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The Fortunes of Ruby White
Ruby White has been pushed too far; she quits her job as a secretary to the worst of the Knobbes at Knobbe & Sons.
With nothing else to fill her time, Ruby soon finds herself at a seminar for those who are Hyper-Audio-Aware, a condition she never knew existed, run by the Jaasmyn Empire, a company she’s never heard of. To Ruby’s surprise, she is offered a job.
Providing everything from meditation CDs, candles and “specialised sleeping aides” (otherwise known as “pillows”) to private classes with a psychic therapist (a parrot), the Empire offers solutions for every physical and metaphysical problem ever conceived, and many that haven’t been.
Ruby swiftly gains a reputation within the Empire for possessing extraordinary abilities even though her ‘talents’ are in fact no more than a lucky combination of guesswork and sarcasm. Attracting the attention of the charismatic head of the Empire, Ruby ignores her misgivings about the Empire’s ethics and enjoys fitting in somewhere for the first time in her life.
When the reactions of those outside the Jaasmyn Empire become more cynical and a promising new relationship wavers, Ruby starts to keep her job details secret. As her training progresses, her parents become even more concerned; the girl who used to eat chocolate for breakfast and salted pretzels for dinner now won't touch anything that isn't organic and harvested by hand. The further Ruby penetrates the Empire, the more her behaviour begins to change.
As Ruby disappears into the mire of mind, body and spirit, her friends and family try to lure her back but their efforts only push her further into the arms of the Jaasmyn Empire and its mysterious leader. A showdown is on the horizon, however it’s not the kind that anyone expected...
Filled with biting humour, sharp wit and a fresh voice in women’s fiction that is long overdue, The Fortunes of Ruby White takes the reader on an hilarious adventure that comes back to the old question of figuring out who we are, and keeping the people we love in the process.
With nothing else to fill her time, Ruby soon finds herself at a seminar for those who are Hyper-Audio-Aware, a condition she never knew existed, run by the Jaasmyn Empire, a company she’s never heard of. To Ruby’s surprise, she is offered a job.
Providing everything from meditation CDs, candles and “specialised sleeping aides” (otherwise known as “pillows”) to private classes with a psychic therapist (a parrot), the Empire offers solutions for every physical and metaphysical problem ever conceived, and many that haven’t been.
Ruby swiftly gains a reputation within the Empire for possessing extraordinary abilities even though her ‘talents’ are in fact no more than a lucky combination of guesswork and sarcasm. Attracting the attention of the charismatic head of the Empire, Ruby ignores her misgivings about the Empire’s ethics and enjoys fitting in somewhere for the first time in her life.
When the reactions of those outside the Jaasmyn Empire become more cynical and a promising new relationship wavers, Ruby starts to keep her job details secret. As her training progresses, her parents become even more concerned; the girl who used to eat chocolate for breakfast and salted pretzels for dinner now won't touch anything that isn't organic and harvested by hand. The further Ruby penetrates the Empire, the more her behaviour begins to change.
As Ruby disappears into the mire of mind, body and spirit, her friends and family try to lure her back but their efforts only push her further into the arms of the Jaasmyn Empire and its mysterious leader. A showdown is on the horizon, however it’s not the kind that anyone expected...
Filled with biting humour, sharp wit and a fresh voice in women’s fiction that is long overdue, The Fortunes of Ruby White takes the reader on an hilarious adventure that comes back to the old question of figuring out who we are, and keeping the people we love in the process.
371 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Lia Weston
4 books28 followersLia Weston is a fiction writer. Her debut novel, THE FORTUNES OF RUBY WHITE, was published by Simon & Schuster Australia in 2010. Her next two novels, THOSE PLEASANT GIRLS and YOU WISH, were published with Pan Macmillan in 2017 and 2018. In between wrestling with plot points, Lia runs a bicycle shop with her husband Pete and works as a freelance copy-editor.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 20, 2012
The Fortunes of Ruby White was not quite what I was expecting. At the center of this lighthearted, chick lit novel is a thread of unease as Ruby is pulled into the cult like environment of the Jassmyn Empire. Still hurting after a messy breakup, albeit 21 months ago, and now jobless, after refusing to memo her boss's mistress a Dear Jane letter, Ruby is feeling lost until she stumbles into a yoga class that directs her to the Jassmyn Empire. Offered boundless flattery, and a job, Ruby can hardly believe her luck when she becomes a Level Three employee at the 'new age' Empire. Beguiled by the extraordinary Jassymn she is willing to overlook the eccentricities of her new workplace embracing their manifesto of health, wealth and love though herbal teas, aromatherapy, re-birthing and psychic advice. As Ruby blissfully buries herself in the Empire's philosophy her parents and friends grow increasingly worried when she turns them away. When cracks begin to appear in the organisation's veneer, Ruby's faith is shaken but it's not until it all falls apart that she realises what she has lost.
I enjoyed being introduced to Ruby White, the opening chapters give us a character who is smart, witty and sarcastic but also vulnerable after recent events have left her single and unemployed. Ruby is not someone you would expect to be taken in by the sham practices of the Jessamyn Empire, she has loving parents and close friends, but her hidden insecurities make her ripe for their methods. Bombarded by praise and given special attention by the handsome and charming Mr Petrie and enigmatic Jessamyn, the allure of the slow indoctrination is irresistible and without any purposeful intent Ruby falls hook, line and sinker for the company line. Weston shows how easily Ruby's insecurities are exploited as the Empire encourages her to immerse herself in the ethos. It's not until her best friend comes begging for a miracle that Ruby begins to question her obsession and even after the company implodes its difficult for her to recognise the depth of her self delusion.
While The Fortunes of Ruby White starts in a light hearted manner, and on the surface things largely continue in that vein, underneath there is a frisson of tension that isn't quite hidden by Weston's glib humour. Even as I giggled at Ruby and her father's exchange over the pillow and wondered how it is people can be so naive, or desperate, as to pay a fortune for therapy from a parrot a sense of unease remained. I think it's because I am sensitive to the subject of cults, having witnessed a friend get trapped in similar circumstances, that for me the darker side of situation was ever present.
The Fortunes of Ruby White is an entertaining and enjoyable novel that has a surprisingly serious core. Lia Weston is another author I have discovered via the Australian Women Writers challenge and with this debut novel, she proves to be a talented and witty writer. I look forward to her next title.
I enjoyed being introduced to Ruby White, the opening chapters give us a character who is smart, witty and sarcastic but also vulnerable after recent events have left her single and unemployed. Ruby is not someone you would expect to be taken in by the sham practices of the Jessamyn Empire, she has loving parents and close friends, but her hidden insecurities make her ripe for their methods. Bombarded by praise and given special attention by the handsome and charming Mr Petrie and enigmatic Jessamyn, the allure of the slow indoctrination is irresistible and without any purposeful intent Ruby falls hook, line and sinker for the company line. Weston shows how easily Ruby's insecurities are exploited as the Empire encourages her to immerse herself in the ethos. It's not until her best friend comes begging for a miracle that Ruby begins to question her obsession and even after the company implodes its difficult for her to recognise the depth of her self delusion.
While The Fortunes of Ruby White starts in a light hearted manner, and on the surface things largely continue in that vein, underneath there is a frisson of tension that isn't quite hidden by Weston's glib humour. Even as I giggled at Ruby and her father's exchange over the pillow and wondered how it is people can be so naive, or desperate, as to pay a fortune for therapy from a parrot a sense of unease remained. I think it's because I am sensitive to the subject of cults, having witnessed a friend get trapped in similar circumstances, that for me the darker side of situation was ever present.
The Fortunes of Ruby White is an entertaining and enjoyable novel that has a surprisingly serious core. Lia Weston is another author I have discovered via the Australian Women Writers challenge and with this debut novel, she proves to be a talented and witty writer. I look forward to her next title.
March 16, 2021
It's times like these I need half stars on these reviews, but I'm being generous & giving this book 3 stars instead of 2 & a half. I probably wouldn't be so generous if this wasn't a first time author. This is an uneven book with a lot of flaws, but it has charm and some lovely touches of humour that show the author, while unpolished, has some real talent. I really wish her editor had talked to her about sentence structure, particularly the use of 'ing' phrases. They nearly drove me to distraction, and are a common problem with first time writers. But the story pacing was good, the heroine was loveable and I did laugh out loud in a few places. The start was quite slow - after the first 3 chapters I almost decided not to bother with it but thought I'd give it another go. And I am glad I did. It's easy to forget just how hard it is to write a novel, and that emerging authors need encouragement (like being published!) to keep them going. This is not a brilliant book that will win awards, but it was a fun book to read. Give it a go.
May 13, 2012
First off, I need say that I know Lia Weston. A friend of mine introduced me and that was how I found out about, and finally read The Fortunes of Ruby White. This confession is important, not only because I feel like I should be transparent, but more importantly, without the introduction to Lia I would never have even picked up this book. That’s because I’m a bit of a geek and nearly 100% of my reading (which is a lot) is technical in nature. To be honest, I probably only started reading Ruby White because I wanted to let Lia know that I had.
Wow, what a surprise! This is a real page turner, and I couldn’t put it down. From the first paragraph you’re on Ruby’s journey and start to really care what happens to her in her tumultuous life. I love Lia’s sense of humour, and general turn of phrase. There were many points during the book that I actually laughed out loud - and I definitely quoted parts of Ruby to my friends!
What I really liked though, was the the way a serious story (Ruby’s recruitment into a cult) was conveyed. Not only do you feel for Ruby, but you really get a sense of the other characters that surround Ruby - both perpetrators and victims. Talking of characters, Ruby’s family are superbly dealt with, and the interactions with her Mum, Dad and pets are some of the most enjoyable parts of the book.
Overall, The Fortunes of Ruby White reminded me what reading is really about - escape from the day-to-day grind and taking you away to other places, times and experiences. It wouldn’t be too much to say that Ruby White has re-ignited my ‘fiction’ desire.
Wow, what a surprise! This is a real page turner, and I couldn’t put it down. From the first paragraph you’re on Ruby’s journey and start to really care what happens to her in her tumultuous life. I love Lia’s sense of humour, and general turn of phrase. There were many points during the book that I actually laughed out loud - and I definitely quoted parts of Ruby to my friends!
What I really liked though, was the the way a serious story (Ruby’s recruitment into a cult) was conveyed. Not only do you feel for Ruby, but you really get a sense of the other characters that surround Ruby - both perpetrators and victims. Talking of characters, Ruby’s family are superbly dealt with, and the interactions with her Mum, Dad and pets are some of the most enjoyable parts of the book.
Overall, The Fortunes of Ruby White reminded me what reading is really about - escape from the day-to-day grind and taking you away to other places, times and experiences. It wouldn’t be too much to say that Ruby White has re-ignited my ‘fiction’ desire.
April 14, 2020
If you've ever been interested in the alternative path of well-being , this slightly new age novel may appeal. After choosing an alternative career , Ruby finds her self excelling within the cult like, tea sipping, candle dripping emperorum. Its a light, easy, fun read.
October 28, 2010
This is the thorougly entertaining story about young woman, Ruby White and her induction into the amazing Jasmyn Empire: a happy-clappy emporium of scented candle sniffing, robed, yoga addicted floaty individuals whose path to inner peace may very well be a decent into hell. While family and friends look on, Ruby becomes more and more immeshed in this other world, a world controlled by the magnetic Jasmyn. Not surprisingly, Ruby eventually reaches a crossroads where she must make a choice between the ordinary world and the Empire.
This is a light, thoroughly entertaining and very funny story. There is a serious question at its core, however, a question that makes Ruby's plight all the more dire: What price would we be prepared to pay for absolute acceptance? When Ruby is offered the perfect job among people who are happy to feed her ego, it's not difficult to imagine how intoxicating this would be. The only thing that didn't sit quite right with me was just how insecure and needy Ruby was. This, after all, is an attractive only child with wonderfully indulgent parents and friends, not a girl from a dysfunctional family with a speech impediment. Yes, she was dumped by an ex-boyfriend on her birthday, but is one rejection really all takes to produce such insecurity? Despite this, all the characters in this story are wonderfully created. While the story's conclusion is predictable, it is nevertheless satisfying.
Oddly, this story hass left me with a yearning for the Jasmyn Empire. If given the chance I think I would quite happily ignore the less than shiny side of this world and jump in feet first.
This is a light, thoroughly entertaining and very funny story. There is a serious question at its core, however, a question that makes Ruby's plight all the more dire: What price would we be prepared to pay for absolute acceptance? When Ruby is offered the perfect job among people who are happy to feed her ego, it's not difficult to imagine how intoxicating this would be. The only thing that didn't sit quite right with me was just how insecure and needy Ruby was. This, after all, is an attractive only child with wonderfully indulgent parents and friends, not a girl from a dysfunctional family with a speech impediment. Yes, she was dumped by an ex-boyfriend on her birthday, but is one rejection really all takes to produce such insecurity? Despite this, all the characters in this story are wonderfully created. While the story's conclusion is predictable, it is nevertheless satisfying.
Oddly, this story hass left me with a yearning for the Jasmyn Empire. If given the chance I think I would quite happily ignore the less than shiny side of this world and jump in feet first.
December 21, 2014
I'll write a proper review later. For now, if you ever get the chance to read this book, do so.
2014:
Gonna re-read this to write a proper review
2014:
Gonna re-read this to write a proper review
March 24, 2013
Some proper editing could turn it into a decent short story - but probably not. In a word: nonsensical.
September 27, 2017
I found the character of Ruby beguiling and was quiet worried when it was clear she was going down the rabbit hole. How frightening, and so easy to be sucked into something which seems so benign and simple, all hues of rose and vanilla only to be actually the personification of evil exploitation.
It was evident early on the poor girls were being exploited by cruel and vicious methods but no one seemed to twig this was not normal.
Eventually Ruby is rescued (mostly by accident) by explosive revelations of an undercover reporter.
I found it was not entirely satisfactory but was still diverted by some offbeat and sweet characters.
It was evident early on the poor girls were being exploited by cruel and vicious methods but no one seemed to twig this was not normal.
Eventually Ruby is rescued (mostly by accident) by explosive revelations of an undercover reporter.
I found it was not entirely satisfactory but was still diverted by some offbeat and sweet characters.
September 20, 2018
I do like the jaasmyn empire though!
August 31, 2022
What can I possibly say? I'm not an author. This was terrible. But I made it to the end possibly thinking it would improve.
April 7, 2011
Basic premise: A woman seeking direction and purpose in her life is swept up by the promises of a local "cult" known as the Jaasmyn Empire. We know it's all a fraud, because these things always are, but nonetheless we watch as Ruby slowly falls down the rabbit hole turning her back on friends and family who try to help. The book is funny, indeed hilariously so, but also somewhat disquieting. I just read--somewhat belatedly--the article from the New Yorker about Scientology (from February 2011?), and the differences between fact and fiction don't seem that great. I can laugh at Ruby's story because there's no way I would ever fall for this crap--I'm too smart, after all (or so I think). But then apparently smart people are seduced by Scientology. So it's a good, light read but one with a dark undertone. If only what we were reading really didn't happen to people...
(P.S. Bad editing...this book was rushed to press. Too many really obvious misprints...as a reader, I find it mildly irritating, well, irritating enough to mention).
March 31, 2015
This was a frustrating read for me; Weston can write and shows talent. What she badly needed in her debut effort was a good editor. The opening chapters demonstrate her ability where we are introduced to Ruby, her family and friends. Ruby is an appealing character, she's smart, witty and has an enviable talent for sarcasm. After she quits her job she begins working for the Jaasmyn Empire, a woo-woo company that makes ordinary things marketed as objects that will transform your life. Weston's exposure of the Empire for what it is comes far too late in the narrative. I'll be interested to see what she delivers in her next effort.
October 15, 2012
I really enjoyed this book as a light read. While it may not have been written the best, it was enjoyable and easy to read. I enjoyed following Ruby's journey through what she believed to be an enlightening journey and the obstacles along the way. I would recommend this book for what I call and "in-between" book, when you want something to lighten the mood and take you away from the everyday in between more in depth serious books.
March 4, 2012
3.5 stars..
Not a bad read but I lost interest halfway through. I did pick it back up and finish though but I don't think that book was for me!
Not a bad read but I lost interest halfway through. I did pick it back up and finish though but I don't think that book was for me!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews