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2.82 AVERAGE
2.82 AVERAGE
“The Body Double” by Emily Beyda opens in a narrative by a worker at a movie theater concession stand. She makes an Instant connection with readers through the first person construction. She shares in great detail what she sees: the landscapes, the people, and her surroundings. She describes people and places based on her observations, expectations and feelings. She rationalizes her doubts and justifies her opinions. Readers get to know her well. Someone else knows her well, too. She is perfect, well almost perfect, for the most important role of her life – standing in for Rosanna an “ill” celebrity.
Beyda constructs a story so preposterous that it is becomes believable in this age of celebrities and social media. The intense mannerism training, the social manipulation, and the physical alterations are the staple of reality TV. Readers follow as she gets a new name, new residence, and a new, large bank account. The pace is very slow as she morphs into Rosanna, leaving her past behind. She soon learns that this transformation is different from what she imagined; it becomes more than a well-paying job, more than a temporary fill-in part. This role has changed her; it sent her to a dark place. The supporting characters are also seen through her eyes. No one is as she expected; no one is her friend; no one cares about her. Readers soon come to distrust if not hate most of them.
“The Body Double” starts with in intriguing premise, a stand-in for a celebrity, but too much of the story is centered on the mechanics of her transportation, rather than on her performance as the replacement celebrity. I was given a review copy of “The Body Double” by Emily Beyda and Random House. This debut novel by Emily Beyda has compelling components, but I was somewhat disappointed by the slow-burn brooding, and wanted more “celebrity conflict.”
Beyda constructs a story so preposterous that it is becomes believable in this age of celebrities and social media. The intense mannerism training, the social manipulation, and the physical alterations are the staple of reality TV. Readers follow as she gets a new name, new residence, and a new, large bank account. The pace is very slow as she morphs into Rosanna, leaving her past behind. She soon learns that this transformation is different from what she imagined; it becomes more than a well-paying job, more than a temporary fill-in part. This role has changed her; it sent her to a dark place. The supporting characters are also seen through her eyes. No one is as she expected; no one is her friend; no one cares about her. Readers soon come to distrust if not hate most of them.
“The Body Double” starts with in intriguing premise, a stand-in for a celebrity, but too much of the story is centered on the mechanics of her transportation, rather than on her performance as the replacement celebrity. I was given a review copy of “The Body Double” by Emily Beyda and Random House. This debut novel by Emily Beyda has compelling components, but I was somewhat disappointed by the slow-burn brooding, and wanted more “celebrity conflict.”
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This book centers around three main characters. Max, Rosanna, and Rosanna's nameless body double. There were many points in the book when I thought everyone was absolutely crazy and I loved that. It was a brave choice to write this book in the first person, but I think it worked well for this particular story. It is a slow burn, but also a quick read and I was in suspense wanting to know how it played out the entire time. I sort of guessed the big reveal, but it wasn't quite what I expected. I recommend this if you like slow burn unique stories. I think this is a great first book and I look forward to reading more by Emily Beyda.
This book centers around three main characters. Max, Rosanna, and Rosanna's nameless body double. There were many points in the book when I thought everyone was absolutely crazy and I loved that. It was a brave choice to write this book in the first person, but I think it worked well for this particular story. It is a slow burn, but also a quick read and I was in suspense wanting to know how it played out the entire time. I sort of guessed the big reveal, but it wasn't quite what I expected. I recommend this if you like slow burn unique stories. I think this is a great first book and I look forward to reading more by Emily Beyda.
The premise was interesting and thrilling. I mean, a girl - who's name we don't know- is hired to be the body double of famous Rosanna. She has to forget her identity and fully become her, eat the food Rosanna likes, wear her clothes, use her products. She goes full crazy and even accepts surgery on her body and face to look like her. To become her. Yeah, it would have been interesting and shocking if only it wasn't so damn boring. We're always in her head, with her crazy, stupid thoughts and it just goes on for ages until probably the last few chapters where things get interesting but aren't fully developed. It was a bummer. Don't be fooled by the pretty cover, you know what they say about judging the book by its cover, right?
*this book was kindly provided by Penguin Random House International in exchange for an honest review.
*this book was kindly provided by Penguin Random House International in exchange for an honest review.
Huh. Well. I’ll say this- I gave it two stars instead of one, because the premise was very intriguing.
But the book was messy. Our (unarmed) protagonist was so much of a blank slate it didn’t make anything that happened to her, narratively or mentally, resonant. When a character becomes changed or obsessive, it’s tense or unnerving to be on that journey as they change. If we know barely anything about that character in the first place, like in this book, how can we feel that tension?
Her opinions of people would change sporadically. The stakes and danger and themes of obsession were so intense from the beginning there wasn’t anywhere to go. The ending seemed a bit random. There was a moment in the middle, right after the interview, where they tease something else happening that doesn’t really come though ever again.
Alas.
But the book was messy. Our (unarmed) protagonist was so much of a blank slate it didn’t make anything that happened to her, narratively or mentally, resonant. When a character becomes changed or obsessive, it’s tense or unnerving to be on that journey as they change. If we know barely anything about that character in the first place, like in this book, how can we feel that tension?
Her opinions of people would change sporadically. The stakes and danger and themes of obsession were so intense from the beginning there wasn’t anywhere to go. The ending seemed a bit random. There was a moment in the middle, right after the interview, where they tease something else happening that doesn’t really come though ever again.
Alas.
I really really really wanted to love this book. The premises of the book is incredible. Someone trying to have another human live a celebrity life? SIGN ME UP!
I think the first curveball for me was the fact that a ton of information was revealed to us in the first chapter. I was very confused as to what are we going to talk about later on in the book. The decisions this character had to make were a bit too big for just a couple of sentences.
While reading a book I felt like I was driving a stick-shift car: I don't know how to drive a stick-shift car. Some places felt like smooth and inviting sailing. However, some felt very clunky and bumpy.
I think with heavy editing and some re-writing to smooth things over this can be a very intriguing read.
I think the first curveball for me was the fact that a ton of information was revealed to us in the first chapter. I was very confused as to what are we going to talk about later on in the book. The decisions this character had to make were a bit too big for just a couple of sentences.
While reading a book I felt like I was driving a stick-shift car: I don't know how to drive a stick-shift car. Some places felt like smooth and inviting sailing. However, some felt very clunky and bumpy.
I think with heavy editing and some re-writing to smooth things over this can be a very intriguing read.
This book was all buildup and very little resolution. The main character acts like a lovesick puppy and is devoid of any defining features or emotions. The middle portion of the book drags on and on. All in all, it’s not a terrible book, but it certainly isn’t a great one.
Picked up the galley and loved it. A Millennial Noir, full of swirling language around isolation and performative identity. Had some plot issues, but the strength of the voice was more than enough to keep me involved. Very strong debut novel.
Thank you to @doubledaybooks for my gifted copy! This one publishes on 3/3/2020!
The Body Double by Emily Beyda (#19 in 2020)
When a man named Max comes to her small town, he recognizes that she'll be perfect for "the role." After signing an NDA and leaving her entire life behind her, our narrator moves to Los Angeles to become the body double for Rosanna Feld, the famous disaster-and-a-half celebrity. Our narrator learns how to act, talk, walk, and think like Rosanna Feld, and she is coached by Max until he feels she is ready to make her public debut. But this very unique job assignment seems to seem less of an honor as our narrator begins to uncover some sinister secrets.
The Body Double makes the reader question how we, as a society, value physical appearance and the lengths one would take to be like a favorite Hollywood star.
I truly love how the narrator is never named. It simply adds to the idea of how irrelevant her true identity is. Every time she is spoken to or offers up her name, she is referred to (and refers to herself) as Rosanna. On the surface, it seems so superficial, but it's an eerily dark concept beneath the surface. Our narrator is too easily convinced to sacrifice her true identity and all she knows for the prospect at being connected to Hollywood, and her regrets slowly arise until she is in too far to turn back.
If you check Goodreads, the book is labeled as a thriller, but I honestly don't think it fits into that category. I would likely place it in the genre of contemporary fiction that is just dipping its toes into horror. If this book becomes a movie, I hope the darker parts are emphasized to place this into the horror genre.
The Body Double by Emily Beyda (#19 in 2020)
When a man named Max comes to her small town, he recognizes that she'll be perfect for "the role." After signing an NDA and leaving her entire life behind her, our narrator moves to Los Angeles to become the body double for Rosanna Feld, the famous disaster-and-a-half celebrity. Our narrator learns how to act, talk, walk, and think like Rosanna Feld, and she is coached by Max until he feels she is ready to make her public debut. But this very unique job assignment seems to seem less of an honor as our narrator begins to uncover some sinister secrets.
The Body Double makes the reader question how we, as a society, value physical appearance and the lengths one would take to be like a favorite Hollywood star.
I truly love how the narrator is never named. It simply adds to the idea of how irrelevant her true identity is. Every time she is spoken to or offers up her name, she is referred to (and refers to herself) as Rosanna. On the surface, it seems so superficial, but it's an eerily dark concept beneath the surface. Our narrator is too easily convinced to sacrifice her true identity and all she knows for the prospect at being connected to Hollywood, and her regrets slowly arise until she is in too far to turn back.
If you check Goodreads, the book is labeled as a thriller, but I honestly don't think it fits into that category. I would likely place it in the genre of contemporary fiction that is just dipping its toes into horror. If this book becomes a movie, I hope the darker parts are emphasized to place this into the horror genre.