Lipstick Jungle

I am going to be honest. I bought this book strictly because I absolutely loved the TV show based on the book. I had never read anything by Candace and I felt that since I was familiar with the story I would enjoy this book. Well the book is even better then the TV show. There is more development and there are more concepts that were not addressed in the TV show. Overall this was a great book and I am definitely now a Candace Bushnell fan. If you enjoyed the TV show then you will definitely enjoy this. If you have never seen the TV show then you will still enjoy this book.

I have enjoyed the first two episodes of this show on TV, so I decided to read the book. I loved the characters and had a hard time putting it down. I wanted it to never end. Loved IT!

'Sex and the City' may be her crowning glory, but 'Lipstick Jungle' is definitely her best work. I'm a fan of Candace Bushnell and her writing style. 'Sex and the City' was a great first outing to get the public familiar with her style, 'Four Blondes' was a fun collection of short stories that showed Bushnell's growth as a writer. It's 'Lipstick Jungle' that cements her status as a great storyteller of New York City. The book focuses on the careers and love lives of three friends. While their love lives make for interesting storylines, it's their careers that are the most entertaining in this book. I enjoyed how each woman has a very different, yet equally glamorous career. Victory struggles to put her fashion business back on top following a horrible spring fashion show. Nico fights to being the head of the magazine division of the company she works for. Then there is Wendy who is the head of a movie company and struggles to get her film made. Of the three women, I find Nico's fight to the top to be the most compelling story in terms of their careers. In their love lives, Wendy shines as a mother and wife who realizes that even though she has a high powered career, she's looked at as a failure for not being the perfect homemaker she thinks she needs to be. Victory's love life has it's moment's but isn't nearly as interesting as Wendy's or as spicy as the affair Nico has with a young model. What is great about Bushnell's novel is that even though they are characters living lives of the ultra-rich and famous, they are still relatable. She writes her characters to the point where they seem just as real as you and me. I highly recommend 'Lipstick Jungle' especially for those who are a fan of 'Sex and the City.'

I loved this book! I felt that Candace wasn't afraid to tackle some major issues, mainly the idea of happiness. Happiness is such a critical puzzle, and its ingredients shift (and deepen in complexity) with age. I also loved that Candace showed how wisdom and opportunity have truly, finally, turned the tables on so many of the old feminist struggles, and old sexual clichés, without solving them per se.

This is a wonderfully engrossing story of three high-powered career women in New York City. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It's filled with all the delicious little details and insights into the social scene that make you feel like an insider even if you aren't. With all that's going on in the country right now, I was greatful to escape into this novel. Very highly recommended!!!