Juicy and Gossippy: Last Night at Chateau Marmont

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger, author of the popular The Devil Wears Prada, is almost exactly was you would expect from its jacket. It promises gossipy pleasure and chick-lit perfection and it certainly delivers on those fronts. Weisberger tells the story of Brooke and Julian, a married couple who has had to rely on Brooke's income as Julian is a struggling musician. They are a perfectly content, normal pair until Julian finally gets his big break.

Julian's music becomes an overnight hit and at first normally down to earth Brooke enjoys his stardom. But when the pressures of stardom, including paparazzi and unflattering magazine articles, become a reality, Brooke begins to question whether Julian's fame is as much of a blessing as they thought it would be.

As stated, Last Night at Chateau Marmont is what it claims. There are references to various celebrities, products and brands and Brooke spends a lot of time describing each characters hair and clothes. If that's what draws you to a book, then it is perfect summer escapism. The characters have fancy shoes and go to exotic places and there are tumultuous romances it is a fast and fun read.

On the other hand, Brooke is actually a really interesting character. If typical chick lit isn't your sort of thing, Last Night at Chateau Marmont might be worth picking up just because Brooke has a lot more depth than your usual chick lit heroine. While some of the other characters are essentially walking stereotypes (unpleasant mother-in-law, glamorous flighty friend, overbearing manager), Brooke seems to have a real dilemma which she handles the way any reasonable woman would. She doesn't simply throw herself into Julian's fame, she cares about her career and her responsibilities and she makes some very hard decisions.

Lauren Weisberger is good at what she does, and Last Night at Chateau Marmont is a perfect example of it. It is juicy and gossipy, while still managing to fit in a character who is actually relatable in addition to having great shoes.

Caitlin Stewart
		About the author:
		My name is Caitlin and I’m a third year English Specialist at the University of Toronto. I have a preference for nineteenth century literature, but am easily persuaded to try new things. I enjoy reading and writing, and the occasional video and/or board game. I also like old British comedies and most things to do with Kurt Vonnegut or Neil Gaiman. I have several cats and a dog, and am rather fond of iced tea.
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