When your book is blurbed by Jenny Lawson on the front and your writing style is compared to David Sedaris on the back, before I even open the cover, I have high hopes. Like, really high. Also, the title's pretty catchy. And there's a smashed cupcake on the front! Yum, cupcakes...
So, I was a little bit disappointed to discover this book reads mostly like a (sorry sorry sorry) mommy blog. Please believe me when I say in no way do I mean this as a dig - especially after reading a chapter titled "Motherhood: The Toughest Competition You'll Ever Judge" full of passive aggressive oneupmomship. I can't stand that people actually engage in the mommy wars, I'm just using the term so you know exactly what genre you're in for if you choose to read this book. I'm guessing this is likely due to my own ignorance, not having read Jen Mann's blog (or, um, the table of contents) and thinking there was going to be more of a variety of funny. That said, motherhood is funny. It's ridiculous the things your kids say and the unforeseen situations you can find yourself in. And Jen Mann, despite finding herself at one point at the bottom of the hierarchical ladder of playgroups and the social pariah of the suburbs, is a really funny mom. Someone who I'm sure I'd have a blast hanging out with and laughing with. (I thought your dry humour with the neighbours was funny, Jen!) She says what we all think in our heads out loud and will do anything for a good story.
Still, I read mainly to escape and even though the stories about motherhood and small children were pretty funny, I wanted a bit more range. If you're a mom with small kids and you just want to laugh about how hard and silly and unpredictable it all is - and you could envision yourself at a gun range with the other moms on your one night out a week - then this book is definitely for you.
Also, I learned something really quite interesting about white boulders, so there's that.
Judge the cover: 4/5
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