Thursday, June 16, 2011

REVIEW: Pride and Premiership by Michelle Gayle


This is the diary of Remy Louise Bennet, age 17-1/2. Remy Louise Bennet has one goal in life - to be a WAG. And as every true wannabe WAG knows, there are rules.

One: pretend you don't know he's a footballer.
Two: Don't get drunk (or he won't trust you while he's off on pre-season tour).
Three: Never dispute a thing his mum says (they worship their mums).

When Remy starts dating Netherfield Park Rangers' Robbie Wilkins (not Premiership, but good for starters), it seems like all her dreams have come true. Or have they? Remy soon realizes that being a WAG isn't all it's cracked up to be, that Robbie's balls aren't quite so golden...and that maybe there are smarter dreams to pursue.


Pride and Premiership by Michelle Gayle is so much fun. I read it in a single sitting and I loved the slow and steady transformation of our main character, Remy, as she goes from WAG wannabe to standing on her own feet and using her own brains and skills in order to succeed. I think it's a wonderful and empowering message to give to young girls, though it never feels like preaching or heavy-handed.

Remy, aged 17, and her older sister Malibu are only out for one thing - to snag themselves a rich footballer and live glamorous lives as WAGs. Through diary entries, we are taken along on Remy's experiences of this world shaped by image and fashion and the mood swings and demands of her new footballer boyfriend. All is not as Remy expected, as she begins to give up her own dreams and hard work in order to pursue this life she thought she always wanted.

I found it quite easy to fall into Remy's head through her diary entires, and while I didn't always agree with her thoughts and behaviours, I could always relate to her and always believed in the choices that she makes. I really liked how over the course of the novel and through her experiences she is able to see more clearly her own worth and recognise that it isn't necessary to rely on anyone but herself in order to create a happy and successful life. A fun and empowering read!

5 comments:

  1. I just can't get my head around the fact that Michelle Gayle of Eastender fame wrote this. I almost want to read it just for that.

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  2. Viv - I've erm, never watched it! No idea what her character was like or anything..

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  3. Well, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Michelle Gayle, and I really enjoyed this book, too! Thanks for the great review!

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  4. Really interesting review, I was a bit dubious about this one based on the whole WAG thing but it sounds like I would probably enjoy it.

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  5. Luisa - You're very welcome :)

    Jenni - I thought it was really fun. It's a really quick read, told in a diary format. Slight connection to the P&P story. I was a bit dubious about it at the beginning as well, but I thought it was nicely done!

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