Beyond the Blonde
by Kathleen Flynn-Hui
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kathleen Flynn-HuiEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2005-09-21
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Warner Books
Book Reviews of Beyond the Blonde
Book Review: 4 1/2 Sugary but Substantial; Fun Reading for Men and Women
Summary: 5 Stars
Hey--enough with the chick lit (or chic--it is about style!) label; color me one guy who enjoyed this very much. Kathleen Flynn-Hui novel is funny, warm, and a page-turning treat. Her best writing observes the socio-economic lifestyle of New York's elite, beginning with her much admired categorization of the five types of clients who have her hair colored by the protagonist ("Georgia"), to her descriptions of the frivolous activites of the rich and usually famous (e.g., "Le Chic Chien," a fashion show with designer clothes on pampered dogs) to the cut throat gossip and competition designed to maintain or improve one's already-elevated social status.
The book follows Georgia's ascent from beauty school in her hometwon of Weekeepmie, New Hampshire--with an earlier education from her mom. Doreen, who operates her own "low-end" salon--to the heights of fame at Jean Luc's salon in Manhattan. Georgia has a "tough broad" voice, the reader learns how she really feels about her generally spoiled and always demanding clientele who come from the most rarified strata of publishing, TV, movies, publicity, and modeling, as well as spouses-of-wealthy-males. Georgia doesn't particularly like them, but she learns the rules of client-colorist engagement, and she emerges as a likeable, funny, and highly observant lens on the New York/Hamptons social scene.
The book relied too much on cliches and some predictable narrative turns: Georgia falls in love with the suave, not gay (as she thought) Italian stylist Massimo; when seemingly crushed by the city she remembers the pithy, homespun sayings of her (sainted) Mom; she develops strong feelings for another Weekeepeemie student(Patrick, who IS gay), and, improbably, they're both hired by the stereotypically imperious and emotional Frenchman, Jean-Luc. Georgia's test of character occurs when the wildly successful Jean Luc plays them, promising she, Patrick, and Massimo their own Jean-Luc franchises, and then reneging bigtime on his offer. Georgia goes on so long about her doubts of starting a new salon with Massimo and Patrick--eventually abandoning them, that the reader just wishes that Flynn-Hui would cut to the inevitable reconciliation. The narrative's delirious, made-for-TV "surprise" is both disappointing and satisfying, as Flynn-Hui successfully leads us to differentiate between the good, hard-working, usually ethical Georgia and friends, and the self-absorbed, sometimes cruel personalities of clients and Jean-Luc himself.
Overall, however, it's a smart and funny take on the habituees of Manhattan, constantly pursueing the trendy, and only rarely showing us some core of integrity. More than chick lit., I'd categorize this as great confection-filled summer reading. It's not too demanding, but it doesn't insult your intelligence either. The author, like Georgia, is a colorist at a top New York salon, lending veracity to the incredibly self-indulgent women seeking physical perfection.
Summary of Beyond the Blonde
Kathleen Flynn-Hui - hairdresser to the stars - takes readers behind the frosted glass panels of the top salons and into the glamorous and bitchy world of women (and men) who'd kill for a handful of honeyed highlights. Beyond the Blonde follows the fortunes of Georgia, a small-town girl with big-city ambitions as she makes her ascent to the position of colourist at one of the most exclusive salons in New York. But if Georgia is to achieve the heady heights of urban salon success first she must battle bullies, find romance, endure heartbreak and betrayal. Can she make the cut? Or will it all unravel like a perm in a rainstorm? Anyone who loved The Nanny Diaries for its peek into an unknown world of slavery and hardship will adore Beyonde the Blonde for similar reasons. And as for those who couldn't miss an episode of Cutting It, here is the ideal book to plug the gap between series. In this superb roman-a-clef, Kathleen Flynn-Hui tells it like it is and gives readers more than one opportunity to spot the stars behind the stories ...Book Subjects
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