A charming light read
with a bit of depth.
Fiction – Adult - Classic
234 pagesPublication Date: 1938
After a colorless life as an English governess, Miss Pettigrew, is mistakenly sent to work for glamourous nightclub singer, Delysia LaFosse, changing the course of both women’s lives.
This story takes place in a
different time and setting than I usually read, but I found it rather
refreshing, especially since this was written as a contemporary piece instead
of the usual historical fiction I see. It
was beautifully contrived, with lovely writing and a fascinating premise and
well executed plot. And being written
before England entered WWII puts an interesting perspective on life during this
time.
Miss Pettigrew was an interesting
mix of contradiction and a stark contrast to Delysia and her anything goes crowd. I would by no means this book a sort of moral
compass, but I did love Miss Pettigrew opening herself up to new experiences
and ideas. This allows her to decide things
for herself and stop depending on the morality forced upon her by others. She finally got to become more herself and
less what she was told to be. A sort of
universal human struggle, we can relate too.
Because of its time period I was a
little taken a back my by the language, but I did quickly adapt, but it should be
noted that there are a couple of blatantly racist parts that really threw
me. I will make no excuses for them, and
only mention them as something to be aware of.
I also really adored the movie with
Frances McDormand and Amy Adams, but the book and movie should really be
treated as two separate things and not the book coming to life on the big
screen.
