Candace Bushnell Week: 2 Blondes 2 Many

I found the 2001 novel 4 BLONDES, when I picked it up, is actually a collection of four novellas, which made me think: Who writes novellas any more? I'm joking, of course; plenty of authors still write them (like Rick Moody, whose last book RIGHT LIVELIHOODS contained three of them). But it wouldn't be unjust to describe the format as neither here nor there -- too long to be collected in bulk or published in a magazine, too short to stand in a book on their own.

The four blondes here all exist in the same universe -- upper-class cultured Manhattan -- and occasionally characters cross among them, but they inhabit different spheres within that universe. In "Nice N'Easy," model Janey's several summers in the Hamptons force her to consider the next step in her career. Winnie in "Highlights (For Adults)" is a columnist who is unhappy in her marriage but unwilling to jettison it entirely if it means not being able to accomplish other goals. In "Platinum," heiress Cecilia believes she's being controlled by a former best friend and in "Single Process," a journalist goes to London to see how they date "over there."

As you probably guessed, I liked two of these novellas more than the others, but I liked 4 BLONDES overall. It definitely made me think, although in a different way from SEX AND THE CITY. It reminded me of one of my favorite books, the '50s career-girl novel THE BEST OF EVERYTHING by Rona Jaffe, in which three friends in New York City struggle with their jobs and their men. There's that same idea of all of them reaching for something better, whether it's landing a British guy or writing a screenplay. These women may only be temporarily distracted by the magic of $400 shoes; they clearly have a goal in mind.

My favorite blonde was Winnie, the career-driven married woman, and I found myself moved by Cecilia's plight despite her privilege. Janey of "Nice N'Easy" annoyed me, but I still wanted to find out what happens to her. (Which is good, because she's in the next book, TRADING UP.) "Platinum" and "Single Process" are both written in the first person, but that final novella is shorter than the others and feels a little tacked on. Still, I tore through this book on the train back from D.C. and if you like chick lit, give it a try.

Tomorrow: Janey returns in TRADING UP, and Friday, LIPSTICK JUNGLE.

Earlier: 11 Years After "Sex"