This is a different book. Four stars is being generous. Sometimes I found myself thinking that I would be rating this 3 stars at most and a few times 5 stars ; then, there would be a section where I was not quite as enchanted with the story. The conclusion of the novel was my least favorite part. It is strange, sinister, and does not seem believable. Then again the whole secret Hollywood society club was slightly puzzling at times. Just when it seemed believable, an entire episode could not be distinguished as a dream or reality. Readers might feel as I did - a bit disconnected from the characters in the parts involving some of protagonist Abby's dreams, and the ending was an Abby nightmare.
In the beginning of the book, once loner Abby (with what seems to be a dead-end life) attends her ten-year high school reunion and then takes off to start her new life, I became totally immersed in 'The Paper Wasp' - even though Abby Graven's life and personality are nothing like my own.
The writing marvelously captures human relationships, the challenges of maintaining a facade of perfection in Hollywood, and life's occasional searing disappointments of supposedly best-friend, female relationships.
A reader does not have to have a tie to Hollywood or fame to be able to relate to the emotions that can yank Abby from an even emotional plateau to feeling totally betrayed or used.
Interestingly, the cover of my ARC copy quoted BBC.com in which author Lauren Acampora is compared to Flannery O'Connor. One similarity is the sudden change in the plot, often just as the reader begins to feel as if she/he knows what is going to happen. I happen to be a reader that was puzzled by O'Connor from the moment my high school's advanced English class was assigned a couple of her short stories. All these years later, the conclusion of 'The Paper Wasp' reminded me of my reaction to O'Connor stories with bizarre endings. Really wish there were half stars for rating.
In the beginning of the book, once loner Abby (with what seems to be a dead-end life) attends her ten-year high school reunion and then takes off to start her new life, I became totally immersed in 'The Paper Wasp' - even though Abby Graven's life and personality are nothing like my own.
The writing marvelously captures human relationships, the challenges of maintaining a facade of perfection in Hollywood, and life's occasional searing disappointments of supposedly best-friend, female relationships.
A reader does not have to have a tie to Hollywood or fame to be able to relate to the emotions that can yank Abby from an even emotional plateau to feeling totally betrayed or used.
Interestingly, the cover of my ARC copy quoted BBC.com in which author Lauren Acampora is compared to Flannery O'Connor. One similarity is the sudden change in the plot, often just as the reader begins to feel as if she/he knows what is going to happen. I happen to be a reader that was puzzled by O'Connor from the moment my high school's advanced English class was assigned a couple of her short stories. All these years later, the conclusion of 'The Paper Wasp' reminded me of my reaction to O'Connor stories with bizarre endings. Really wish there were half stars for rating.