30 Days Book Meme, Day 05
The road so far:
Day 01 - Best book you read last year Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita
Day 02 - A book that you've read more than 3 times Stemmle, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes
Day 03 - Your favorite series Pratchett, The Discworld series
Day 04 - Favorite book of your favorite series Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06 - A book that makes you sad
Day 07 - Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 - Favorite classic book
Day 11 - A book you hated
Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't anymore
Day 13 - Your favorite writer
Day 14 - Favorite book of your favorite writer
Day 15 - Favorite male character
Day 16 - Favorite female character
Day 17 - Favorite quote from your favorite book
Day 18 - A book that disappointed you
Day 19 - Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Favorite romance book
Day 21 - Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Favorite book you own
Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 - A book that you wish more people would've read
Day 25 - A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 - Favorite title
Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Your favorite book of all time
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
I've actually read Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson after seeing the movie, so let's talk about that one first. I must admit I just bought it because of:
Yes, I have an actor!crush on Lee Pace. But then this happened (no, not the Mickey Mouse hat):
Also this:
And Mark Strong. Let's not forget Mark Strong. Mark Strong is an argument for anything. Obviously, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day has a looooooot of things going for it, including Lee Pace and Mark Strong, but let's talk about that second picture. With the ladies. You see, I had a hard time convincing people to watch this movie with me because it's - oh no! - a GIRL movie. About finding LOVE. And FASHION. GASP. While it's true, Miss Pettigrew is a gorgeous period piece, and the soundtrack's fantastic too, it's also really smart and funny (and yes, happens to feature some stunning fashion; minus the Mickey Mouse hat, I give you that). So is the book:
'Odd,' said Miss Pettigrew conversationally, 'the undermining effect of flowers on a woman's common sense.'
So Miss Pettigrew is a governess in 1930s Britain, but not a very good one, because she convinces kids to beat up octogenarians. Like you do. Of course she gets her vicar's daughter's ass fired (several times, in fact), and then she steals the address of a potential employer from her agency. She meets Delysia LaFosse, and soon realizes that her boys are somewhat bigger than expected. (Oh, you noticed?) Cue double entendres all the way until she helps Delysia decide between Lee Pace, Mark Strong and Some Dude. I wish I had this particular problem. I really, really do.
'Michael!' said Miss Pettigrew faintly. 'Not another young man?'
'Oh, no!' denied Miss LaFosse hastily. 'Not a bit like that.'
She stared at the fire. 'Michael,' explained Miss LaFosse gloomily, 'wants to marry me.'
'Oh!' said Miss Pettigrew weakly.
Which is of course a terrible thing. Miss Pettigrew and Delysia begin to bond over the young actress's men problems, and for all it was about MEN! and FASHION!, the book's about the friendship of those two women. The book has its problems for the modern day reader, which mostly stem from the fact it was written in the 1930s, and domestic violence is so romantic anyway, isn't it. There's less insinuations than in the movie, too, but at the core it's a story of two women connecting and learning from each other. Delysia calms down a bit and learns to discern what's important for her and her life, and Miss Pettigrew, well.
Miss Pettigrew's knees were trembling: her heart pounding. A further ordeal awaited her. The table was surrounded by people. Dozens and dozens of vague blobs of faces. She managed to produce the sickly smile of a stranger butting into a group of friends. What mad impulse had brought her here where she didn't belong?
Her terrors were groundless, her fears without cause. She focused her eyes at last. There was Miss Dubarry beaming. There was Tony grinning. There was Michael leaping to his feet. Certainly there were other people present. But what did it matter? She was among friends. Miss LaFosse. Miss Dubarry. Tony. Michael. There could be a thousand other people present. Miss Pettigrew's smile spread into a real one of breathless joy.
Miss Pettigrew lives for a day.
Suffice to say I relate to Miss Pettigrew somewhat (hah!). At the bottom, the story's just another retelling of Cinderella, the dowdy, grey old governess stumbling into a realm of magic and colours, but there's so much more to it; Miss Pettigrew, painfully self-conscious and humble Miss Pettigrew, discovers new, unimagined qualities about herself and grows with every adversity she has to master. Sparkling dialogue and titillating polyandry aside, the story's told with so much warmth and joy and heart to it, you can't help but laugh and cry with Miss Pettigrew and hope she'll find her happiness at the end. I just skimmed through it again, and even the few lines I read now make me feel all fuzzy and warm inside.
Day 01 - Best book you read last year Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita
Day 02 - A book that you've read more than 3 times Stemmle, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes
Day 03 - Your favorite series Pratchett, The Discworld series
Day 04 - Favorite book of your favorite series Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06 - A book that makes you sad
Day 07 - Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 - Favorite classic book
Day 11 - A book you hated
Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't anymore
Day 13 - Your favorite writer
Day 14 - Favorite book of your favorite writer
Day 15 - Favorite male character
Day 16 - Favorite female character
Day 17 - Favorite quote from your favorite book
Day 18 - A book that disappointed you
Day 19 - Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Favorite romance book
Day 21 - Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Favorite book you own
Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 - A book that you wish more people would've read
Day 25 - A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 - Favorite title
Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Your favorite book of all time
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
I've actually read Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson after seeing the movie, so let's talk about that one first. I must admit I just bought it because of:
Yes, I have an actor!crush on Lee Pace. But then this happened (no, not the Mickey Mouse hat):
Also this:
And Mark Strong. Let's not forget Mark Strong. Mark Strong is an argument for anything. Obviously, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day has a looooooot of things going for it, including Lee Pace and Mark Strong, but let's talk about that second picture. With the ladies. You see, I had a hard time convincing people to watch this movie with me because it's - oh no! - a GIRL movie. About finding LOVE. And FASHION. GASP. While it's true, Miss Pettigrew is a gorgeous period piece, and the soundtrack's fantastic too, it's also really smart and funny (and yes, happens to feature some stunning fashion; minus the Mickey Mouse hat, I give you that). So is the book:
'Odd,' said Miss Pettigrew conversationally, 'the undermining effect of flowers on a woman's common sense.'
So Miss Pettigrew is a governess in 1930s Britain, but not a very good one, because she convinces kids to beat up octogenarians. Like you do. Of course she gets her vicar's daughter's ass fired (several times, in fact), and then she steals the address of a potential employer from her agency. She meets Delysia LaFosse, and soon realizes that her boys are somewhat bigger than expected. (Oh, you noticed?) Cue double entendres all the way until she helps Delysia decide between Lee Pace, Mark Strong and Some Dude. I wish I had this particular problem. I really, really do.
'Michael!' said Miss Pettigrew faintly. 'Not another young man?'
'Oh, no!' denied Miss LaFosse hastily. 'Not a bit like that.'
She stared at the fire. 'Michael,' explained Miss LaFosse gloomily, 'wants to marry me.'
'Oh!' said Miss Pettigrew weakly.
Which is of course a terrible thing. Miss Pettigrew and Delysia begin to bond over the young actress's men problems, and for all it was about MEN! and FASHION!, the book's about the friendship of those two women. The book has its problems for the modern day reader, which mostly stem from the fact it was written in the 1930s, and domestic violence is so romantic anyway, isn't it. There's less insinuations than in the movie, too, but at the core it's a story of two women connecting and learning from each other. Delysia calms down a bit and learns to discern what's important for her and her life, and Miss Pettigrew, well.
Miss Pettigrew's knees were trembling: her heart pounding. A further ordeal awaited her. The table was surrounded by people. Dozens and dozens of vague blobs of faces. She managed to produce the sickly smile of a stranger butting into a group of friends. What mad impulse had brought her here where she didn't belong?
Her terrors were groundless, her fears without cause. She focused her eyes at last. There was Miss Dubarry beaming. There was Tony grinning. There was Michael leaping to his feet. Certainly there were other people present. But what did it matter? She was among friends. Miss LaFosse. Miss Dubarry. Tony. Michael. There could be a thousand other people present. Miss Pettigrew's smile spread into a real one of breathless joy.
Miss Pettigrew lives for a day.
Suffice to say I relate to Miss Pettigrew somewhat (hah!). At the bottom, the story's just another retelling of Cinderella, the dowdy, grey old governess stumbling into a realm of magic and colours, but there's so much more to it; Miss Pettigrew, painfully self-conscious and humble Miss Pettigrew, discovers new, unimagined qualities about herself and grows with every adversity she has to master. Sparkling dialogue and titillating polyandry aside, the story's told with so much warmth and joy and heart to it, you can't help but laugh and cry with Miss Pettigrew and hope she'll find her happiness at the end. I just skimmed through it again, and even the few lines I read now make me feel all fuzzy and warm inside.