Sunday, 25 June 2017

Book review : The Brazilian - Rosie Millard


If you're heading off to sunny climes this summer and are getting into holiday preparation mode, make sure you put "Don't Forget The Brazilian" on your to-do list. Don't head to the beauty salon though - get down to your local bookstore and grab a copy of Rosie Millard's perfect poolside read !

When I first saw the title, I idly wondered if it related to the bikini line or the nationality - it turns out that it's both, and if that sounds surprising, it will all make sense once you tune into the irreverent, light-hearted prose, peopled with characters who are so pompous, pretentious and narcissistic that you'll want to scream at them.

The plot centres around stuck-up yummy mummy Jane who decides to take herself, her family and - all importantly - her nanny, off for a relaxing break in Ibiza. When she finds out that a reality show is being filmed just up the road, she is determined to grab her five minutes of fame, particularly when she discovers that some of her neighbours are contestants.

Most of the characters are very one dimensional and pretty odious and the few who are a bit more balanced and realistic are very bland and fade into the background. The plot is flimsy but frequently made me smile, although I thought it ended not with a bang but a whimper (my apologies to TS Eliot). I couldn't really see the point of the final get-together because nothing actually happened - I was hoping for a final showdown or last minute attempt at grabbing the limelight.

For a frivolous summertime easy-read, it's perfect. Having endured some of the vacuous reality shows that my kids tend to love watching on TV, it's a pretty accurate representation of most of the candidates too !

star rating : 4/5

RRP : £8.99

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Legend Press (14 Jun. 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1787199878
  • ISBN-13: 978-1787199873
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 2.4 x 13 cm



Check out the rest of the bloggers taking part in the blog tour !


Disclosure : I received a review copy, in order to write an honest review.

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