Book review: I don't know how she does it - Alison Pearson
From: LindyB for my birthday
From Amazon:
Pearson's heroine spends her life dealing with nagging guilt and the impossible demands of an over-busy life. Yes, we're talking about the crushing demands put on modern women--and Kate is a classic case of just how difficult it is to "have it all". Career, relationships, marriage--as many women know, managing them all is a Herculean task. And as Kate's juggling act carries her closer and closer to disaster, Allison Pearson herself pulls off a particularly jaw-dropping juggling act herself: certainly, I Don't Know How She Does It is a delightful comedy of manners with a beautifully observed heroine (with whom it's very easy to identify), but there are some razor-sharp points made under the surface here about women in the new century. But this is never at the expense of an unputdownable read--Pearson is much too canny a writer to forget the fact that we want to be entertained first and foremost, whatever else an author may freight in to their narrative. No wonder all those Hollywood film studios are already putting up millions for the screen rights.
This novel was bittersweet. Whilst I enjoyed the plot and the characters, I identified with Kate very deeply and found myself intaking a sharp breath every now and then as I realised I'm living a parallel life with her (endless mental notes as I go to bed that aren't fulfilled; the feeling of constantly trying to keep the rest of the family stable before addressing own needs etc etc). My life isn't so tumultuous,but it was a lesson learned. The book made me laugh...and it made me cry. Kate became me and I became her..so, very well written :-)
From Amazon:
Pearson's heroine spends her life dealing with nagging guilt and the impossible demands of an over-busy life. Yes, we're talking about the crushing demands put on modern women--and Kate is a classic case of just how difficult it is to "have it all". Career, relationships, marriage--as many women know, managing them all is a Herculean task. And as Kate's juggling act carries her closer and closer to disaster, Allison Pearson herself pulls off a particularly jaw-dropping juggling act herself: certainly, I Don't Know How She Does It is a delightful comedy of manners with a beautifully observed heroine (with whom it's very easy to identify), but there are some razor-sharp points made under the surface here about women in the new century. But this is never at the expense of an unputdownable read--Pearson is much too canny a writer to forget the fact that we want to be entertained first and foremost, whatever else an author may freight in to their narrative. No wonder all those Hollywood film studios are already putting up millions for the screen rights.
This novel was bittersweet. Whilst I enjoyed the plot and the characters, I identified with Kate very deeply and found myself intaking a sharp breath every now and then as I realised I'm living a parallel life with her (endless mental notes as I go to bed that aren't fulfilled; the feeling of constantly trying to keep the rest of the family stable before addressing own needs etc etc). My life isn't so tumultuous,but it was a lesson learned. The book made me laugh...and it made me cry. Kate became me and I became her..so, very well written :-)