Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Madeleine Wickham vs. Sophie Kinsella

I have been a fan of Sophie Kinsella since Confessions of a Shopaholic was released in 2001. I remember it so clearly, I was a sophomore in college. I was living in my sorority house for the first time and absolutely loving college. Somehow I stumbled upon this little jem of a book and have been hooked on chic lit ever since!

That book got passed around to all of my sisters that I lived with after that. One of them probably still has it! I definitely have no idea where it is now (unfortunately).

Since then I have read every Sophie Kinsella novel as soon as it came out.

A few years ago I found out that Madeleine Wickham is Sophie Kinsella (or Sophie Kinsella is Madeleine Wickham) and picked up Cocktails for Three. Since that time I have tried to read it twice and could not get into it.

Recently I checked out The Wedding Girl (as discussed here) which is Madeleine Wickham's newest title and I'm hoping this book gets me hooked on her novels.

Has anyone read any books by her? Is the writing style different from Confessions, Remember Me?, Can You Keep a Secret?, or Twenties Girl? If so, that really fascinates me. I'm sure lots of authors have different writing styles, but to me, that takes true talent!

I'm hoping I like these books, because I really really like Sophie Kinsella!

13 comments:

d.a.r. said...

I loved Cocktails for Three. It took a while to get into, but was fantastically entertaining.

Drew said...

I've been wondering if the ones written under Madeline Wickham would be different. I saw Wedding Girl at B&N and nearly had a heart attack when I saw it was Sophia Kinsella writing as Madeline Wickham.

Let us know how you like it!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

I read Cocktails for 3 a few years ago & remember really liking it!

What sorority were you in? I was as Delta Gamma and that book definitely got passed around the house!

Amber said...

I actually JUST finished reading Cocktails for Three last week. At first I did NOT enjoy it and couldn't get into it at all, I actually stopped reading it for a few weeks before picking it back up again. It got more entertaining near the end, but nothing like her Sophie Kinsella books, which always hook me from the beginning.

I will say that it is like reading two completely different authors, which is fascinating because that does take a lot of talent! The books as Sophie Kinsella seem more light-hearted and funny whereas the one book I read by her as Madeline Wickham (Cocktails for Three) was a little deeper and "darker" I suppose.

You'll have to do a review on the Wedding Girl and let us know how it is!

Anonymous said...

I totally view them as two seperate authors. At first I didn't like Madeline Wickham-- she has grown on me though. I was disappointed at first because I LOVED, LOVED all the Sophie Kinsella books. I'm glad I'm not the only one :)

Michelle said...

I hadn't read any of the Madeline Wickham books, though have read all of Sophie Kinsella's. I would like to though, even knowing that the writing is different (or else why write with a different pen name?)

CIP said...

I don't understand!!! lol..why does she write under 2 names? I've never read the Wickham books, but I feel like I should now!

Beth Dunn said...

I liked confessions as a book not a movie. that was sad for me. oh well. xoxo

Shoshanah said...

I've been wondering the same thing! I've read all the Sophie Kinsella books and keep thinking I should try the Madeleine Wickham books, but haven't yet

Lesli said...

I tried reading Cocktails for Three, too, awhile back, and never got into it. I remember being hugely disappointed because I love all the Sophie Kinsella books and actually ended up casting it aside & never finishing it. I feel like her writing style is different depending upon whose name she is writing under!

Children of the 90s said...

Oh, I am so glad I just came across your blog--just saw this at Barnes and Noble and was thinking the same thing! I loved the Shopaholic books.I have heard that the styles are very different.

Alicia said...

Cute blog :)

The Shopaholic series also got me hooked on chick lit, so when I found out about Madeleine Wickham I was shocked! I read The Gatecrasher and pretty much hated it! I was so disappointed because I thought I found a bunch of new books to read - but was so disappointed that I didn't buy any more of the books.

I would love to hear what you think of The Wedding Girl!

Anonymous said...

I much prefer kinsella books to wickham books. The characters in kinsella books are generally young, sassy and likeable, the wickham ones are the opposite! They are adultering opportunist scarred by childhood trauma kind of folk, not easy to identify with, for me anyway. my library had 3 of the wickham books and I won't go looking for the other ones. Like previous reviewers I was well excited to find more books by one of my favourite authors, I actually own all the kinsella books, but was really disappointed.