Just loved it!

Being Audrey Hepburn: A Novel by Mitchell Kriegman 

Dreams and truth are all mixed up and threaded throughout with magic Audrey Hepburn moments, shaded over with Givenchy, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, and others.
As our fab lead Lisbeth Anne Wachowicz from New Jersey says, 'Here's the big secret, Audrey Hepburn is the cure for everything.' How many times have I hummed 'moon river' and then flashed back to that hair, those glasses and that little black dress. (Hands up those of us who have a little 'go to' black dress in their wardrobe!)     
Lisbeth always adored, indeed lived, Audrey Hepburn. She works at a diner with her lifelong friend Jess, a budding fashion designer who also works for the MET.
That's how come Lisbeth gets to see that little black dress that Audrey H. wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. And that's the beginning, where it all unfolds. Lisbeth's journey takes us into the world of the badly behaved rich and famous, into dark secrets and fair weather friends, finding out where one's heart lies and choosing your path. Along the way there's some romantic interest. 
A cracker of a read! I was smitten by the character of Lisbeth. I loved the way in which Kriegman melded the ideas of fashion and design. My fingers itched to feel the fabrics. In fact I'm sure I can. His descriptions made me sense the uniqueness of these designs. They vibrated, they came alive. I adored the interesting touches Jess added, the makeovers that produce 'new look' creations. I must admit that for just a few seconds I flashed back to Molly Ringwald and 'Pretty in Pink' from the aspect of Andie's creativeness. 'Being Audrey' is so much more, and so much more in the now!
The jaded lives of the rich and famous come in for a drubbing. The crush and whirl and mindlessness of it all is highlighted.
Lisbeth, or rather her alter ego Lisbeth Dulac, her 'nom de plume' emerges as a strong character, from a dysfunctional family. Who isn't? Some just more so than others and Lisbeth's is definitely more so. Lisbeth's creation of a fashion blog recalled for me Tavi Gevinson who began her fashion blog at a much younger age. The whole thing of becoming a leader in a field and being noticed via the medium of blogging.
I loved Lisbeth's nan. A woman of class, ethereal yet no nonsense, a woman unshockable. A woman it seems from another world.
But best of all as I have more than intimated, I loved the world that author Kriegman has created. A world that morphs out of the much loved Audrey into ours, revolving around an iconic film moment and actress that espouses dreams fulfilled and hope.

A NetGalley ARC

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Things aren’t as they seem!

Women in war—Internment by the Japanese 1942-45.

Unusual thriller!