Review: The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith

March 22, 2014

I actually really like this book. I hadn’t read it in about a million years, but I picked it up the other day and it was just what I needed — fast paced, funny, brain candy. The characters are vivid and amusing, and aspiring writers and published authors will love the behind the scenes look at the publishing industry. Yes, the book is a little dated (ahem, sky high advances) But lines like “The only good author is a dead author” and other quotes from 90’s publishing icons feel dead-on authentic (especially if you’re a mid-lister.) Goldsmith busts through the fantasy of publishing, and weaves a story about hopes, dreams, and life in print. What I hated: Two different characters describe the same manuscript as an “abortion” in their inner monologues. This is a unique and vivid description — it’s pretty unlikely that two different characters would use the very same word unless one of them was a psychic. What I liked: the perfect sort of book to read with sand between your toes.

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