Beauty Queens

I liked it.

This is a wildly entertaining and thought-provoking novel that masterfully blends satire, adventure, and social commentary. The premise is intriguing: after a plane carrying 50 Miss Teen Dream contestants crash lands on a desert island, the 13 survivors find themselves stranded, facing the ultimate test of survival without their usual beauty essentials. What follows is a hilarious and poignant exploration of identity, feminism, and consumer culture.

If you get a chance, listen to the audiobook. Libba Bray's narration is nothing short of brilliant. Her ability to bring each character to life with distinct voices and personalities added a rich, immersive layer to the story. Her performance captures the essence of each beauty queen, making their struggles and triumphs feel incredibly real and relatable. The humor, which is a highlight of the novel, is even more effective in audio format, thanks to Bray's impeccable comedic timing and expressive voice work.

It’s a tie between my favorite characters: Miss Texas, Taylor Krystal Rene Hawkins and Miss Mississippi, Tiara Destiny Swann. They have the funniest lines probably because they’re stereotypical pageant contestants.

“Ahem. Dear Jesus," Taylor intoned more fervently. "We just want to thank you for gettin' us here safe ---"
There was a loud, gurgling groan. Somebody shouted, "Oh my gosh! Miss Delaware just died!"
"--- for gettin some of us here safe," Taylor continued. "And we pray that, as we are fine, upstandin', law-abidin' girls who represent the best of the best, you will protect us from harm and keep us safe until we are rescued and can tell our story to People magazine. Amen."

Listening to the audiobook felt like having a personal performance of the story, complete with all the nuances and emotional beats that might be missed in a traditional reading. Bray's enthusiasm and connection to the material shine through, making the experience both engaging and memorable. The added layer of her narration makes the satire sharper and the emotional moments more resonant.

One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its diverse cast of characters, each representing different facets of teen identity and societal expectations. Bray deftly uses humor and absurdity to tackle serious themes, creating a narrative that is as deep as it is delightful. The contestants' journey from beauty queens to resilient survivors is both comical and inspiring, filled with unexpected twists, including an encounter with sexy pirates that adds an extra layer of absurdity to their predicament.

All in all, this is a great read that offers much more than its quirky premise might suggest. It's a book that will make you laugh, think, and perhaps reconsider the true meaning of beauty and resilience. The audiobook, narrated by Libba Bray herself, is a standout version of this novel, enhancing the story with her vibrant and dynamic performance. Whether you're a fan of satire, adventure, or simply looking for a unique and enjoyable read, this is a book that deserves a spot on your reading (or listening) list.

This book is ridiculous, but in a good way

This book is so much fun! Как отметили в других ревью, когда берешь книгу, в которой «девочки-подростки оказались на необитаемом острове», немедленно начинаешь ожидать пересказа «Повелителя мух», тем более что девочки – участницы конкурса красоты. Но Либба Брэй делает ровно обратное – она пишет до неприличия феминистскую книгу про сестринство и girl power. Девочки не просто выживают – они строят хижины, учатся ловить рыбу, собирать дождевую воду, и – куда без этого – вырастают над стереотипами и показывают средний палец философии конкурсов красоты.

Стереотипы, кстати, не только гендерные. Либба потыкала палочкой расизм, гомофобию, трансфобию, фэтшейминг, слатшейминг. Героиня-индианка напрягается, когда видит среди выживших чернокожую девочку: «Вот моя конкурентка, в финал никогда не пропустят двух цветных». Еще одна героиня, впервые за много дней попробовав кусок жареной рыбы, говорит: «Это так вкусно, что я даже не буду его выташнивать». Героине-трансгендеру другие участницы поначалу заявляют, что она не может участвовать в конкурсе, потому что не «настоящая девочка».

Но это не печальная социалка, если что. Это сатира с элементами абсурда. Реальность выкручена на максимум, поэтому мисс Мичиган способна голыми руками завалить огромную змею, а мисс Техас – в одиночку взорвать пол-острова. И это правда очень, очень весело – и очень вдохновляюще, и про настоящую дружбу и преданность, потому что Teen Dreamers своих не бросают ни в джунглях, ни над бассейном с пираньями.

Портит «Королев красоты» только немного затянутый финал, и это у Либбы Брэй уже было в конце трилогии A Great and Terrible Beauty – прямо хочется порезать все эти сцены в два, а то и в три раза. (Надеюсь, она не наступит на эти грабли в финалке The Diviners, а то я ведь не переживу). В остальном же – прекрасное чтение для девочек и недевочек всех возрастов.

Насохраняла цитат, не не могу выбрать, какие запостить! Поэтому запощу все:

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Nicole hated that she could never quite feel like she was just herself, just Nicole, but that she was somehow representing an entire race. That’s how they saw her, as a “they” and not a “she.”
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Being beauty queen is like being marine, only harder. Marines do not fight in four-inch heels.”
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“Come down this instant and we work on interview portion. You can tell story of how much you wish to be mother someday. People like to hear about your future plans for ovaries.”
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“It is important for girls to be likeable.” “But why?” Shanti asked. If Mrs. Mirabov had an answer, she wasn’t sharing.
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In school, they would tell you that life wouldn’t come to you; you had to go out and make it your own. But when it came to love, the message for girls seemed to be this: Don’t. Don’t go after what you want. Wait. Wait to be chosen, as if only in the eye of another could one truly find value. The message was confusing and infuriating. It was a shell game with no actual pea under the rapidly moving cups.
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When the virus stole most of Sosie’s hearing, it also stole her right to complain. She figured out early that nobody liked an angry disabled person. It messed with their sympathy, with the story in their head about people overcoming adversity to be shining lights in the world.
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“You sure you want to be a girl? It’s a lot of work.”
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“Why do girls always feel like they have to apologize for giving an opinion or taking up space in the world? Have you ever noticed that?” Nicole asked. “You go on websites and some girl leaves a post and if it’s longer than three sentences or she’s expressing her thoughts about some topic, she usually ends with, ‘Sorry for the rant’ or ‘That may be dumb, but that’s what I think.’”
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Brittani smiled. “Right. I forgot. Sor — I mean, can we do makeovers at Girl Con?” “Do we have to?” Adina said with a sigh. “How is that empowering?” “Things don’t have to be empowering all the time. It can just be fun.
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Stinging slaps of names bit at her skin in the school hallways: Whore. Slut. Nympho. Easy. Trashy. Trampy. Not the girl you bring home to Mother. But Mary Lou didn’t really want to go home to someone’s mother. She already had one of those and, frankly, one was more than enough.
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“Maybe girls need an island to find themselves. Maybe they need a place where no one’s watching them so they can be who they really are.”
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super funny but also very educational/thought provoking in a very effective way