FARM FATALE

A cynical romp through the flashy set of London, this worldly and world-weary novel weaves the lives of two ambitious 20-somethings into a kaleidoscope of fashion trends, food trends, and boy trends. There are some clever and amusing moments, but overall the characters are not rounded or deep enough to make this novel zing. Phoebe James seems blissful in the roles of Grace and Belinda and does not take sides in her performance. Sometimes that's hard to believe with the antics that go on with aged rock stars and pathetically chinned upper crusters. B.H.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]