Angourie Rice and Kate Rice, Stuck up & stupid, Walker Books Australia, November 2023, 374 pp., RRP $22.99 (pbk), ISBN 978760658281
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that in the 21st century, celebrities and the insta-famous are shallow, grasping and self-involved. Although this sentence is not uttered by Lily, the central character of this romantic comedy, it is one of the distinct motifs that connect it with its inspiration, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Lily resides in the unspoiled haven of Pippi Beach, with her flighty single mother Lydia and easily led younger sister, Rosie. Although staying rent-free at the luxurious house owned by Lydia’s well-to-do sister was only meant to be temporary, it’s been six years’ now, and Lily has completed her schooling and is wondering what her future life holds. While the beach community is usually quiet, a flurry of excitement takes hold when internationally famous and uber gorgeous megastar Casey Brandon and his equally glamourous companions arrive to stay in the most expensive house in the area. Lily remains unimpressed, while her mother and sister, visiting cousins and other star struck locals hatch plans to impress the young celebrities now in their midst.
Although we like to believe that society is not as hierarchical as it was in Jane Austen’s 19th century England, divisions between the financially challenged (Lily, her mother and sister), the wealthy (the rest of Lily’s family and some of her friends) and the super wealthy (the movie-star arrivals) are clearly on display in Pippi Beach. Although Casey appears to be warm and friendly, Lily’s first impressions of his friends and followers are exactly what she expected, and she remains aloof, in contrast to her friends and family. Are her quick decisions based on stereotypes and gut feelings really correct? Or are her hasty judgements jeopardising potential friendships and maybe even more?
Stuck Up & Stupid is a light and easy read, perfect for a summer holiday or for a rainy day when dreaming of the beach. First time YA authors, daughter and mother writing team Angourie Rice and Kate Rice are far from inexperienced, with backgrounds in film and TV, podcasting and screenwriting, and so it is not surprising that this novel is set in the world of celebrity and film. The characters are not always convincing – it is difficult to believe any 18 year old like Lily would be completely unmoved by the presence of such presumably well-known celebrities, and as the story develops and shifts to Los Angeles, the ease at which she and her friend Nicola slip into the celebrity circuit is more than a little improbable. Having said this, younger readers may enjoy the escapism, and be inspired to daydream similar adventures for themselves.
Riffing off Pride and Prejudice provides some interest, but the connections will be missed by young readers who are not familiar with Austen’s work. This book will hook readers aged between 12-15, and it would certainly be a useful way to enliven a literature study of the classic novel, as students could be challenged to compare and contrast the characters and consider just how much has really changed since the 18th century when meeting and making judgements of others from outside our usual circles. A fun addition to the romantic comedy genre.
Reviewed by Kay Oddone
