Happy Book Birthday, Pretty Things!

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The basics: "Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear."--publisher

 My thoughts: Two (of many) things I enjoy more than the average person: heist novels and feminist novels. So a feminist heist novel is a delight. I had the pleasure of seeing Janelle Brown speak at ALA Midwinter in January (that feels like a lifetime ago), and I was thrilled to pick up an ARC at the event too. Since then, Nicole Kidman optioned the novel and will produce and star in it for Amazon (I am quite curious which part she will play, as she is older than both of the main characters). Often with novels like one (thrillers, buzzy, about to be adapted), I like to wait until just before the publication date to read it, so that I can share the excitement with more people. Sure, it's fun to read a novel months before everyone, but it's often more fun to read it just before.

This weekend, I finally curled up with Pretty Things, and plowed through its 476 pages in two days. It's a fun ride, and it is absolutely a great book to escape in. The plot kept me turning pages, and there were quite a few satisfying twists, but this novel is more than just a heist thriller. Brown is a gifted writer, and this novel will also appease fans of more literary novels. Pretty Things is also a compelling exploration of memory, privilege, friendship, family, and love. While I liked it, I do have a few quibbles with the novel: some of the twists were easily guessed (by me) and I think it could have been edited down. I am the rare reader who does like big books, and 476 pages is big. Still, I would recommend this novel to most readers, and I think it might find its way on my short list of adaptations that are better than the novel.

 Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 476 pages
Publication date: April 21, 2020
Source: publisher

 Want to read for yourself? Buy Pretty Things from your favorite independent bookstore or from Amazon (Kindle edition.)

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

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