Confessions of a Shopaholic Reviews

• This book turned me into a Sophieholic

  
  By AP0HLE8WIXI3V on 2006-03-04
  This book is fun..I mean great fun and not just the girlish giggle type of fun but the LAUGH OUT LOUD fun. Its THAT good! It got me hooked on Sophie Kinsella.I have now all her books in my shelf and can't wait for her to write more!
  
  This book, first of all, is the same book known as "COnfessions of a Shopaholic ".(just a different title) I dont know why it has two different titles but anyway...
  
  I have started reading humourous chick-lit after I read the two Bridget Jones Diaries. To be honest I was sure I wouldnt find a funnier book than those two but, happily, i found i was wrong :)
  
  Kinsella has the touch. I've read "Can You keep a Secret?" and the first two of the Shopaholic books and I'm still craving for more. (thankfully i still got "Shopaholic ties the knot" and "shopaholic & sister" to keep me going)
  
  This is a book for those people who want to have a good, healthy laugh, who want to forget for a while the worries and troubles of everyday life. Yes Rebecca Bloomwood has no sense as regards to her personal finance . Yes she becomes totally and irrevocably irresponsible as soon as enters into a shopping mall. But heck, this is what makes the book such fun. We can actually feel good about ourselves because we can never be as bad as her....(some of us at least ;)
  
  Her replies to the letters she recieves from her exasperated Bank are hilarious and equally so her reasonings that actually when she is spending she is in fact investing. Her attempts to control her spending are so funny I couldn't stop laughing. The Curry recipe part is really incredibly funny....
  
  I think that most females will find themselves in Rebecca. I bet most of us have thought once or twice on the same lines as Rebecca does when she tries to excuse one of her mad urges for an expensive but not so practical item.
  
  All i can say more is go on an read it a perfect light book with humour and also a dash of romance which will warm your heart like whiskey ;)
  
  

• What a delightful, hilarious read!!

  
  By A1BI8PUEHA5CHW on 2001-03-20
  I started it last night and stayed up till 3 a.m. to finish this book! I really enjoyed this book ~~ it was funny, lighthearted and cute! I laughed out loud in some places and found myself shaking my head in other places.

  Rebecca is a girl who overdraws her bank account and maxes out her Visa card. I am not a big shopper (unless you call shopping for books a shopping spree ~~ then I am!) of clothes but it was funny just to hear her describe her clothes like she is posing for Vogue or Cosmo or even 17. Her justification for buying things are hilarious and the scene where she was trying to make curry made me laugh so hard! (I'm a cook and that scene just cracks me up because I've done the same thing she did!) Sophie took a character riddled with anxieties and insecurities and made her so likeable ~~ you can't help but laugh at some of her excuses. She has a vivid imagination which really carries the book through.

  I can see why some of the critics didn't care for this book ~~ it does sound like something from a fashion magazine, but Sophie is a good, clean writer. I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more of hers. Her sense of humor is a lot like mine and it is a refreshing read! I recommend it for a light, easy reading and if you're looking for humor, this book has it all.
  
  

• Grab A Copy Of This Book and Say "Charge It!"

  
  By A3BIWTN2DA0YY2 on 2001-11-09
  That's what our heroine, Rebecca Bloomwood, does fifty times a day. Clothes, make-up, scarves, boots, anything that has a price tag is fodder for Rebecca's shopaholic paradise. Unfortunately, Becky has maxed out her Visa, is getting threatening letters from her bank, and has borrowed from her roommate. Even more unfortunately, she can't curb her addiction to shopping. Sophie Kinsella gives us the funniest, most messed-up, and yet most endearingly vulnerable heroine of the year. If you've ever aspired to be trendy and glamourous but didn't quite have the budget to accomplish this, you'll laugh and cry along with Becky as she attempts the two biggest ways to achieve financial security---Cutting Back and Making More Money. Her attempts are disastrous, her failures hysterical. So, what does she do? She gives herself a little consolation prize...just a tiny little purchase, and another, and another....cause Becky was born to shop and couldn't stop if her life depended on it. As an added joy, she is also a financial journalist who writes articles advising others how to manage their money. Light, clever, and totally disarming, this is a quick, fun read sure to please anyone who gets an adrenaline rush walking into a mall.

  I can't wait to read the upcoming sequel "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan" for more side-splitting fun shopping with Becky!
  
  

• Move over Bridget Jones!!

  
  By ARYF8JUHY2S1X on 2001-03-11
  What a hilarious book this is! All British literature and/or Bridget Jones fans will love Confessions of a Shopaholic--it meets every expectation.

  Twenty-five-year-old Rebecca Bloomfield is in love ~~ with shopping! She has maxed credit cards and an incredibly overdrafted bank account. But, surprisingly, this does not stop her from frequenting shops and cafes during her lunch hour. Rebecca is aware of her problem, however, and tries to do better. Her schemes for cutting back, saving money and making more money are downright funny, inventive and quite honestly, desperate.

  Confessions of a Shopaholic makes it's mark. One of the Top 10 best British novels I have ever read. Definitely a pick-me-up if not a confessional for others who suffer from Overshopping Syndrome. Will absolutely appease those who crave lighthearted, fun comedy with a message. Two dollar-signs up!
  
  

• Can't relate

  
  By A3SWCJ0DE2ZVWY on 2006-06-10
  I think about this crappy book a lot. This woman is the most despicable character in modern fiction. She lies to herself and others. She justifies stupidity in a glib way. She has a shopping addiction, and in the end everything works out for her. She never deals with her problem. Can you imagine a book about an alcoholic who's spiraling downward and in the end everything miraculously works out great so she can continue drinking every day and night?! Or a fat woman who can't control her eating, but in the end gets a job as a plus size model and a boyfriend who loves fat women, so she can continue overeating and getting fatter and fatter all the time?! This book was the epitome of frustration for me. She never gets control of herself, and this is supposed to be ... "hilarous" as the reviews say? To me it's just very sad and completely implausible. (PS. Yes I realize it's fiction. It's still annoying.)
  
  
  
• shop for this one, even if you're not a shopaholic!
  By ANLP435MVIFWZ on 2001-05-19
  Sophie Kinsella welcomes us to the mind of a real shopper ... the one who buys things she cannot afford, even things she doesn't actually need. The one who shops for Christmas in March, the one who deals with her stupendous bills with more shoppings! Here we cope with Rebecca Bloomwood's inner voice that leads her to grab a scarf, a weird wooden bowl, cardigans, kitchen set, etc. We enjoy the battle inside her soul as she's trying to live a Zen-like living, cutting down her fabulous expenses, making more money, and dating a multi-millionaire she doesn't fancy. We're drawn to engage with her mischievous ways of getting rid of her bills as well.

  Turning the page means turning to laugh louder. Maybe you will easily predict where the story will lead you, even the ending itself. But how Kinsella clearly explains the conscious mind of Rebecca Bloomwood is unpredictably amazing that it draws you back to yourself, dear Sale-goers!

  It's the kind of book which you'd love to recommend to your friends as a goodwill to make their day! In the name of fun and discounts, GRAB this book in the bookstores near you. (Don't mind using your credit cards ... and go for even the membership to gain more discounts!)
  
  

• Kind of annoying but overall not a bad read
  By on 2002-02-01
  I'm still a little undetermined about this book. On the upside, I didn't NOT finish reading it, which I will do with books that simply don't catch my interest or are just simply boring. However, I was tempted when, into the fourth chapter, there still wasn't much plot other than Becky's addiction to shopping and increasing debt. I found this side of her highly annoying. I mean, really, someone with this much trouble with shopping needs professional help. She also thinks nothing of lying, which I also find disturbing.

  The plot that was harked on the back cover didn't start until page 230... kind of far back when it's only a 245 page book or so. Everything else was Becky finding neat things to buy and turning to shops every time something went remotely wrong (which was often). Granted, the descriptions are fun and Becky is quirky and an oddly interesting character. I don't think I'd like her in real life - too flighty and shallow.

  Even with all this, I still enjoyed reading the book and give it three stars. It's definitely not the best time I've spent with a book, but then again, it wasn't the worst.
  
  

• Should be "Confessions Of A Compulsive Liar"
  By AZ26CDSJ363AH on 2001-10-30
  The success of a twentysomething-urban-fashionista-chick book often depends on how well the audience can relate to a character or situation. Aptly titled, "Confessions of a Shopaholic" it should be something totally identifiable, right? We all love to shop. We've all been in debt. (still am).
  
  But even the super-shoppers among us will be turned off by Rebecca Bloomwood, the superficial, neurotic, materialistic, annoyingly insecure character. She's not endearing at all. You don't feel sorry for her because she is a compulsive liar who must constantly put up a "front". It is a pathetic, sad story about a girl with an addictive behavior.
  
  You'd think that she even has a sense of style, but to be honest, there is very little shopping in this book. It's mostly about her debts and how she lies to everyone around her. This girl is just too extremely hard to like, extremely hard to identify with. Moreover, the story is not believable. She has these socialite friends but the author never mentions any typical comparison of "trying to keep up with the joneses." At least give her some humanity so we can sympathize with the know-all feeling of trying to win a popularity contest!
  
  The main character is so downright superficial, unlovable, & pitiful. She deserves to be miserable, after telling stupid lies and hurting people around her -- you end up being disgusted. Kinsella just cannot make this novel humorous or realistic. Come on, Rebecca is a financial writer who knows nothing about what she's writing? Gimme a break--this is really a weak, weak excuse.
  
  The ending of 'Confessions' is also a scapegoat ending -- trite, sappy, and a very DUH epiphany ("wow, i had all this financial knowledge stored in my head and never used it! now i can budget myself!"). Disappointing.
  
  If you think compulsive liars are hilarious, then get this book. I know that I sure don't.
  
  
• The darkly humorous side of Shop Till You Drop
  By A2DSXA1E02C86D on 2001-02-25
  Writing a truly humorous novel is, I have to believe, very difficult to pull off. Heaven knows, I've been disappointed often enough. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, by Sophie Kinsella, is a rare gem.

  Rebecca Bloomwood is a single, twenty-something English lass with a serious problem. She shops beyond her means with a vengeance, blithely ignoring, sometimes discarding unread, the concerned letters from credit card issuers requesting payment. (The demands are very genteel, of course. Her creditors are British, after all.) Yet, she'll go into a panic at the prospect of losing the opportunity to buy a $540 designer scarf at two-thirds off. Ironically, Becky is also a financial journalist for the magazine "Successful Saving" - she advises readers on strategies for increasing their personal nest eggs.

  Becky has every good intention of paying her debts, though spending an additional $300 in a single day on Stuff is not extraordinary. The fun of this book is watching her escape from impossible situations, or hemorrhage money, despite every scheme she devises to either save or earn more income. Between chuckles, you just want to slap her out of exasperation - for her own good. Two examples ...

  Determined not to spend a Saturday on frivolous shopping, she decides to visit London's Victoria and Albert Museum, admission for which she thinks is free. (Save money and absorb culture, all in one go.) Unexpectedly faced with an $8 entrance fee, she purchases the $24 season ticket. Then, after trudging between exhibits, which, disappointingly, have no price tags attached, she discovers ... the Museum Gift Shop.

  Hoping to land a banking position in the City, she sends off a suitably embellished CV to a high-powered head-hunting firm. So impressed is the agency with her professed abilities, including a totally fictional fluency in Finnish, that its representative, unbeknownst to Becky, arranges an on-the-spot and surprise meeting between her and the recruitment director for the Bank of Helsinki. ("I can't wait to hear the two of you talking away in Finnish," chirps the rep.)

  This book is particularly delightful because Becky is so endearing. OK, so she rationalizes away reality, and is shallow, immature and irresponsible. However, she's not a bad, malicious person, nor is she hard-core dishonest. She's actually quite pleasant - a most agreeable person with whom to spend the day ... well, shopping. For these reasons, I rooted for her all the way to the end, at which time my faith in her essential goodness was justified. You go, girl!
  
  

• Dreadfully boring
  By A2FXSHH7ZK8RFX on 2004-08-19
  I found this book terribly dull and repetitive. After 100 pages of the "heroine" trying to convince herself that every 50 pounds (about $100) spent on an unnecessary item is money well spent, I couldn't stomach any more. I didn't find her rationalizations and lying amusing, just annoying. She is materialistic and quite an airhead, and I couldn't give a darn about her. I was looking forward to a light summer read, but in this one, nothing much ever seems to happen, besides her spending money, detailing what she's spent it on, and vacillating between chastising herself for it or rationalizing it. The other people she interacts with seem to matter little to her, and it makes it hard for the reader to care, either. I am surprised so many people enjoyed this book so much!
  
  
• Kinsella Will Have You Rolling in the Aisles!
  By on 2001-09-15
  Sophia Kinsella is a utterly brilliant--or "brill" as a real Brit would say. In "Confessions of a Shopaholic," Kinsella has a created a loveable but looney character who is funnier than Bridget Jones (really). This is a truly stellar entry in what my husband teasingly refers to as the "British Chick Book" genre.

  In the hapless Rebecca, Kinsella has created a laugh-out-loud funny heroine any clothes-loving, finance-challenged gal can relate to. (And who hasn't misused their Visa at least once or twice?) Of course, Rebecca's financial foibles come with a twist: she's actually a financial journalist, who deals with her own money woes by stuffing letters from the bank in her top drawer (out of sight, out of mind) and solid savings plans, such as winning the lottery.

  "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is well-written and terrifically funny. What more could you ask for in a book? I can't wait for Kinsella's next novel!
  
  

• One of the worst books I've ever read
  By A1B68FEIFV428P on 2004-06-08
  I found absolutely nothing humorous about this book. I won't bother summarizing the plot, simply because there wasn't much of a plot. When I read a book, I want a heroine that's likeable and at least somewhat intelligent. Becky is neither of those things. What she is, is self-centered, immature, and irresponsible. I spent the entire book wanting to shake her sense into her. At the *very end* she finally begin to grow a brain, but that's a long time for the reader to have to wait, and frankly by that time I hated her too much to care what happened to her. I would have given the book zero stars if that had been an option.
  
  
• Oh God, the apocolypse is near
  By A3GCA6075RC93K on 2004-07-13
  I can't believe this book got good reviews. I read it when I was fourteen and was completely disgusted. Is her compulsive spending supposed to be cute? The main character is a flat moron who does meaningless moronic things and winds up with a hot boyfriend.

  Oh Jesus, it makes my stomach hurt, the way this book sells.
  
  

• Enjoyable
  By ATWVC3WQOZSFS on 2002-07-09
  If you want some easy, truly enjoyable reading, this book is something for you.

  The heroine, Rebecca Bloomwood is a shopaholic, and her main problem in life is how to pay her cradit card bill. Or, no, may be this is not actually a problem; letters from the bank can easily get lost, phonecalls from the bank can be denied because you are too ill to speak to them, and of course next month you will be able to pay, when you win the top prize in the national lottery.

  Rebecca is another female, single Londongirl, following in the line of so many others, starting with Bridget Jones. And the story about Rebecca is so funny written, once you start the book you want to read non stop untill the end. Will she be able to pay her debt, will she CB (Cut Back) or will she MMM (Make More Money) The most enjoyable side of the book is that it spotlights so many of today's shopping habits, where the only comfort is to buy oneself a little something. And of course shopping is the meaning of life, well, at least looking at prizetags is. What's the point in visiting a museum, even the famous V&A, where the displayed items have no prizetags?

  Britt Arnhild Lindland
  
  

• Fantastic Read!
  By A27BY97QQS36V3 on 2004-01-17
  What a fantastic story. I listened to the unabridged audio version and fell in love with Becky the main character. Becky was very well written and I can see a bit of her in all of us.

  Becky works for a financial magazine doing column work on subjects that she thinks she knows nothing about. Well weather or not she knows anything about them she is defiantly no using any of the advice that she writes about. She is continually in debt and is very overdrawn but does that stop her from buying a new scarf (even when she has to borrow money to do so?) not hardly as you know it is a necessity.

  I spent most of this book laughing hysterically, especially when the letters to and from her bank and credit card company are read. But, what will happen when things start to fall apart? Listen/read to find out.

  If you liked Bridget Jones Diary you will love this book. It is great fun fiction!!! Becky has become one of my favorite characters of all time. So much in fact I went out and bought the other 2 in the series. I had to know what happened to her!!
  
  

• Absolutely dreadful
  By A3BUZHZ3GGO05R on 2004-04-16
  This book is awful - truly awful. I stopped at page 72, so there is a possibility that it improves - but I doubt it. It is poorly written and dreadfully uncompelling. The plot is thinly woven and the characters are flat and unlikable. I have heard many people describe this as a "fun book" and if you find second rate fluff "fun", then this may just be the book for you. The problem that I have with this book isn't that the subject matter is uninteresting, but that the author has a modicum of writing talent at best. I don't like to be harsh about the abilities of others, but I feel it is fair to say that in the hands of a more skilled author this could have been a charming story. Unfortunately, this book is not much better than what you would expect to find in your average twelve year old's diary.
  
  
• I'm confused as to how anyone could enjoy this novel
  By on 2004-05-17
  First of all, the main character is rather irritating, especially because she seems to force other people to go out on a limb for her selfishness (for example, the banks to whom she owes money and the future love interest who lends her money to buy a scarf that she claims is for a sick relative and her friend who makes frames for her). The book is a succession of tedious shopping lists stating prices and then many complaints of having no money. The only reason I continued in the torture of reading the book was due to the fact that I wanted to see character progression and find out if maybe she would become a better or at least more interesting person. It does not happen. She is rewarded for her selfish, irresponsible ways with a cute boyfriend and a sparkling future. Morality is nonexistant, coincidentally so is any trace of a plot. I would really have given it 1/2 a star, but that is not an option. Save your time and just skip this vapid, annoying novel.
  
  
• not my cup of tea...
  By on 2004-05-23
  The only reason I finished reading this book was because I was stuck on an delayed airplane and had nothing better to do. It seemed like a dumbed-up, cheaper version of Bridget Jones's Diary and only took me two and a half hours to read. The main character, Becky, was infuriating. I wanted to slap her and yell "SNAP OUT OF IT!!" I had panic attacks thinking about how much money she was spending. The ending was completely ridiculous. I want my $11.95 back.
  
  
• How did this get published, let alone become popular?!?!
  By A1LCZZI2C4F9SX on 2005-12-27
  I did force myself to finish the book, although it only took about 3 hours to read. Embarassingly enough, I asked for and received it for Christmas.
  I'm simply amazed at how not only did this book get good reviews and become a best seller, but it has a trail of sequels as well which are also popular. The main character, Becky, is so irritating, naive, idiotic, dull, and selfish I actually had to put the book down more than once and walk my annoyance off. But all of the characters are two dimensional, her love interest Luke one second seems oblivious to fashion, and the next second is commenting on some woman's Prada shoes. One second he has a girlfriend, the next second she's gone and he's in love with Becky.
  I would complain more on the book's loose ends, inconsistencies, the shallowness, lack of any kind of wit or intelligence, but I've already wasted 3 hours on the book itself, and thats all I'm willing to give.
  
  
• Pure Fun!
  By on 2001-02-12
  Confessions of a Shopaholic was pure fun to read. I gave it five stars because it delivers what it intends- laugh out loud comedy. The neurotic and obsessive Becky is likable and yet to be pitied as she quickly buries herself in debt for the sake of high fashion and good times. I am embarrassed to say I could relate to her situation. Where the fun comes in this book are Becky's many attempts to make money and rationalize her impulses. Of course, this proves more difficult than she anticipates. Shopping addiction is not the only problem in Becky's life as she also struggles with her job and love life. Who can't relate? I love this book for its humor and fun. I had a huge smile on my face while I was reading it. Perfect for a weekend trip or a night at home- if you love British humor and want a funny, romantic, and light read then this is the book for you.
  
  
• Garbage, utter garbage
  By A1JBVAMC9YU0WD on 2001-04-03
  I was hoping for a funny, well-written easy, breezy read. God, what a disappointment. This is a sub-Bridget Jones rip-off; appallingly written, dreadfully cliched and full of despicably shallow characters that no-one in their right mind would want to have anything to do with. The dialogue is stilted and hokey - does anyone really talk like this? The 'heroine' is incredibly stupid, shallow and actually quite spiteful, in a way. Perhaps, then, this book was written as an ironic nod to vaccuous morons everywhere. Alas, no: that would have been a far better book.

  Please, I urge you, stick to Bridget Jones - lightweight in its own way, but at least readable, funny and warm. We can identify with Bridget - with Rebecca, all we want to happen to her is have a bankruptcy judge send her down to jail for a few years - that will stop her overspending pretty quick.

  Do yourself a favor - avoid like the plague.
  
  

• a fantastic read
  By A2SOCMD5JZBCU6 on 2001-06-19
  My friends would call me somewhat of a cynic, so the fact that I enjoyed this book is already quite an achievement. Even more astonishing, I absolutely adored this novel with its insane main character Becky focused so intently on shopping. I have never laughed out loud so much at a novel. Becky had so many intricate lies to diminish her debt; much as is the case in my personal life. The ways Becky manages to rationalize every purchase and life choice is so farfetched, but I know I've thought those things before as well. One of my personal favorites is the part where Becky gets a job in retail and spends her time shopping instead of working. Then when she is asked to work in the dressing rooms, she sees a shopper walking in with the last pair of the pants Becky was going to buy. The scene that ensues is pure comedy. The underlying romance was a fairytale come true. I don't think I have ever read a novel where the narrator addressed the reader, until this one. These asides managed to force the reader to care about the character on a more personal level. It was fabulously funny throughout.
  
  
• A thoroughly fun, entertaining read
  By AOYPU3VYCOFOP on 2001-06-30
  I was prompted to buy this book by all of the good reviews that I read here, but I must admit that I didn't expect it to be quite as enjoyable as it was. While the familiar plot line is recognizable - single woman working in London, miserable in her job and love life, quirky and amusing, etc. - this book has a different approach - the heroine's life revolves around her attempts to fill the emptiness in her life with possessions and she winds up over her head in debt. She's bored with her life yet doesn't even know where to begin to change it, finally finding salvation in the most unlikely places.
  I don't want to belabor the plot or the quality of writing and character development (both well above average for the genre). The best aspect of this book for me was how entertaining and funny it was while containing much in it that is easy to relate to - sure, at times it stretched believability but not so far that the book itself became ridiculous. Shopaholic is a delightful distraction, well worth the investment and one of the better entries in the now-familier Bridget genre. I recommend it most highly - it's a wonderfully entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
  
  
• Oh so annoying
  By A1R070KZIURIAR on 2004-07-19
  I've nothing against a light summer read...and that is what I'd hoped for when I picked up this book. Unfortunately the 'heroine' is repugnant to the point where I was actually unhappy that things worked out for her in the end. She showed no true remorse for her lies, schemes and immaturity; so I wasn't routing for her to overcome them. Also, the 'turnaround' in her career was at best happenstance...and so preposterous and unbelievable. So, I think I can sum up my review in a single word which reflects the amount of thought and creativity that went into writing this fiction: BOO.
  
  
• overrated...
  By A2GD82FAWCM9V on 2005-11-04
  This book was frustrating to read at times because the main character is unbelievably stupid and not realistic.
  from a literary view, this book wasn't that great; and forgettable.
  
  
• If I could, I'd give it 10 stars!
  By A3W2FXLOW52NAO on 2001-02-10
  Since the US release of Bridget Jones Diary I have read more than my fair share of books about young single women living in London trying to make their way through life. Some were better than others but no one ever got it 100% right. That is until now. This book is dynamite.

  However, this is no BJ rip off. Its not about weight lost and gained, its not about trying to land a boyfriend, its not a tally of cigarettes smoked or drinks indulged in. It is about shopping. As a confirmed shopaholic myself, I could relate to Becky even more than Bridge. I know first hand the thrill of getting a great deal. I know about skipping important meetings or calling in sick just to got shopping. This book is a shopper's dream. My only regret is that I have never been to London so I do not know all of the shops she refers to. (But now I have a guide of places to visit if I do make it to London anytime soon!)

  Its a light, quick read but one that was most enjoyable. Its also one I will probably read again and again. Its definately a hit!
  
  

• cheeky fun
  By A1TN4OR5AEZVUQ on 2001-02-21
  This book was absolutely wonderful. I am so picky when it comes to books, but this is a keeper. After reading Bridget Jones I and II, I have looked for similar types of books....light, funny, contemporary, and preferably British. Those British authors are hilarious and they tell it like it is! Many times I laughed out loud. I can relate to Becky Bloomwood and her shopping obsession...as well as her schemes to get more money. This was a great book to read after a long, stressful day!!
  
  
• Fairy Tale Solution
  By A2DF325SNSGH2R on 2001-12-13
  I read this book right after finishing Bridget Jones's Diary and I must say, these English girls do go in for the perfect fairy tale ending! I give this book 4 stars for its high fun quotient and its realistic portrayal of addiction--the lying, justification, denial, cut-and-run tactics, the whole bit. I know!

  In spite of not particularly liking the main character (I can't stand women whose only priority is how fabulous they look; too shallow for me), I found myself rooting for her when she stood up for herself or finally got honest about something. Granted, it didn't happen very often. Perhaps it's a credit to the author to create a character I could emotionally buy into; maybe I'm a sucker. Either way, I wanted this crazy girl to snap out of it and get herself together.

  While the laughs in this book aren't as many as in "Bridget," it's still pretty funny, and several episodes are complete gut-busters. Buy this book for yourself and all the compulsive shoppers in your life!
  
  

• Fun, but nothing that special
  By A2SETXU4UY67C9 on 2002-04-05
  Confessions of a Shopaholic is a book I can heartily recommend if you're looking for a light read. It screams "beach read." I read it in a few hours. I did like the main character of Becky. I thought she was funny and she had a certain charm to her. I could relate to her obsession with shopping, although I'm glad mine doesn't go quite as far! The book is fast paced, and it genuinely did make me laugh out loud on quite a few occasions. Kinsella is quite a clever, articulate writer; I literally cringed for Becky at times. The author really got me caught up in the action; I felt as though I was there, spying on someone. Given how talented she is, I would like to Kinsella her try some serious fiction in the future.

  The downside to this book is that it is very fluffy - more so than it needed to be. I understand that Kinsella was going for a comic novel, and I still believe she could've explored the issue of Becky's compulsive spending in a bit more depth. Even Bridget Jones was introspective at times. Kinsella didn't do that with Becky enough, and when she did it didn't ring true - it seemed tacked on. I found that the novel was predictable at times, although this didn't bother me as much as it has with other books.

  In general, I think that this is a book that most single women in their 20s and early 30s will enjoy. It is fun, quick, and lighthearted. I would recommend buying the book used if you can, because it isn't the kind of book that I could imagine rereading. It's as light as air, or cotton candy, and once it's finished, it is easily forgotten.
  
  

• Why would anyone think this was good?
  By A1C1KMBQHMEOP2 on 2003-05-22
  I don't understand all the people who rave about this book. It is absolutely one of the worst books ever written. I would have given it no stars at all if I could.

  The main character is a completely self-absorbed, shallow, individual who is obsessed with how she looks and the brand names of her clothing. She epitomizes everything wrong with capitalism today.

  The passages where she has to buy that new thing, whatever it is, and doesn't have her card with her and so has to rearrange her entire day and put her job in jeopardy just to get it, is disturbing, not funny.

  The whole time I was reading this book I kept saying to myself, "Now, I know that was supposed to be funny, but instead, I find it to be disgusting, disturbing and I think the main character needs a shrink not another pair of Prada shoes!".

  If you are looking for a "fun" read, as most seem to think this book is, I recommend you look elsewhere.
  
  

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