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The Booster
Jillian Siegel is living the quintessential Manhattan life: great clothes, fabulous boyfriend, a job at the hottest ad agency in town. But what nobody knows is that this twenty-nine-year-old has a dark little secret -- one that involves stuffing her oversize Gucci handbag with high-priced designer clothes and leaving the store without paying. There was once a time when Jillian didn't need to shop (much less "steal)" to feel whole. But that was long ago -- when her beloved uncle Bingo still owned Loevner's, the elegant Upper East Side department store. When, as a little girl, she spent hours listening to the wisdom of the perfume counter ladies and modeling party dresses for her uncle's impish partner, Alain; when she danced beneath Loevner's magnificent chandelier, found solace in the secret passageways behind its grand facade, and when her mother's prolonged absences were easily forgotten with a new camel-hair coat or a fresh pair of Mary Janes.
And then one day it was all gone. The department store family, the enchanted world, the endless abundance -- pulled out from under her by her jet-setting mother, Lois; by the father she never knew; by the death of Alain, a cherished friend and confidant; and by the man with two first names who orchestrated the corporate takeover of her family's venerable sanctuary.
Now, years later, Jillian cannot seem to make things right no matter how many Chloe blouses come home in her pocketbook. Her "perfect" life is loosely held together with half milligrams of Ativan and stolen cashmere scarves. It's only a matter of time until everything crumbles.
Penned by one of advertising's most influential and provocative writers, this highlyanticipated debut is packed with vibrant characters, bristling dialogue, and the rich detail of the author's real-life research into the clandestine world of shoplifting rings. "The Booster" is a uniquely stylish, deftly woven story about discovering one's true self in the most unexpected of places.
And then one day it was all gone. The department store family, the enchanted world, the endless abundance -- pulled out from under her by her jet-setting mother, Lois; by the father she never knew; by the death of Alain, a cherished friend and confidant; and by the man with two first names who orchestrated the corporate takeover of her family's venerable sanctuary.
Now, years later, Jillian cannot seem to make things right no matter how many Chloe blouses come home in her pocketbook. Her "perfect" life is loosely held together with half milligrams of Ativan and stolen cashmere scarves. It's only a matter of time until everything crumbles.
Penned by one of advertising's most influential and provocative writers, this highlyanticipated debut is packed with vibrant characters, bristling dialogue, and the rich detail of the author's real-life research into the clandestine world of shoplifting rings. "The Booster" is a uniquely stylish, deftly woven story about discovering one's true self in the most unexpected of places.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2006
6 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Solow
5 books22 followersJennifer Solow is the author of
THE ARISTOBRATS
(Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky, September 1, 2010) – about four best friends who’ve finally made it the very top of the populadder at Wallingford Academy only to be handed an assignment that threatens to ruin everything (even their friendship).
Like her characters, Jennifer once attended an exclusive private school where her spot on the populadder waivered depending on whatever haircut she had at the time (long: good, short: not so good) and where the idea for this book began.
Soon after, Jennifer moved to Manhattan, where she was an advertising creative director, wore a lot of cool clothes, and worked with a few famous guys named Spike. She was stuck in a meeting in downtown Manhattan on 9/11 when she decided to become a writer. Her first novel, The Booster , became a national bestseller.
She now lives in Mill Valley with her husband and two tweenagers. (And no, she never borrows anything they say word-for-word because that would be a terrible thing for a mother to do!)
She is working on the next Aristobrats: Stay Pretty, Wallingford!?
Like her characters, Jennifer once attended an exclusive private school where her spot on the populadder waivered depending on whatever haircut she had at the time (long: good, short: not so good) and where the idea for this book began.
Soon after, Jennifer moved to Manhattan, where she was an advertising creative director, wore a lot of cool clothes, and worked with a few famous guys named Spike. She was stuck in a meeting in downtown Manhattan on 9/11 when she decided to become a writer. Her first novel, The Booster , became a national bestseller.
She now lives in Mill Valley with her husband and two tweenagers. (And no, she never borrows anything they say word-for-word because that would be a terrible thing for a mother to do!)
She is working on the next Aristobrats: Stay Pretty, Wallingford!?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 9, 2011
If you get into the whole psychological reason that the main character and othres are into shoplifting, it's a pretty good plot. If you read it only as a chic flick type of narrative, it doesn't work as well. I enjoyed it!
May 15, 2009
The Booster tells the story of New Yorker Jillian Siegel. She is wealthy, has a great boyfriend and a good job in advertising... but she's also a shoplifter and emotionally fragile. A series of traumatic events in Jillian's life causes her to become a full time shoplifter with Shelly, a young woman she meets in jail. Soon, Jill and Shelly are working for an organized shoplifting syndicate and being trained for a big job.
You couldn't entirely call this chick lit- and thank goodness for that- because this book covers some darker and more interesting territory than you'd expect in that genre. However, I didn't also think the book was entirely successful. It started out well, but Jill's questionable choices got a little unfathomable as the story went on. Also, the organized crime ring that pops up towards the end of the book stretches credibility a bit and really changes the tone of the story. And the ending was just a little too perfect and pat. I did admire what the author was trying to achieve and the unusual, non-cliche characters peppered throughout the story.
You couldn't entirely call this chick lit- and thank goodness for that- because this book covers some darker and more interesting territory than you'd expect in that genre. However, I didn't also think the book was entirely successful. It started out well, but Jill's questionable choices got a little unfathomable as the story went on. Also, the organized crime ring that pops up towards the end of the book stretches credibility a bit and really changes the tone of the story. And the ending was just a little too perfect and pat. I did admire what the author was trying to achieve and the unusual, non-cliche characters peppered throughout the story.
July 23, 2007
This book was like a bad movie that you go to see. You keep wanting to leave because the movie is so bad and you know what will happen at the end, but you stay anyway because you've already sat through so much of it.
This book is easy to sum up: girl who is a mess loses her boyfriend and her job, meets up with a bad crowd, but sees the error of her ways and with a "twist," gets both boyfriend and career back in the last few pages of the book.
This book is easy to sum up: girl who is a mess loses her boyfriend and her job, meets up with a bad crowd, but sees the error of her ways and with a "twist," gets both boyfriend and career back in the last few pages of the book.
May 22, 2023
It was okay. Slow at some times with a lot of unnecessary filler.
August 3, 2009
It took me a while to get into this book. Author Jennifer Solow gave too much weight to the shallowness of the heroine and why her life was so miserable. Too much whining for too long.
However, about halfway through the book with the arrival of underground characters, the heroine redeemed herself in my eyes. It is only then that I could see a change in her that I find admirable. The madcap road to redemption provided an exciting twist that had me rooting for her in the end.
It's a fun read if you could stand the constant whining of the heroine through the first half of the book.
However, about halfway through the book with the arrival of underground characters, the heroine redeemed herself in my eyes. It is only then that I could see a change in her that I find admirable. The madcap road to redemption provided an exciting twist that had me rooting for her in the end.
It's a fun read if you could stand the constant whining of the heroine through the first half of the book.
September 29, 2008
Full disclosure: this book was written by a former colleague. According to the author, my husband's eyebrows served to inspire the eyebrows of one of the characters. If you read the book, you realize this is not a compliment.
However, fun, quick read. Mark my words, it will be a movie. Think Carrie Bradshaw as a clepto, with only one girlfriend. Great characters -- especially the ones I recognized.
Take this book with you on the plane.
However, fun, quick read. Mark my words, it will be a movie. Think Carrie Bradshaw as a clepto, with only one girlfriend. Great characters -- especially the ones I recognized.
Take this book with you on the plane.
August 18, 2012
There was a point about halfway through this book when I thought "Why am I reading this and why don't I just quit?" About the only reason I can think of is because I rarely quit a book. I just keep chugging along so I can say I completed it.
Surprisingly, the book did get better about 2/3 of the way through and then it read faster. However, wich so much else out there to read, put this one on the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of your To Read List. Sorry...
Surprisingly, the book did get better about 2/3 of the way through and then it read faster. However, wich so much else out there to read, put this one on the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of your To Read List. Sorry...
November 11, 2007
I usually sleep on the ferry, but sometimes these ladies take up all the good napping seats with their large handbags and I have to stay awake and read. "The Booster" is a fun, light read. It would be good for a plane ride or a beach day or reading in the morning when you're too tired to read anything meaningful. It's colorful, predictable, but not entirely fluff.
August 5, 2008
I read this book as additional research in rewriting my young adult novel, The Take and Go, which was an entry in the 2007 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
The concept of petty shoplifting is taken to the level of organized crime. The ending wasn't believable as fiction, but believable as non-fiction, since it's harder to convince a reader that luck is instrumental in a fictional world.
The concept of petty shoplifting is taken to the level of organized crime. The ending wasn't believable as fiction, but believable as non-fiction, since it's harder to convince a reader that luck is instrumental in a fictional world.
July 9, 2015
- from the jacket: "Jillian Siegel is a fashionable, young Manhattanite with a secret kleptomaniac habit. After being fired from her lucrative advertising job she gets caught for the first time and then, through a contact she made in a police holding cell, she gets drawn into a Mafia-like shoplifting ring."
May 2, 2015
Writer has command of language, but I struggled to get through this book. With the heroine being a privileged shoplifter, it was tough for me to identify or root for her. The best friend was also an annoying dingbat. Ending felt rushed and too tidy; character didn't deserve easy fixes to her problems.
September 16, 2007
This book was a lot of fun! If you like Candace Bushnell, you'll like this book. I actually liked it better than Candace's books. But it's sort of Trading Up meets Breakfast at Tiffany's. There was also a nice little twist at the end that I really enjoyed.
September 1, 2016
I would give this 3.5 stars. Unusual chick-lit-esque book about a woman who shoplifts. I almost stopped a few chapters in because it was just so peculiar, but my sister told me to stick with it and I ended up really getting into it.
June 8, 2009
Jillian Siegil has a great life. SHe has a super hot boyfriend, excellent job, great apartment and a little secret...she likes to steal.
After getting caught by a LP (loss prevention) her life and world take a turn upside down.
Great story, the ending was the best.
After getting caught by a LP (loss prevention) her life and world take a turn upside down.
Great story, the ending was the best.
November 12, 2009
This was a good book but it wasn't great. I really don't remember much about it. I liked the way that this book showed the love between the uncle and the lead character. I hated that Solow brought in the entire "big time" shoplifting ring.
July 14, 2010
My daughter got arrested for shoplifting and someone suggested that I read this book to see what was going on in her head. There is more to this book than "chick-lit", it's actually pretty sophisticated from a psychological standpoint.
November 23, 2007
Did not like the protagonist and couldn't finish the book.
December 7, 2007
This is a weird but interesting book. I'd recommend it but note that it takes a little bit of time to get into. The plot is a little wacky, which I love.
November 3, 2008
This was an all right book. I have definitely read better...It has a very unique story line, that's for sure...
January 25, 2009
hard to get into, not worth the time
March 13, 2009
One of my Favs! Get's your heart rate up just by turning the pages...
July 23, 2010
Let's just say I learned A LOT from this book.
October 4, 2010
everytime i opened this book, i asked myself why i was still reading it.
October 17, 2010
sort of a dark modern fairy tale, complete with a princess, evil monsters, secret hiding places, and fantastic landscapes. A really fun book to read before bed.
March 9, 2012
What a great book! I am so glad to have found this one!
March 30, 2012
It has been a long time since a book's ending has surprised me. Throughout I was torn whether to like the heroine or be disgusted but it truly delivered
May 13, 2012
I thought this was going to be a light chick lit type of book. I was wrong. It took on a weighty subject...why people shoplift...and tried to shed some light on it.
November 5, 2015
Ehhhhh. Girl shoplifts to fill her big empty space inside. Not enough love as a child or something. Gets mixed up in a big crime ring. Ehhhhh.
June 21, 2012
It took me a while to 'get into' this book, but once it grabbed on to me, I read straight through to the end. I even managed to get a couple of actor's monologues from it.
March 8, 2013
The story was all over the place, and hard to hold my interest. If a book doesn't grab you by the first few pages, it's a good sign the rest of it won't, either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews