I'm not quite sure how to go about this one. It's a very interesting concept and one that I thought I'd like better. I just had a very hard time working my way through all the different ways of telling the story. I'd have preferred prose instead of the diaries, memoirs, etc. Especially the play...that felt SO out of place to me.The story really is great. I love the idea of people making their way and doing the best they can in their circumstances. I love people who go after something they want and who try to make their lives better. This story has that in abundance, when you can get through the craziness of the telling.
The characters, I really did like without any reservations. I thought the three main ones, Tips, Dizzy, and Trudy, were great. They were realistic, relatable, and quite awesome. I didn't experience one bit of annoyance with any of them. I thought Dizzy was witty and smart and someone I'd like to be friends with. Tips was swoon-worthy, which I love. Trudy was just plain lovable and quite a bit naughty.
(Can I just say that I LOVE that the cat is named 'Escoffier'. That's just brilliant. And I loved the cat. Maybe the most of everything.)
I'm really sad that I didn't love this book. I loved Princess Ben (who also makes an appearance, which I did like), so I thought this might be similar. And while the story is great, the way it's told kind of made it too hard to get to. Sadly, the characters couldn't quite redeem the convoluted story. For that, it only gets a 'Meh' rating.