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Jump to navigationJump to searchThis is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison (view source)
Revision as of 14:03, 15 March 2016
, 14:03, 15 March 2016no edit summary
The cover of this book misleads: firstly it looks as though it's going to be light reading - and it's anything but. You see, we're going to share some flashbacks with Harriet as she looks at pivotal moments in her life - the events which have made her into what she is today. And what is she? Well, she's an elderly (nothing you can do about that...) lady whose tolerance for alcohol is occasionally less than her consumption. Initially I was annoyed by this aspect, but later events (or rather, ''earlier'' events, if you see what I mean) would explain Harriet's sense of guilt, how ''biddable'' she could be on occasions and why alcohol was a refuge - which also, in a roundabout way, explained why Mildred had a lot to feel guilty about.
For me, the cover mislead in another way too. [[:Category:Maria Semple|Maria Semple]] describes ''This is Your Life , Harriet Chance!'' as ''hilarious''. I thought it was sad. Had Harriet been given a good listening to as a child, her life might have turned out so differently. Jonathan Evison's writing is sharp and compelling, turning the pages almost more quickly than you can read, and there are plenty of times when you're going to smile at how he nudges Harriet from one situation to another and expertly plays with your emotions - but I never laughed. I felt Harriet deserved better!
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
