Magnolia Parks

Through references to the visibility and attention that Magnolia and her friends receive from the public, the novel employs popular conceptions of celebrity culture and lifestyles. Although Magnolia is aware that she is watched and that her actions are publicized, she has become adept enough at manipulation to make this visibility work in her favor. She often revels in opportunities to—as she puts it—dress up and be stared at, and this tendency reflects her underlying need for attention, validation, and approval. This dynamic becomes most evident in her behavior at social events, for she presents herself as a “gorgeous marshmallow” or “a fairy god-princess” (323). Her keen awareness of the full product lines of various designers also suggests that her standards are imbued with a fundamentally flawed superficiality, and as the novel progresses, she continues to place undue emphasis on importance of identifying herself with prestigious designers and luxury brands.

Magnolia is also aware of the quick, thoughtless judgment of the viewing public, and at one point, she deliberately uses this to her advantage when she divulges BJ’s infidelity to her neighbor. She knows that the public backlash will be swift and vocal, and she wants to punish BJ in as open an arena as possible. However, the detrimental effects of notoriety do not have material or lasting effects on either character, as paparazzi continue to follow them around. In a further satirical dig at the overexaggerated antics common to the celebrity sphere, the author crafts a scene in which Taura shows the irony of the narratives constructed by the gossip magazines. By kissing Magnolia and implying that the two of them are a couple, she deliberately influences the public narrative, and her action proves how easily one’s personal image can be manipulated.

While the costs of celebrity are not explored in great depth, the protagonists’ celebrity status serves as an occasional device and suggests that, for these characters, public notice is ubiquitous and largely irrelevant to their day-to-day lives. BJ is aware that he and his friends are referred to as the Billionaire Boys, and while he receives negative commentary in the wake of his infidelity, this setback does not impact his popularity or his self-image. BJ makes a living by capitalizing on the public interest in his life, leveraging his social media presence into modeling jobs, so a little extra notoriety ironically works in his favor. A friend of Tom’s refers to BJ as “[t]he Instagram one girls throw their knickers at” (284), which implies that his media presence, although superficially appealing, lacks substance and depth.

By contrast, Tom England is described as a celebrity with real weight and influence; he is friends with Prince William and is followed by the Tatler, the UK’s premier gossip magazine. Along with his profession and his maturity, these attributes indicate that he enjoys a more substantial version of celebrity and influence that eludes Magnolia’s clique and the Billionaire Boys, who are all more concerned with their social and romantic lives. However, Tom initiates the “foxhole” relationship with Magnolia to divert public attention away from his own growing attachment to his sister-in-law, Clara, which suggests that he also harbors a fine-tuned awareness of his own public image and still sometimes succumbs to playing superficial games in order to preserve his reputation.