Review (Becky): Beauty Queens

Title: Beauty Queens Author: Libba Bray Pages: 396 pages Audience: YA Genre: Adventure (survival/chick lit) Rating: 2 I'd use this book as fuel if I got stranded on an island

Goodreads Summary

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

My Thoughts
I really thought I'd like this more.  It has a lot of elements I like: Libba Bray, hot button issues, dystopian society, survival.  It also has a lot of things that don't usually work for me: "humor", chick-lit, a generally uplifting tone.  This is a book in which Libba Bray mocks everyone, everything and everywhere with a strong message of feminism, racial issues, lgbt issues, and virtually every other issue you can think of. You have to suspend all disbelief for this story to work. One girl (I kid you not) has a tray lodged in her forehead for the entirety of the story and neither dies nor gets any kind of infection. The constant absurdity made me want to gag, although I support the overall message. If you like campy, obvious humor then you may enjoy this book. I really don't, at least not in a full-length novel, but I can see the appeal. If this had been a short story I would likely have loved it.

FTC Disclaimer

All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.