Killing Monica

June 1, 2015
Bestseller Bushnell's latest is a poorly executed attempt at tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that never really comes together. Novelist Pandy Wallis's alter ego, Monicaâstar of four wildly successful novels and celebrated moviesâhas amassed a global following. But the shiny, happy life Monica leads, once a reflection of Pandy's own, has become a mocking reminder of how much things have changed. Pandy's former best friend SondraBeth, the actress who portrays Monica on the big screen, years earlier slept with a man Pandy loved; Pandy's serial-cheating celeb-chef husband ran through most of her money and wants to take whatever's left in the divorce; and the non-Monica book she's written has been rejected by her publisher, a devastating blow reluctantly delivered by Pandy's agent, Henry. Add a trio of girlfriends able to while away weekday mornings drinking champagne at über-trendy NYC rooftop pools, an obsession with high-end footwear, and seemingly savvy women who make awful choices when it comes to love, and the result is a tired retread of familiar motifs paired with characters any reader would be hard-pressed to care about.

May 1, 2015
Bushnell (One Fifth Avenue, 2008, etc.) is still playing her Sex and the City riffs in this self-referential sort-of satire about an author whose insanely popular fictional creation has taken over her life. PJ "Pandy" Wallis created her fictional alter ego, Monica-think Carrie Bradshaw on steroids-in four bestselling novels and the movies that followed. The problem is that her newest book is not about Monica. It's about Pandy's ancestor Lady Wallis Wallis, who arrived in America in 1775-and, according to Pandy's agent and suspiciously intimate confidant, Henry, historical fiction is a hard sell, so her editor has turned it down. As Pandy ponders whether to give in and write another Monica book, she relives her career. Along the way she became best friends with the actress who played Monica on screen, SondraBeth Schnowzer. During their days of wild, often drunken gal-pal escapades, they called themselves PandaBeth. Their friendship, which has an unexplored homoerotic undertone, ended when hot actor Doug Stone slept with both of them. Despite the gaggle of indistinguishable friends surrounding her now, Pandy still misses SondraBeth. The last time they spoke, SondraBeth warned Pandy that her husband-to-be, celebrity chef/restaurateur Jonny Balaga, was not a nice man. SondraBeth was right. Jonny went through Pandy's money and cheated on her. What's worse, he couldn't swim, liked contemporary furniture, and didn't properly appreciate the pedigree of Pandy's Connecticut family estate. She's now divorcing him, but the settlement requires her to fork over the $1 million advance on her newest book. Without a book contract there won't be an advance, and Pandy worries what Jonny will go after instead-possibly the rights to Monica herself. But how separate is Monica's identity from jet-setting Pandy's? Or Bushnell's, readers may wonder? The book's portrayal of Pandy feels both self-congratulatory and unintentionally unpleasant, the hostility toward male characters is virulent-the only good male in the book may not be one-and the sense of humor is nil.

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May 15, 2015

Bushnell's (Sex and the City; Lipstick Jungle) latest novel gives readers a peek into the celebrity lifestyle and the desperation that arises when a fictional character begins to overshadow its creator's real life. Pandy Wallis has been a writer ever since she was young; she developed her star protagonist, Monica, when she was just a teen. Reminiscent of the "Amazing Amy" subplot in Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, Monica becomes a representation of Pandy's ideal self: gorgeous, poised, and elite. When her Monica books make the jump to the big screen, Pandy selects SondraBeth Schnowzer to play the leading lady and the two become fast friends. But the Hollywood lifestyle isn't all it's cracked up to be, and Pandy soon faces a divorce and an empty bank account. Her solution? Monica must die. But how do you kill a fictional character that has surpassed its real-life muse? VERDICT A bit choppy but a good beach read, this novel will be in high demand thanks to Bushnell's fan base and a well-publicized draft leak in 2013.--Chelsie Harris, San Diego Cty. Lib.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Bushnell's Sex and the City (1996), a novel made globally famous via the HBO series, stars Carrie Bradshaw, her witty, smart, thirtysomething alter ego. In her entertaining, new novel, the now fiftysomething Bushnell portrays a midlife writer, Pandy Wallis, whose popular novels feature Monica, an idealized, more glamorous version of herself. More autobiographical parallels surface, including an attractive, unfaithful husband. Pandy grows tired of writing about Monica and tries to free herself from her protagonist, but that is easier said than done, since she needs money to divorce her scumbag spouse. Like Bushnell, Pandy is a feminist who never had kids. ( Doesn't anyone realize that for men, marriage and children aren't considered achievements? Or even accomplishments? she tells her agent. For men, marriage and children are a lifestyle. And that isn't right. ) Bushnell successfully sticks to her tried-and-true recipe: sex, humor, female friendships, subtle social commentary, smart women who make foolish choices, and thrilling plot twists. Pro that she is, she saves the best for last.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)