Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Title: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Date Published: May 24, 2011
Pages: 390

Summary: The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?



Review: I read a small interview with Libba Bray that was posted on a book blog I regularly check, she talked about this book, Beauty Queens along with some personal question and answers. That was my first time ever reading the synopsis and also getting to know this particular author. I thought that the interview was hilarious. I was curious to see how her quirky, fun and sometimes sarcastic answers would translate into writing so I decided that this book was a must read!

This isn't your ordinary book about a bunch of teenage girls who are about to take stage to compete for the title of Miss Teen Dream. In fact, nothing about this novel is "ordinary"- the plot is wonderful! Filled with tragedies, sarcastic& moody girly girls who haven't a clue as to what life is really about, pirates (yes! pirates.. and this part of the book was my favorite- hysterical!!), and evil Corporation people!

At times, I thought that certain events were a little far fetched... but later on realized that everything came together nicely. 

On to the character...

I can't really choose a favorite Dream Team girl to talk about becuase it surprised me with how different they all were. In the beginning the girls are stuck up (some of them), they don't know how to survive on an island because all they think or even care about is beauty twenty-four seven. That's how they were raised- to try and be the best. Each character blends with each other because the reader doesn't know enough about the character to give each their own identity. The beginning reminded me of everything I hated about high school; cheerleading and always needing to look perfect in order to get noticed by anyone. It gets ingrained in girls heads that beauty is the most important thing out there. Throughout the book though, each contestant begins to have an insight into who they are... and they help each other out along the way.  

So that's why I can't choose a favorite because I liked each of the girls own characteristics. That isn't to say that I didn't relate to a certain character more than another- because I did!! I think given the talents and diversity that Libba brings into each of these girls, any reader will be able to find once person they can relate with.

BUT... 

I can choose a character that I HIGHLY dislike... 

and that'd be Ladybird. Every time Miss Ladybird (a past Dream Team contestant and who is look so highly upon by the girls) was referenced, even from the very beginning of the book, I wanted to scream! lol. And surprise, surprise as the story continued I felt even angrier with her... and why I'm at it I'll just say the entire Corporation made me angry. Which was Libba's intention I'm sure. So it worked :-) 

The Corporation commercials that are randomly thrown in throughout the book are hilarious! I took a little time to read them carefully to see if there were any underlying meanings as to what the girls were supposed to get out the commercials and what they actually did!! Its pretty interesting actually to think about. 

Libba Bray took what is and could be, a serious subject matter (EX: plane crash, survival & teens being raised to believe that beauty & winning is only importance in life) and made light of it. Anyone looking for a little change when it comes to both genres and pace... this is it!!