Black Swans

“Black Swans” by Eve Babitz consists of 9 shortstories/memoir essays that let the reader be part of LA’s atmosphere of the 70s-90s, take them to parties filled with celebrities, drugs and drama and tell stories of friendship, jealousy and death.
The setting is one of a carefree and hedonistic bubble of Los Angeles’ society.

Although i quite liked some of the stories, „Tangoland“ being my favourite one, I was overall a little bored I have to admit. I enjoyed the writing but content-wise the stories didn’t catch me as much as I was hoping (it was hyped so much??!) and I felt like the lessons one could draw from the stories (don’t f* your friend’s exes, don’t date someone who’s intimidated by your success…) weren’t what I needed right now and didn’t add anything to my life. Also unreflected priviliged white women’s stories aren‘t really what I want to read right now.

Summing up- I liked “black swans” for the vibes but that was it for me. I do have to say that Babitz did an excellent job at describing Hollywood‘s shallowness, for me a good book needs to have more than one layer though.
If you are looking for stories that evoke a certain nostalgia for old Hollywood and want to feel like you are chatting and gossiping with Eve Babitz over a drink or two this one might be for you but if you’re looking for any kind of tension or learning, i’d suggest going for something else.