This book was a challenge for me – way too bizarre! At first I was repulsed by the characterzation of beauty queens as shallow, competitive Barbie Doll types – not convincingly done and too trite for the set up of a whole book – Predictably the characters shed this image as they try to survive on an island after their plane crashes – but it’s constantly interrupted by advertisements by the “Corporation” and fantasies about TV shows and “cultural icons.” Throw in pirates escaped from a TV show and sappy political buffoons trying to take over the world – I could see it all in animation running too fast. I pushed through out of mild cuiosity and interest in a few of the relationships but… it was hard work – nothing appealing for me –