Review: Ambition

Dear Constant Reader,

Book Review Wednesday returns!

Ambition by Immodesty Blaize (2010).

Previously I reviewed Tease, the first novel from burlesque superstar Immodesty Blaize.

Immodesty’s second book focuses on Sienna Starr, striving for fame and fortune in Las Vegas on her own merits, rather than riding the coattails of her famous name. When the book begins, she has it all — a role as a showgirl in the fabulous revue “Venus in Furs”, Tiger’s luxurious mansion to nest in, a billionaire boyfriend, and loyal friends.

It’s not as good as the first one. Although I want to give it one bit of praise right off: April March, The First Lady of Burlesque is name-dropped alongside Lili St. Cyr and Tiger Starr.

I think my biggest gripe it that here is no mystery surrounding Sienna, unless you count the mystery of when she will open her eyes and see that she’s surrounded by liars and backstabbers. The lavish descriptions of costumes and acts that filled the the previous book are lacking. Some of the characters border on ridiculous (near-identical brother-sister twins?) and the Americans hilariously talk like Brits (bedsit, holdalls, trash skip, &c.). Everything is tidily wrapped up in the last couple of chapters with the virtuous rewarded and the wicked getting what they deserve.

As my friend Red would say, I read this so you don’t have to. I do wonder what happened between books; the first one was fun, but the second is lackluster.