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Arnoldi, Katie ~ Chemical Pink

When I selected this book I thought
Few fiction books tackle the world of bodybuilding, let alone keep a story alive without becoming bogged in the technicalities of achieving a physical standard. I used to be a bit of a gym pig and have a voyeuristic interest in the obsessive nature of the pursuit.

50-word description
A wealthy hanger-on in the Los Angeles bodybuilding scene sets sight on a struggling young mother with aspirations towards bodybuilding glory. He exchanges financial support for her freedom and they become caught in a web of co-dependence and control that comprises Aurora’s child, health and dignity.

150-word review
The story starts briskly with promises of a happy ending: wealthy Charles seeks a promising female bodybuilder to mentor after the departure of his last protégé and Aurora is an emerging bodybuilder looking for a patron.

The hidden costs of Aurora accepting Charles’s deal unfurl as Arnoldi packs the pages with repeated episodes of her sexual humiliation and physical changes from drug use. I’ve trained alongside women impacted by the permanent side effects of excessive testosterone and witnessed the personal behaviour of some of the freaky patrons of muscle; there’s no doubt many of the over-the-top and tawdry scenarios in the book have a basis in truth.

Charles’s network of trainers, drug dealers and the ring of female bodybuilders turned part-time fetish prostitutes out of desperation for money also ring true, however, I can’t predict if the rampant narcissism of the bodybuilding world and degrading sex scenes will entertain or disgust the lay reader. Supporting storylines don’t always maintain interest: the breakdown of Aurora’s relationship with her family and the death of an old friend are rushed as if the author lacked confidence to develop storylines outside her areas of expertise.

kate arnoldi ~ chemical pink

Found in
Fiction A

Read
Feb 09

Links
Katie Arnoldi blogs about Hollywood
Frankston Library catalogue link

Rating
Unrealised potential

This is book 18 of the project.

Almond, Steve and Baggott, Julianna ~ Which Brings Me to You: A Novel in Confessions

When I selected this book I thought
The idea sounds appealing of a failed Gen-X coupling in a dark cloak room turning into an epistolary friendship. The description on the back cover of a ‘tour de force’ was a warning of sorts though, as nothing sets my nerves on edge like an overused claim made (usually) in desperation by the publisher.

50-word description
Jane and John are single and jaded thirty-somethings. They lock eyes at a wedding and end up grappling and shedding clothes in a cloak room but John stops in an effort to change old habits. Instead, they agree to get to know each other by confessing their emotional and relationship histories through pen-and-paper correspondence.

150-word review
I loved the concept of this book in a Wow, I wish I’d thought of that idea way, commonly known as envy, I believe.

The book starts insightfully with the protagonists’ jaded attitudes towards love and their distracted attempt to have sex, however, awkwardness quickly infiltrates the pages. The premise of the pair confessing their emotional pasts with the freedom of being relative strangers becomes stifled, as if they are writing one-way news stories rather than searching for meaning or context within their own or the other’s life.

Two other flaws haunt the book: John’s decision to not have sex with Jane because he might like her rankles of a Madonna/whore mindset; and the plot’s movement is slow and lacks anchor points as if reading a diary with few dates or events to mark time.

Everything wraps up nicely and I was left wondering what could have been if some substantial sentences of wisdom had firmer structure and plot to support them.

steve almond and julianna baggott ~ which brings me to you

Found in
Fiction A

Borrowed
Dec 08

Authors’ links:
Steve Almond’s web site, Julianna Baggott’s web site

Rating
Unrealised potential

This is book 12 of the project.

Austin, Susi ~ Winners

When I selected this book I thought
I got brave and span the romance carousel at the library. I’m working up to a proper bodice ripper so I chose a book with horses on the front (I swear it was the only book I could find with the author’s surname beginning with A — promise). I like horses, I like “wickedly funny” things and I like “raunchy sex.” The signs are good so far.

50-word description
Winners follows a group of men and women vying for victory and Olympic selection at an Australian horse festival and competition. The dressage, cross country and show jumping events take a back seat to sabotage and the frantic personal lives of the competitors, grooms and equine-event groupies.

150-word review
The book could have been an enjoyable escape to another world with a damn firm edit. On page 26:

“Then frequently at the end of the day, when the gear was finally taken off, as if to deliberately infuriate the breaker, the horse would walk up to the big wooden, two metre high fence surrounding his yard and effortlessly jump out.”

Rearranging passive verbs and using words instead of ‘big’ to describe everything larger than medium sized would have aided readability. And if you’ve ever queried the importance of character naming, I’ll give you five dollars if you can pick which of these are human and which are animals:

Liz, Jack, Jake, Sam, Kenny, Sally, Ronnie, Fifi, Cassie, Tony, Willy and Muffy (clue: Muffy is a human).

Austin brings authentic and interesting knowledge of horse sports but the ability of the two primary characters to hold main storylines afloat is weakened with unresolved dilemmas. Again, a sharp smack with the editing whip would tighten the main theme and allow more space for promised side events such as “raunchy sex.” The bumping of uglies was okay, but nothing to rub in Jilly Cooper’s face.

susi austin ~ winners

Found in
Fiction A

Borrowed
Oct 08

Rating
Unrealised potential

This is book 3 of the project.