The Assistants: A Novel

By Robin Lynn Williams

Book Overview

The compulsively readable and sinfully gossipy tale of five Hollywood personal assistants who band together to turn the tables on their celebrity employers--written by a former personal assistant to a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060723866
• ISBN13: 9780060723866
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Five Stars for Great, Light Reading

I am going to tell you right up front--The Assistants is not an intellectual read. What it is is a fun, light and entertaing novel with characters you will enjoy hearing from and care about. I have read a couple other "assistant-lit" novels and they have been horrible--more about the axe the author has to grind than an anjoyable read for the reader. This one is a huge cut above. Robin Lynn Williams goal is to entertain and her novel fulfills that goal. The Assistants concerns five young attractive Hollywood assistants whose bosses lives are intertwined, and thus theirs are too. Each chapter is narrated by a different assistant and Williams does a good job distinguishing their voices and personalities. The story line moves forward quickly--The Assistants is a compelling and fun read. I really enjoyed it and I actually cared about what happened to the five assistants. And, as a bonus, it's actually funny and will make you laugh.

A look up into Hollywood

This was a hard book to put down. Robin Lynn Williams follows the lives of five personal assistants in Hollywood. Michela, working as an assistant to almost has been Victoria Rush (just until she finally gets her own big break).Griffin, not really gay, working for Johnny Treadway,who makes gutter water look deep. Kecia who is more of a babysitter than assistant for the hottest young male star of the moment Travis Trask. Rachel,who is in Hollywood because her best friend Danny rescued her from a dead end life in Sugarland,Texas and her alcoholic mother. Jeb is trying to get anyone interested in his script(...), and runs horrid plot ideas in his head all day. These vastly different people, all are trying to break into showbiz while trying to survive the abuse and derogation heaped upon them by their bosses. Every Friday they meet at Trader Vic's to share war stories and to gear up for the upcoming week. These characters have their faults and weaknesses,but engage and hold your interest. There are the usual plot twists drugs, sex, poker with geriatrics, the 13 year old computer wiz and vegetable gardening, but it all seems fresh.This book is so engaging and well paced, and there is very little of the coy "guess who I am really writing about" that plagues other novels about Hollywood. "The Assistants" spreads the story lines evenly and each has unexpected twists and turns and each character meets their challenges head on.I really enjoyed this book and hope for more by this first time author.

hilarious... must read!!

After reading The Assistants, I wanted more. I didn't want this book to end. Each character was so well written and distinct, that I really cared about where life would take them. The story is relatable to anyone who had to start at the bottom and fight their way to the top. Though the bottom for these characters is dark and often humiliating, Ms. Williams used clever wit to get them to the top! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I laughed out loud and I cheered for the Assistants. This leaves me wondering who will be cast to play the characters on the big screen!

Applause! Applause! Applause!

Applause go to Robin Lynn Williams and her deliciously woven new release, THE ASSISTANTS. Her characters are richly developed, and very real and familiar. Her story is compelling with a savvy lense on the Hollywood scene, and a never ending cleverness of wit. Ms. Williams brilliantly paints a portrait reflective of the power games and players in every ego arena. What a great learning experience for anyone who wants to know how the world really ticks! Wonderfully well done ~ I could not put it down!

The Assistants - a great summer read!!

I just finished reading The Assistants and I loved it! It was just as satisfying as I expected from the review I read in People Magazine. Everyone who has ever worked as an underling will identify and cheer for these assistants. The book's characters were well developed and I applaud the author for her unique ability to write them all in first person. She did an outstanding job of making them all believable and captivating. Now that we have had to say "good-bye" to Friends and Sex in the City, this book would make a great replacement as a new television series.