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| Purchase: Amazon | Chapters |
Length: 306 pages
ISBN: 0312291639
Genre: Chick Lit, Humour
Start Date: Sometime in 2008-9
Finished Date: Sometime in 2008-9
Where Found: Freebie from my cousin
Why: I heard it was a fun read. The movie was also sweet and enjoyable.
Summary: A college student tales a 9-month stint as a nanny to an entitled rich couple with a 4-year-old son starved for their attention.
Review:
The way I see it, “chick lit” should not be taken as an offensive category of fiction. It seems to be an accurate way of depicting silly, fluffy, just downright fun books that appeal to women who want to feel like girls again. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break from the serious side of literature to delve into something printed for mere entertainment.
Enter The Nanny Diaries, which reminded me in many ways of The Devil Wears Prada—a fairy tale-esque story of a single, young, educated woman finished (or nearly finished) university and naively feels ready to enter the working world. Annie is a likeable character with booksmarts, humour, and like any good heroine, hanging onto her last shred of grace. After a chance encounter with a wealthy socialite anonymously dubbed Mrs. X and her son, Grayer, Annie (mistakenly and henceforth called “Nanny”) is hired to care for Grayer while his absent, workaholic, cheating greaseball of a dad works in some kind of filthy rich business, and mom spends her days lavishly buying things, socializing with her equally plastic friends, and neglecting everyone she takes for granted.
The book contains many laugh-out-loud instances that any babysitter, nanny, parent, or teacher can relate to, which Nanny not only anticipates, but often has terrific foresight to handle diligently. A side romance follows an embarrassing elevator encounter with the apartment neighbour nicknamed “Harvard Hottie,” which soon embitters Mrs. X, leading Nanny to blatantly lay down the truth about her mistreatment of the hired help.
A fun, breezy read for the beach that doesn’t disappoint but doesn’t exactly leave you breathless either.
Rank: (B)- Recommend
Chick lit can go one of two ways for me - either great escapism (Bridget Jones, anything Marian Keyes) or really badly written (too much to mention). I agree that it shouldn't be judged as a whole category, there's lots of variation in it.
ReplyDeleteI was actualyl surprised when I read this at how dark it was. I read it before the movie was on the horizon and didn't really think of it as chick lit I have to admit. I don't the movie quite showed the same level of seriousness I think the book was trying to get at. The story of the family was quite depressing I thought
ReplyDeleteI liked this one, but it pretty sad by the end. I'd agree that it's nothing life changing.
ReplyDeleteSam~ I completely agree, the category is multifaceted & not simply one big stereotype.
ReplyDeleteBecky~ I must admit I overlooked the darker aspect of the book when I reviewed it. There were definitely some grittier parts I failed to mention.
Avid Reader~ I couldn't have written a better bottom line for this book :)
Chick lit inspired by dynamics of Steven Haft's family (Mr and Mrs. X for whom the author worked). The mothers's a socialite, the father's a notorious self centered and unfaithful player, the kids end up paying the price : scary but it makes for a fun and satirical book.
ReplyDelete