This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
REVIEW BY DEBS CARR
The book begins on the first day of term at Drama Arts and for the wannabe actors, being there is something they've yearned for all their lives. Each has their own insecurities and dreams, but this is the place where they're going to learn how to Act, how to Be.
Nell is the insecure girl with the problem hair and less than perfect body, she becomes friendly with Charlie, who is very beautiful and knows it. Then there's Dan. Dan is handsome and talented and Nell soon falls for him. Unfortunately he's far more interested in fiesty Jemma, who is not about to let any other female take her place.
The book follows the characters through the following decade. Some fall by the wayside, some end up having to choose a different path to keep them going and each of them are waiting for their Lucky Break.
I felt sorry for Nell, who never seemed to be one of the more talented, beautiful or lucky ones, even when it somes to romance. She tries hard, but nothing comes easy for her. When Charlie's boyfriend dumps her, she asks Nell to move in, but Charlie has a tendancy to pick people up when it suits her, forgetting them instantaneaously when she has more interesting offers to busy herself with. Dan is more successful than the others and soon finds work, however although success comes easier to him than his contemporaries he has his own competitors and personal difficulties to deal with.
I was looking forward to reading this book and at the beginning thought it was going to be exactly what I'd hoped for, but it focuses more on the ambitions and disappointments of the characters and had less romantic focus than I would have liked. I think this is very much a matter of personal taste though and I'm sure other readers would probably thoroughly enjoy it. The book is well written and you can tell that Esther Freud knows the acting world well.
6/10