David Tennant Made Me Read It | Rivals by Jilly Cooper | Book Review [CC]

[@SaoirseWaddingHayes]

Having just finished watching the series (and having never read the book) it sounds like they've made a lot of good changes in adaptation. Aged Taggie up, made Rupert's interest in her much more sincere and less creepy, completely cut any violence in Declan and Maud's relationship. It was a fun show. Basically Bridgerton, but the 80s. MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING FOR SA IN EP5 though, be warned.

[@HuntingViolets]

I do love omniscient POV; it’s really the most fun. Enjoyed the show. Hate the Taggie/Rupert storyline. She’s now 20 but he SAs her (gropes her) causing her to drop a dessert she’s serving on a guest at one point. This leads to his rethinking being a horrible jerk, but it’s a rocky road and it’s hard to get behind them after that.

[@chrissy1510]

I read a few Jilly Coopers when I was in high school. I picked the, up because I’d heard they were raunchy (cut me some slack, I was 16) I thought they were hilarious, but was disappointed in the raunch quotient. The adaptation though, is intriguing. I mean Aiden Turner AND David Tennant?! Oh my!

[@ReadingAce]

Hiiii! So nice to see you back!!! This video was a trip and a half! I had no idea what the heck this book / tv show was about and couldn't be bothered to figure it out, so I'm grateful you decided to make this video.

[@karinabarbee8049]

This may have been considered outrageous at the time because this was also the time of Victoria Holt and Barbara Cartland. It also sounds like it may have been the Fifty Shades of its time. So basically it just happened to have commercial success which may have made it seem groundbreaking even though less popular similar content was already available. Idk, just some thoughts based off your description of the book and what I know of the eighties.

[@kenella74]

I remember reading jilly copper as a teenager my first one was riders and i loved it so i think ill give this one a go

[@teacupthestoryteller]

Haven´t read, haven´t watched but I need to give it a go! (Love David Tennant 😂) Thank you for the video!

[@deborahwager5883]

I was around in the 80s, but not reading many smutty books. I don't remember having heard of it. But I wonder how it stands up to James Clavell's Noble House (1981), which is set in Hong Kong among a similar class of British people doing business-y things and interacting. I haven't read it in decades, but I wonder how well that's held up and how it would compare.

[@greencloud2225]

No comparison. Jilly Cooper s books were an exaggerated cliched comedy version, taking all the worst aspect of the culture at the time and playing it for laughs. Light holiday reading. Noble house was set in the 60s so a different era, and was relatively serious with lots of skulduggery and rivalry, and an involved story of inter company share dealing. Not exactly light reading.

[@deborahwager5883]

@@greencloud2225 Thanks! I haven't read it in forever, so only have the vaguest memory of it.

[@silkemaria7339]

Aw it's so nice to have another video from you 🥰

[@lovelyflowergirl42]

Have to say I'm in the same boat you are with Rivals...was it bad? Yes. Was it unputdownable? No, because every chapter one of the characters made me put the book down. But it was fun. I don't see how RCB was heroic in any way. How come he gets a redemption arc? Freddie and Lizzie tho. ❤

[@ellie698]

Whenever i saw Cooper interviewed she always came across as a nice but dim, well connected but talentless writer. Nothing you've said has changed that impression 😂 I've never wanted to read anything by her and i still don't 😆 I appreciate your video 🤓👍🏼

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Oh interesting, I know nothing at all about her as a person, don't think I've ever seen her interviewed.

[@ellie698]

@@SpinstersLibrary There are probably videos of some of her interviews to be found on YT if you wanted to see one. Everything is on YT isn't it 🤓

[@spreadbookjoy]

The chart! 🤣 Brave of you to go into one of the weighty eighties bonk busters but well worth the effort as this was hilarious and insightful. I do remember the eighties and books and TV adaptations of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins being extremely popular. I was at primary school so too young to have actually watched any of it, plus my mum was more into Mills and Boon and Barbara Taylor Bradford, so never had any of them around the house to sneak a peak at - thank goodness or my beliefs about romantic partners and their behaviour may have been very warped! 😂

[@SR-kh6yq]

I just binged the show and loved it! How much of the book did the first season adapt?

[@shrinithi7846]

First half of the book

[@AbiofPellinor]

David Tennant? I'd do anything for David Tennant 🤣🤣🤣

[@xXbubbelXx]

Thanks for reading it, I couldn't bring myself to invest time in it. I'm now very curious how they deal with the characters and what they changed - well IF they changed anything. Because I've heard a film critic on some podcast mentioning how they liked that the show doesn't "clean up" anything/doesn't try to adapt to modern sensibilities and pretty much just follows the book. Can't wait for the weekend to find out!

[@Laura-rp9rt]

I felt like the only character they tried to clean up at all was DT's character Tony. He is still pretty awful but he was much more cruel and ruthless in the book. And course they made Taggie a couple of years older, not that it helped. I actually preferred her character in the book, though I thought the pairing was icky.

[@Laura-rp9rt]

OH, and Cameron. They changed her quite a lot.

[@HuntingViolets]

Declan doesn’t beat his wife and is super patient about her wandering eye but is also more focused on his work and doesn’t give her the attention she needs.

[@Laura-rp9rt]

@@HuntingViolets Honestly, I don't remember Declan beating his wife in the book. It's been a while, but I remember him being the character I liked the most from the book.

[@ChantalsShelfLife]

"David Tennant made me do it" is as good an excuse as any! I'm looking forward to the show - him + Aiden Turner would have me watching no matter what it was, and it does look like it'll be a fun time. The book, though - I'm gonna pass. 😀

[@SpinstersLibrary]

You're not missing out on much

[@ChrisGullick]

Have you seen any of the show yet? They still have the Rupert and teenage girl lusting, but theyve made her 20 in the show

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Yeah, five episodes in and enjoying it so far. They made her older and also a bit less of a doormat - she pursues Rupert a lot more and actively seeks him out. It does make the relationship a bit less predatory, but also makes her character less interesting than in the book, I think.

[@ChrisGullick]

@@SpinstersLibrary Also, I think Declan came across better than the wife, who I thought was a bit of a cow

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Yes, as predicted they're making the "good guys" nicer in general - Declan and Cameron in particular, to set them apart from Tony the villain.

[@HuntingViolets]

But really, Tony doesn’t seem any worse than Rupert for most of the show. They ramp him up towards the second half, but I had more sympathy for his not to the manner born storyline. I know we’re supposed to think RCB is redeemed but how? He’s still a user, no matter how fond he is of Taggie. I’m not even against May-December romances, but there’s something icky about theirs for me.

[@isabellemenez5704]

I'm looking forward to the show for David Tennant... and Aidan Turner. But the book ? eh, nope ! Thanks for reading it for us ;)

[@HuntingViolets]

Georgia Tennant does an audiobook version of this, by the way.

[@rupertstratton7890]

One of my favourite books of all time. it's so funny.

[@EmoBearRights]

I really loved Rivals when i was in school but i guess its not dated well but it is fun.

[@TimeslipNovel]

Lol. I just read it too. It's been on my shelf forever and I can't bear to toss a book unless I've tried it. I can't even remember where I got it from. Anyway, I've read it and tossed it. I found something else that can have its space: Brave New World, by Huxley. I have exactly 1000 books, and I'm slowly working in new titles that are better than what I currently have. I'm definitely subscribing, as you might give me new titles to replace the old❤. I'm looking for something to replace Lady Chatterley's lover. Way overrated in every sense. 😂😂

[@SpinstersLibrary]

That's such a fun system to keep the number of books under control! I have to admit that I didn't particularly care for Brave New World - I love 20th century dystopian fiction but found that one a bit lacking. Lots of people like it though, and I hope you will too!

[@bouquinsbooks]

The chart! 🤣

[@SpinstersLibrary]

I'm really quite pleased with it, it took three attempts to get it right 😂

[@Whitestripe71]

It sounds absolutely horrible and I won't be reading it, but I LOVED this review - a class above most of what I see on youtube. Very enjoyable, thanks.

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Thank you so much!

[@Carcass04]

gosh randomly saw your review.. sorry that you really didn't like it, but that's ok it's very representative of the eighties and the book does have a lot of humour! (but it is a follow on from polo and rupert campbell blacks trajectory from showjumper to minister) the pre screening videos seem totally on point and the clothes, music and general zeitgeist are amazing so hope you and everyone else enjoys the series on friday as for someone saying jilly cooper seems nice but dim this was her mo in the seventies i think she's changed a bit since then lol

[@MTaylorEA]

❤❤❤❤

[@lusalma5404]

Well... living through the 1980s though as a child and teen, I don't think this book had any impact. It doesn't even have Fabio on the cover :) It may be meant to mimic Dynasty and some of the other evening soaps of the era. Granted at the time I was reading Sweet Valley High, Dragonlance, Walter Farley, Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony and Jean M. Auel so this type of book was just not on my radar :) As for the orgasms - trust me when I saw this - books were sexually explicit in the 80s. Auel and McCaffrey books had quite a bit of sex on page - Ring of Fear was published in 1971. There were a lot of Bodice Rippers, Harlequins and Zebras with lots and lots of sex.

[@lizh9497]

You had me at Aiden Turner! 🥰