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The Pretty One: A Novel about Sisters Audiobook
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(3.01) - 421 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
For nearly forty years, the Hellinger sisters of Hastings-on-Hudson—namely, Imperia (Perri), Olympia (Pia), and Augusta (Gus)—have played the roles set down by their loving but domineering mother, Carol. Perri, a mother of three, rules her four-bedroom palace in Westchester with a velvet fist, managing to fold even fitted sheets into immaculate rectangles. Pia, a gorgeous and fashionable events coordinator at a museum on the Upper East Side, who became a single mother via sperm donation, still turns heads. And Gus, a fiercely independent lawyer and activist, doesn’t let her breakup with her girlfriend stop her from attending New Year’s Day protests on her way to a family brunch. But the Hellinger women aren’t pulling off their roles the way they once did. Perri, increasingly filled with rage over the lack of appreciation from her recently unemployed husband, Mike, is engaging in a steamy text flirtation with a college fling. Pia, desperate to find someone to share in the pain and joy of raising her three-year-old daughter, Lola, can’t stop fantasizing about Donor #6103. And Gus, heartbroken over the loss of her girlfriend, is magnetically drawn to Jeff, Mike’s frat boy of a little brother. Each woman is unable to believe that anyone, especially her sisters, could understand what it’s like to be her. But when a freak accident lands their mother in the hospital, a chain of events is set in motion that will send each Hellinger sister rocketing out of her comfort zone, leaving her to wonder: was this the role she was truly born to play? With The Pretty One, Lucinda Rosenfeld does for siblings what she did for female friendship in I’m So Happy for You, turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the lifelong pleasures and punishments of sisterhood.
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"This was given to me by the author. Thanks again Ms. Rosenfeld. I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. It is like seeing your family from different perspectives. Every family has siblings that are labelled, "the smart one", "the pretty one", etc. The characters in this story are believable, and human. At times, I felt as if I could be reading about my own family. Everyone should read this book! Loved it! :)"
— Doreen (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Appealingly dark.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“In this impish new novel from the author of I’m So Happy For You, three sisters who have grown up cranky and competitive are itching to shed the stereotypes they’ve always represented to one another and their parents…By the time everything’s resolved, you’ll have come to love them in all their hilarious imperfection.”
— People -
“Rosenfeld does do a stellar job of developing each personality, and the characters remain true to their nature throughout.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A witty character study of that contentious organism: sisterhood.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Although the novel’s twists and turns are entertaining, it’s the sisters’ realistic swings from jealousy to unity that make it compelling. Once again, the author of I’m So Happy for You portrays women with insight.”
— Booklist
The Pretty One Listener Reviews
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" Great book if you have sisters! "
— Alisa, 2/20/2014 -
" How could I not enjoy a book about three sisters? "
— Debbie, 2/12/2014 -
" I loved this book! I couldn't put it down. I wasn't familiar with the author before I read her book. I can't wait to read her previous book on friendships. It outta be good too! "
— Katie, 2/7/2014 -
" Although I did enjoy this book, it was lacking in depth and I felt that it hopped too quickly from one dramatic life event to another and everything was resolved much too neatly for real life. "
— Lisa, 1/30/2014 -
" You can tell the author actually has two sisters. This is a complicated relationship and the author captured it nicely "
— Courtney, 1/26/2014 -
" I wanted to quit in the middle, but didn't as it would have been my second book today to quit in the middle.... "
— Liz, 1/19/2014 -
" A very quick book with a good storyline. Really thought the author captured the essence of sisterhood quite well but the ending was a bit too abrupt. "
— Lisa, 1/16/2014 -
" Pretty easy read but nothing amazing. It got better as it went on - but all the characters have so many issues and come off kinda annoying throughout most of the book. There's no one you really root for. "
— Amy, 1/13/2014 -
" Just ok.....thought it would be better but it was kind of boring throughout....... "
— Joann, 1/13/2014 -
" Don't know why I finished it. Trite and predictable "
— Leslie, 1/8/2014 -
" A little slow going. Sweet story about the love of family (and how they irritate you too)Could have come to the point a bit more quickly. "
— Melissa, 12/28/2013 -
" Quick read. Some fun insights into family and sisters. "
— Janet, 12/17/2013 -
" I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was entertaining and everyone who has a sibling can relate to some part of the story. "
— Karen, 12/14/2013 -
" This book was a big disappointment! I can't believe I even finished it. "
— Molly, 12/11/2013 -
" Cheesey with a capitol C "
— Melissa, 11/23/2013 -
" Three sisters: The perfect one (Perri), the pretty one (Pia) and the political one (Gus). They aren't getting along, with their competitiveness fostered, in their minds, by their mother. The book seems to be trying to hard at first, but eventually, it settled in and was a fun read. "
— alejandra, 10/2/2013 -
" Lack luster story and honestly it was just a really long family bashing that took forever to get to the end. It had some like able parts and was an easy read but enough with the stupid fighting in this family, even at the end I got annoyed with it. "
— Courtney, 9/27/2013 -
" It was good. I felt like it had an abrupt ending. "
— Amanda, 9/18/2013 -
" The 3 sisters in this book, are funny, sad, and very realistic. Approaching their 40's they all struggle to define happiness in very different ways. I enjoyed it, in fact, read it straight through! "
— Cindy, 9/1/2013 -
" A must read if you have a sister! You will want to pour a glass of wine and call your sister for a nice long chat. "
— Wendy, 8/23/2013 -
" This book was difficult to continue reading as it was fairly depressing. I forced myself to finish it only because I wanted to see how it ended. "
— Kim, 8/5/2013 -
" Lucinda Rosenfeld's The Pretty One is a fascinating novel about the sometimes complicated relationship between adult sisters. Please click HERE to read my review in its entirety. "
— Kathy, 5/29/2013 -
" Pretty shallow story about sisters. A glimpse of insight from time to time, but nothing special. "
— NuevoRain, 5/25/2013 -
" An interesting novel about three sisters but a little bit too predictable. "
— Madeline, 5/20/2013 -
" It was an interesting read but I had a hard time connecting with the plot. "
— sydney, 3/12/2013 -
" Okay book but could have Been better. You just didn't care about the people. "
— Lenore, 3/3/2013
About Lucinda Rosenfeld
Lucinda Rosenfeld is the author of the novels What She Saw…, Why She Went Home, and I’m So Happy For You. Her fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, Creative Non-Fiction, Slate.com, Glamour, and other magazines. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two young daughters.
About Renée Raudman
Renée Raudman is an actor and Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. She has performed on film, television, radio, and on stage and can also be heard in several video games and hundreds of television and radio voice-overs.