rest of the world struggles on like normal. We don't know why they have more advanced technology whilst other people seem to be living in a world that seems contemporary to ours. And we never get an explanation as to why people simply don't just revolt against this system and tear down the Glitterati way of life. This is stuff that I wanted desperately to know, that I found much more interesting that simply watching Simone going to the beach or the gym and seeing how he picks out his outfits. It felt like there was an interesting world here, yet we never went beyond a narrow, surface level look at it.
I also failed to connect with Simone in any real way. Simone is, frankly, an awful person. He's vapid, self absorbed, thoughtless, selfish, whiny, and has no real redeeming features. I'm not saying every protagonist needs to be good, or even likeable, but they need to have something to them that makes me care. And I just didn't have that with Simone. He gets upset that someone 'stole' is look, but Justine didn't steal anything. It wasn't Simone's look. He was running away with a nosebleed. Justine was inspired by what happened to Simone, but it wasn't a fashion he'd made and she took the idea. But in his head it is, because he thinks he's wonderful and amazing and fabulous. And I just couldn't get on board with that. Yes, Simone does begin to change towards the end of the book, but it felt like it was too little too late, and by then I'd already come to dislike him and couldn't care if he'd finally come to realise cruelty to children wasn't okay.
I feel like I've come across as too negative towards the book with this review. Please don't feel that this is me saying it's bad. Please, try the book yourselves and come to your own conclusions about it; because there's a chance you could end up being one of the folks this book was definitely made for. There's an audience for this book, and they're loving it. It simply isn't me.
Glitterati follows Simone, a man who lives a life of absolute luxury. He, and the other Glliterati, spend their days obsessing over fashion, about looking fabulous, and chasing the next trend. Simone has a job in a beautiful, gleaming building with other Glitterati, but the job seems to consist of posing around the office, reading magazines, and pretending to be in meetings. Jobs themselves seem to be a fashion choice, and no real Glitterati would actually work for a living.
When Simone gets his days mixed up and arrives to work wearing white rather than the expected purple that he should have been wearing on a Wednesday, he gets praised for his daring choice, and is invited to a swanky party held by the much beloved Justine. The party goes well, until Simone snorts too much cocaine and ends up having a nosebleed. Simone escapes the party, hiding his shame; but is outraged the next day when Justine is on the covers of magazines sporting her latest fashion, nosebleeds. Simone believes that Justine stole his look and sets out to get back at her. This spurs off a series of events that sets the two Glitterati as enemies, and ends up changing Simone's life forever.
I feel bad saying this, but I really don't think Glitterati was the right book for me. There's nothing wrong with it, it's written really well and has some beautiful prose, but I think the subject matter is just too far out of the area of things I enjoy for me to have been the target audience for this book. Which is a shame, because Birds of Paradise was one of my favourite books of last year; I really wanted to like this one. But, not every book is going to appeal to every person, and that's fine. And whilst this review may seem negative, please be aware that this is only my opinion, and that others love this book. So please, if it sounds like something you like pick up a copy and give it a try.
Glitterati is a book that seems to celebrate in the excess of the ultra wealthy and the mega fashionable. It feels like a combination of reality shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians and London Fashion Week. Simone, and every other person we spend any real time with in this book, are wealthy to the point where they never have to think about money, where they can do whatever they like whenever they like, and don't even need to acknowledge that capitalism is a thing because they have enough money to make it happen. And everything they do is shaped around fashion and aesthetic beauty to the point where their actual lives seem empty of any real goals, passion, or personality.
The fashions on display in the book are often over the top. They seem impractical and often silly, and the lives of the fashionables seems to be one long exercise in showing off how opulent and pretty you are. Clothing isn't worn to be comfortable, or practical. Fashion seems to either be used to fit in with the crowds, with everyone dressing to certain themes on certain days, or as a way of expressing certain moods as facial expressions seem to be a thing forgotten for the Glitterati as any change in the face could ruin their perfect make-up. For example, if you're upset with someone and want to confront them about something you dress in armour, strapping decorative plates and weapons to yourself.
I know I'm not a fashionable person in real life, and I care about comfort more than how fashionable I look, so I know I don't get things like this; but it felt like Langmead had taken a look at the strangest and weirdest runway fashions in the world and asked 'what if that was everyday?'. And that's not a bad idea, and it presents some interesting and unique things that make the book stand out. But it also made it feel like this was something that I just didn't understand too. I wasn't sure if it was a satire or a serious look at what a future where these trends and themes evolved into everyday wear. I can't help but feel if I knew more about fashion, make-up, and being glamorous that I'd have gotten more out it.
The book is filled with long descriptions of clothing, make-up, and accessories that Simone uses in order to make himself fashionable. The reader gets given names of designers and companies, dropped in as casual references as a way of building the world. I liked this, I enjoyed the fact that Langmead slowly built the world of the fashionable with small context details like this, and that as the book went on you'd begin to see the same names pop up again and again. But there's a lack of larger world-building that I found left me scratching my head by the end of the book.
The fashionables live in paradise, existing in a world away from the 'uglies'. Their homes , their playgrounds, and their jobs exist near regular people, but above them or to one side. The two groups never meet, never mix, and the fashionables try not to think of regular folks. But regular people clean their homes, they cook their meals, they make their clothes. Regular folk exist within the Glitterati world unseen and un-thought of. The Glitterati are able to remove memories, to have their entire childhoods erased, and to wipe away any unkind moments of their lives. They have all this advanced technology, and have this system set up where they live in luxurious ignorance because regular people work behind the scenes. But the book never explains how or why.
We never learn how the fashionable society came into existence, how they're able to live like this whilst the rest of the world struggles on like normal. We don't know why they have more advanced technology whilst other people seem to be living in a world that seems contemporary to ours. And we never get an explanation as to why people simply don't just revolt against this system and tear down the Glitterati way of life. This is stuff that I wanted desperately to know, that I found much more interesting that simply watching Simone going to the beach or the gym and seeing how he picks out his outfits. It felt like there was an interesting world here, yet we never went beyond a narrow, surface level look at it.
I also failed to connect with Simone in any real way. Simone is, frankly, an awful person. He's vapid, self absorbed, thoughtless, selfish, whiny, and has no real redeeming features. I'm not saying every protagonist needs to be good, or even likeable, but they need to have something to them that makes me care. And I just didn't have that with Simone. He gets upset that someone 'stole' is look, but Justine didn't steal anything. It wasn't Simone's look. He was running away with a nosebleed. Justine was inspired by what happened to Simone, but it wasn't a fashion he'd made and she took the idea. But in his head it is, because he thinks he's wonderful and amazing and fabulous. And I just couldn't get on board with that. Yes, Simone does begin to change towards the end of the book, but it felt like it was too little too late, and by then I'd already come to dislike him and couldn't care if he'd finally come to realise cruelty to children wasn't okay.
I feel like I've come across as too negative towards the book with this review. Please don't feel that this is me saying it's bad. Please, try the book yourselves and come to your own conclusions about it; because there's a chance you could end up being one of the folks this book was definitely made for. There's an audience for this book, and they're loving it. It simply isn't me.
May 10, 2022
Honestly, I did not expect to like this book as much as I did.
This book follows Simone, a member of a mysterious ultra-rich society obsessed with fashion. Trends come and go and there is always a hunt for a new trend. Simone accidentally does commit a fashion atrocity and while asking a friend to make sure there are no pictures, the friend instead steals the idea and becomes a fashion icon. This causes Simone's world to go into chaos and with every decision he makes and an abundance of secrets about the world he lives in gets revealed.
This book was definitely a slow starter. I was really apprehensive about the way things were written and didn't think that it would be for me but once it started getting weirder I got immediately more interested. I loved the way that the fashion and places were described and found it really easy to visualise. The characters I didn't really root for but I don't think I was supposed to, so that's okay. I thought they were described well and it was clear what their motivations etc were.
I was not a fan of the ending though. I felt like it came out of nowhere and while I appreciate the message it attempted to send, I don't feel like it fit the story particularly well. I just wanted a little more of a buildup or an exploration of the elements leading to it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, every time I thought I knew where this was going to go, I was very wrong. Though a little weird and a slow start it definitely kept my interest until the very end.
This book follows Simone, a member of a mysterious ultra-rich society obsessed with fashion. Trends come and go and there is always a hunt for a new trend. Simone accidentally does commit a fashion atrocity and while asking a friend to make sure there are no pictures, the friend instead steals the idea and becomes a fashion icon. This causes Simone's world to go into chaos and with every decision he makes and an abundance of secrets about the world he lives in gets revealed.
This book was definitely a slow starter. I was really apprehensive about the way things were written and didn't think that it would be for me but once it started getting weirder I got immediately more interested. I loved the way that the fashion and places were described and found it really easy to visualise. The characters I didn't really root for but I don't think I was supposed to, so that's okay. I thought they were described well and it was clear what their motivations etc were.
I was not a fan of the ending though. I felt like it came out of nowhere and while I appreciate the message it attempted to send, I don't feel like it fit the story particularly well. I just wanted a little more of a buildup or an exploration of the elements leading to it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, every time I thought I knew where this was going to go, I was very wrong. Though a little weird and a slow start it definitely kept my interest until the very end.
October 15, 2022
Glitterati takes place in a dystopian world where your social status is related to how fashionable you are. It had a lot of interesting ideas such as the ethics of the fashion industry and the rapid nature of the trend cycle.
Our main character, Simone is a member of high society and we follow his journey as he battles against another fashionista for dominance. Unfortunately, Simone was pretty obnoxious and pretentious, with his character arc not entirely believable.
I did like the extravagant setting it took place in and the displays of Haute Couture. I definitely would have enjoyed it more if we were following another character (maybe one of the Unfashionables) or if there were other POVs included.
Our main character, Simone is a member of high society and we follow his journey as he battles against another fashionista for dominance. Unfortunately, Simone was pretty obnoxious and pretentious, with his character arc not entirely believable.
I did like the extravagant setting it took place in and the displays of Haute Couture. I definitely would have enjoyed it more if we were following another character (maybe one of the Unfashionables) or if there were other POVs included.
August 13, 2022
A wonderfully original book, I cycled through a range of emotions whilst reading it!
Some of the key messages came across a little heavy-handed, and the surface-level shallowness of the fashionistas initially made it hard to connect with Simone at all - and yet as I moved through the book, his naïveté as he experienced a tiny slice of ‘ugly real life’ came across as almost charming.
Georgie was an absolute delight of a character and I adored her from start to finish.
Please do check trigger warnings before reading - there’s one particular scene in the hospital that made me wince.
Many thanks to Titan Books for sending me a copy of this to review - this review is entirely my own opinion.
Some of the key messages came across a little heavy-handed, and the surface-level shallowness of the fashionistas initially made it hard to connect with Simone at all - and yet as I moved through the book, his naïveté as he experienced a tiny slice of ‘ugly real life’ came across as almost charming.
Georgie was an absolute delight of a character and I adored her from start to finish.
Please do check trigger warnings before reading - there’s one particular scene in the hospital that made me wince.
Many thanks to Titan Books for sending me a copy of this to review - this review is entirely my own opinion.
November 5, 2022
This book gives you everything it promises. Fabulous dialogues, a different way to imagine a fantastical fashionable world. It's dramatic, it's bloody, it's filled with envy, silky and otherworldly fabrics. It's quirky, it proposes philosophical questions that leaves you awake until 2 in the morning.
And the plot twist(s) were quite tasteful.
As was the grand, grand finale.
So satisfying
Yet the final act left me with so much thoughts.
To be controled and comfortable... or to be free and struggling, knowing in the first option there's people counting on your ignorance for their comfort as well.
And the plot twist(s) were quite tasteful.
As was the grand, grand finale.
So satisfying
Yet the final act left me with so much thoughts.
To be controled and comfortable... or to be free and struggling, knowing in the first option there's people counting on your ignorance for their comfort as well.
July 8, 2023
1,5/5
tolik potenciálu... tak rychle zahozen :((
tohle mi bohužel vůůůůůůůbec nesedlo provedením - a ani stylem psaní, postavami, dějem... bohužel vělký přešlap
*knihu jsem četla v rámci spolupráce s knihkupectvím Luxor
tolik potenciálu... tak rychle zahozen :((
tohle mi bohužel vůůůůůůůbec nesedlo provedením - a ani stylem psaní, postavami, dějem... bohužel vělký přešlap
*knihu jsem četla v rámci spolupráce s knihkupectvím Luxor
February 11, 2025
Catcher in the Rye meets Uglies
April 27, 2022
Welcome to the fashionable world of the GLITTERATI!
I absolutely loved this story! Everything was perfect - the dystopian world, the main character, the aesthetic...just wow!
The dystopian concept was interesting, original and relevant, I was totally transported to Simone's world, with the clink of champagne glasses and the ever-changing rules of fashion. I really liked how the plot progressed, and how these rules were defied, but not in the way Simone expected.
Simone was a fantastic protagonist. His inner conflict with Justine as well as his perceptions of the events that occurred around him were so enjoyable to read. Even though he was (I assume) supposed to be unlikeable, I formed an attachment with him and very much rooted for him the whole way through.
This story gave me kind of American Psycho vibes in the sense that everything is about the latest fashion, everyone is competing with each other - and money is certainly not an object!
Highly recommend!
I absolutely loved this story! Everything was perfect - the dystopian world, the main character, the aesthetic...just wow!
The dystopian concept was interesting, original and relevant, I was totally transported to Simone's world, with the clink of champagne glasses and the ever-changing rules of fashion. I really liked how the plot progressed, and how these rules were defied, but not in the way Simone expected.
Simone was a fantastic protagonist. His inner conflict with Justine as well as his perceptions of the events that occurred around him were so enjoyable to read. Even though he was (I assume) supposed to be unlikeable, I formed an attachment with him and very much rooted for him the whole way through.
This story gave me kind of American Psycho vibes in the sense that everything is about the latest fashion, everyone is competing with each other - and money is certainly not an object!
Highly recommend!
August 13, 2022
The problem with this book is that it had the enormous potential to be a really fascinating story.
But, for whatever reason, the author chose to ignore all context, background and world-building that are intrinsic parts of creating a book that engages the reader.
Instead, you get such a relentless foam of description without ever reaching the cappuccino underneath. Page after page of relentless vacuity. But the weird saving grace is that this relentless vacuity is fun! Even though you can literally feel your brain turning to pudding. I slammed this book down numerous times, asking “What the hell am I even reading???” but I kept picking it back up, curious to see if there was any point to it. Spoiler: there isn’t.
After I was done (and rather shocked at myself for actually finishing it) I had a good long think about it.
What if the author HAD made the effort at providing an actual world and the reasons it had come about? He could have introduced the lawyer Mr Vivian much earlier in the story and used that character to explain that the gradual but inexorable accumulation of the worlds wealth into the hands of a tiny percentage of families came to endanger the entire global economy. A whimsical decision on the part of a vapid inbred heir could have massive ripple effects across the planet. The financial guys could have taken over more of the decision making from this cadre of pleasure-seeking fashion-obsessed heirs and heiresses who were many generations removed from the founders of their fortunes. Then along came this memory-erasing tech. The financial guys make sure it becomes popular among these people to the point where they are merely the empty-headed idiots we meet in the book.
All this backstory could have added tension and illustrated the illusory world in which the glitterati are maintained. There could be menace and economically dangerous fragility to this balance.
Instead…..we got about 1/5 of an actual story and absolutely nothing to sink our mental teeth into.
I literally question the sanity of anyone who thought this was a fabulous book. I shudder to think what else they read.
There is another book by this author with an intriguing premise. I am, however, extremely hesitant about picking it up.
I just wish I could sit down with the author and ask him what the hell he was trying to do with this book. He seems like a genuinely serious intelligent person. Very puzzling!!!
But, for whatever reason, the author chose to ignore all context, background and world-building that are intrinsic parts of creating a book that engages the reader.
Instead, you get such a relentless foam of description without ever reaching the cappuccino underneath. Page after page of relentless vacuity. But the weird saving grace is that this relentless vacuity is fun! Even though you can literally feel your brain turning to pudding. I slammed this book down numerous times, asking “What the hell am I even reading???” but I kept picking it back up, curious to see if there was any point to it. Spoiler: there isn’t.
After I was done (and rather shocked at myself for actually finishing it) I had a good long think about it.
What if the author HAD made the effort at providing an actual world and the reasons it had come about? He could have introduced the lawyer Mr Vivian much earlier in the story and used that character to explain that the gradual but inexorable accumulation of the worlds wealth into the hands of a tiny percentage of families came to endanger the entire global economy. A whimsical decision on the part of a vapid inbred heir could have massive ripple effects across the planet. The financial guys could have taken over more of the decision making from this cadre of pleasure-seeking fashion-obsessed heirs and heiresses who were many generations removed from the founders of their fortunes. Then along came this memory-erasing tech. The financial guys make sure it becomes popular among these people to the point where they are merely the empty-headed idiots we meet in the book.
All this backstory could have added tension and illustrated the illusory world in which the glitterati are maintained. There could be menace and economically dangerous fragility to this balance.
Instead…..we got about 1/5 of an actual story and absolutely nothing to sink our mental teeth into.
I literally question the sanity of anyone who thought this was a fabulous book. I shudder to think what else they read.
There is another book by this author with an intriguing premise. I am, however, extremely hesitant about picking it up.
I just wish I could sit down with the author and ask him what the hell he was trying to do with this book. He seems like a genuinely serious intelligent person. Very puzzling!!!
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