The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic
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The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (2000) is the first in the popular Shopaholic series. It is a chick-lit novel by Sophie Kinsella, a pen-name of Madeline Wickham. In America the book is known as Confessions of a Shopaholic. It focuses on the main character Rebecca (Becky) Bloomwood, a financial journalist, who is in a serious amount of debt.
[edit] Plot summary
Rebecca Bloomwood lives in a trendy flat in Fulham, London and has a wardrobe full of the season's 'must haves' but she can't afford any of it. Becky is a financial journalist for the magazine Successful Savings. However it becomes clear early on that her job not only bores her to tears but it pays very little. Becky admits to actually knowing very little about personal finance as she is thousands of pounds in debt as is evidenced by a run through of her Visa card bill.
On her way to a press conference held by Brandon Communications, Becky notices a sale sign in the window of the Denny and George shop. She sees that the scarf she has long craved for is on sale at a discount of 50%. Becky sees this as a unique opportunity and a great investment since everyone knows that Denny and George never has sales and could actually charge twice the price for their scarves. Becky realizes that she has left her Visa card at the office and asks the shop assistant to put scarf on hold until six o'clock by which time she should have had time to retrieve her credit card.
Upon arriving at the press conference, she is greeted by a staffer of Brandon Communications, Alicia Billington, or 'Alicia Bitch Longlegs' as she is usually referred to by Becky and Suze, who condescendingly dismisses Becky, and mentions the interesting article in the Financial Times and asks Becky her opinion on it while knowing full well that Becky likely knew nothing at all about it. However, once Alicia has gone, Luke Brandon, head of Brandon Communications, tells her that one financial group recently bought another, and it was recently rumoured that Flagstaff Life was going the same way.
Halfway through the conference Becky learns that she will not have time to return to the office for her credit card but only needs £20 pounds more to buy her Denny & George scarf. She asks her friend Elly Granger if she can borrow some money, but Elly has none. Luke hears the comment, and stops the whole Press Conference just so he can hand the £20 note to her, once she has made up a story of needing the money to buy a present for her aunt who is in hospital. When she has bought the Denny & George scarf she bumps into Luke Brandon and has to make excuses to leave, before he gets too close to the truth.
[edit] Characters
Becky Bloomwood: The main character of the story, Becky Bloomwood is a financial journalist work for Successful Savings. Whilst she may advise others on their money she is terrible with it herself, and from the beginning it is clear she is in financial debt. She lives in 'trendy' Fulham, and grew up in Oxshott.
Jane and Graham Bloomwood: The parents of Becky, they live in Oxshott, Surrey. They only have one child, Becky, and during the book believe she has a stalker, who also happens to be her bank manager.
Luke Brandon: Head and creator of a successful PR company, 'Brandon Communications' he repeatedly invites Becky to conferences, and even helps her out when she needs to borrow some money. When Becky begins to realise she likes Luke Brandon (after declaring many times she hates him) she discovers that he has a long time girlfriend Sacha de Bonneville. He is also known to be the 31st richest bachelor in the country.
Susan Cleath-Stuart (Suze): Becky's flatmate, her parents are very wealthy aristocrats, and bought Suze her flat as a present. Suze is Becky's closest friend. Whilst helping Becky make photo frames she discovers she has a talent for it.
Tarquin Cleath-Stuart: Suze's 'weird' cousin, and also the 15th most rich bachelor in the country. He lives up in Scotland, and during the book develops a brief crush on Becky.
Elly Granger: Elly is a good friend of Becky's at the start of the book, and a financial journalist. However as the book progresses she applies for a new job at Wetherby's Investments, and is accepted. After that Becky and Elly start to grow apart, as Elly decided 'To get somewhere in life.'
Derek Smeath: Becky's Bank Manager, throughout the whole book he is trying to get Becky to visit him to discuss the status of her bank overdraft. At one point her parents believe that he is a stalker. Towards the end of the book Becky reachest out to him and tells him that she sincerely wants to take her debts responsibly. Becky begins referring to him as 'Sweetie Smeathie.'
Tom Webster: A friend from Becky's childhood, who was once rejected by Becky. He is under the impression that Becky has 'a thing' for him throughout most of the book, and when Becky finds out he has a girlfriend, he remains under the impression, and tries to explain that he didn't want to disappoint her. He has a starter home in Reigate, Surrey.
Martin & Janice Webster: The parents of Tom Webster. They too are under the impression that Becky is hopelessly in love with their son. They are crucial to the development of the story, when they lose out on a £20,000 windfall, and Becky realises they were tricked out of the money. They live next door to Becky's parents, and are close friends with them.
[edit] Film adaptation
It has been announced that a film is underway with Isla Fisher as Becky Bloomwood, Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon and Krysten Ritter as Suze. It is currently filming.
