Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous
A Novel
In the uplifting throwback novel Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous, a refreshing heroine forges her own path in Hollywood.
In Christine Stringer’s humorous novel Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous, a director’s assistant finds that her Hollywood “dream job” is, in fact, a nightmare.
In the 1990s, Charity is sure that fame and fortune await her. In the meantime, she fields endless orders from her boss, a director, and his assistant producer, Saffron. She drives an aging car, lives in a ratty apartment, and dates a party crasher. When her upcoming project loses an actress and a critical DVD goes missing, though, Charity’s hopes are dashed. Supported by her friends, she works on staying in Hollywood by writing her own mysterious script.
The book opens in a vibrant fashion, exploring Hollywood’s nonstop interplay of work versus play through scenes on film sets and getaways to majestic places. But it’s also a volatile world, as Charity discovers. Her story continually moving, she finds her allies and enemies revealed after her big gaffe and the subsequent FBI investigation. An optimistic heroine with an unhappy past who left an unfaithful boyfriend behind to pursue Hollywood, her panic is palpable when her plans fall apart; on the verge of breakdown, she concentrates on fixing her car, running errands, and revising her script, whose reception is conveyed in collaborative sessions with actresses and agents, though its story is not described.
Its chapter titles rife with ‘90s references, this is a fun story about everyday life in Hollywood, capturing a period before the internet and cellular phones were ubiquitous. Its prose is peppered with slang and exclamations too. Scenes as of a weekend trip to an actor’s private horse farm and excursions in lively bars generate interest, and there’s tension in Saffron’s clashes with Charity as well, though the latter subject is somewhat diluted by Charity’s negative feelings about Saffron being expressed before her audience is apprised of the reasons behind them.
Though the Hollywood establishment is fleshed out in terms of misogyny and cover-ups, an undercurrent of romance also runs throughout the book via Charity’s attraction to a colleague. Most compelling is the chance she has to prove her worth after the DVD goes missing, as she’s buoyed by her devoted friends. And Charity’s attention to her script pays off too, leading to a satisfying, realistic ending in which she finds solace despite the backstabbing and money-grubbing that colors Hollywood itself.
In the lighthearted Hollywood novel Charity Trickett Is Not So Glamorous, a woman with big aspirations has her survival skills tested behind the scenes.
Reviewed by
Mari Carlson
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
