When models write

Sophie Dahl, the beautiful model and granddaughter of Ronald Dahl is now a writer herself. According to her Bloomsbury author's biography, Sophie was immortalized in the Ronald Dahl novel, The BFG. Word!

Her new book is called Playing with the Grown-Ups, and the Independent UK gave it this review: "Call it unreasonable, but a 'somewhat autobiographical' first novel by a supermodel whose grandfather happened to be a good writer doesn't always fill the heart with joy. Envy, perhaps. Schadenfreude. But not joy. Particularly when the cover glitters with fairies. And the blurb describes a character as a 'silver-eyed beauty'. This is a shame, because this novel is really not bad. Which obviously doesn't help the envy or the schadenfreude."

Of course Dahl pales in comparison to her famous grandfather, but her first novel wasn't exactly bad in my book. Trite, yes - sentimental, yes - but not unreadable. I did experience schadenfreude while I read it, but not enough for me to hate it (although, seriously, who describes themselves in an autobiographical novel as a 'silver-eyed beauty'). I could have done without Sophie calling herself beautiful in every other page, but her novel is a good summer read for those Dolores Park afternoons or while sunning on Baker Beach.