Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: Book Review

I recently finished a lovely book recommended to me on Tumblr: Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray! When I heard that it was a female version of Lord of the Flies (a book I want to read but have never been able to slog through), I just had to jump for it!
I was certainly not disappointed.

Here's the premise: a group of beauty queens land on a "deserted" island. They learn to work together and move from bickering competitors to determined friends. Plot twist: there's a secret government organization on the island. People want to kill them. How will these lovely and empowered women escape the island with their lives?

First, I want you to know how funny this entire book is. I was constantly sending quotes to my friends, and at one point my mom had to tell me to quiet down about it. It makes fun of stereotypes and is just hilarious in general, I was legitimately laughing out loud. Despite this, the book does manage to deal with some serious issues. Some of the characters have rough histories, and many of them are having trouble coming to terms with who they are or what the world is like. While it is funny, I sympathize with and care for the characters, and hope they succeed.

The amount of diversity in this book is also incredibly refreshing. As someone who wishes books were as diverse as the world, Beauty Queens does not disappoint. There are many characters from different backgrounds and their backgrounds are blatantly addressed and dealt with. Some characters even learn about different identities, which is a great way for the reader to be educated as well!

The plot for this book was a wild ride. I honestly had no idea what to expect from it, and had no idea how it was going to end. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized how tight and exciting it was to read--everything came together and tied up nicely.

Well, what are you waiting for? Read it! If you already have, let me know what you think. 

Happy reading,

Kekai