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My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella is a laugh out loud and honest look at the actuality of what it is to be a young adult in today’s society. The protagonist, Katie Brenner, is a compelling character that many will identify with. Also, Kinsella’s writing is clever and really grabs the attention of the reader through the use of humour in this look at the image we put forth to the world.
Title: My Not So Perfect LifeAuthor: Sophie Kinsella
Also by this author: Finding Audrey
Publisher: The Dial Press
Genres: Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Rating:
Part love story, part workplace dramedy, part witty critique of the false judgments we make in a social-media-obsessed world, this is New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella’s most timely and sharply observed novel yet.
Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for, particularly her boss, Demeter Farlowe. Demeter is brilliant and creative, lives with her perfect family in a posh townhouse, and wears the coolest clothes. Katie’s life, meanwhile, is a daily struggle—from her dismal rental to her oddball flatmates to the tense office politics she’s trying to negotiate. The final, demeaning straw comes when Demeter makes Katie dye her roots in the office. No wonder Katie takes refuge in not-quite-true Instagram posts, especially as she’s desperate to make her dad proud.
Then, just as she’s finding her feet—not to mention a possible new romance—the worst happens. Demeter fires Katie. Shattered but determined to stay positive, Katie retreats to her family’s farm in Somerset to help them set up a vacation business. London has never seemed so far away—until Demeter unexpectedly turns up as a guest. Secrets are spilled and relationships rejiggered, and as the stakes for Katie’s future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life.
Sophie Kinsella is celebrated for her vibrant, relatable characters and her great storytelling gifts. Now she returns with all of the wit, warmth, and wisdom that are the hallmarks of her bestsellers to spin this fresh, modern story about presenting the perfect life when the reality is far from the image.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
The theme that courses through My Not So Perfect Life is definitely becoming an adult in today’s society. Kinsella accurately portrays the struggles and pressures that many young adults are facing in our society today. The desire to have it all at once and the harsh realities of how most of us achieve our goals is presented in classic Kinsella style. Many readers will relate to the theme, but will find the humour in the process.
❀ Witty Main Character
Katie is such a fun and witty character that a lot of us can relate to. Desperate to become an up and coming brand manager in London, Katie is trying to succeed and just seems to have so many obstacles to climb. Her determination is admirable, however her desire to hide the difficult parts of her life from friends, family and co-workers, such as her tiny shared apartment and odd roommates, have caused her to put forth an entirely different persona on Instagram. This is where Kinsella really grabs the reader’s attention, because I am sure that most people on social media are usually tweaking their image just a little bit to make their lives appear a little bit more interesting or fabulous than they really are.
❀ A Satirical Story
Satire is not used often enough in contemporary novels and reading My Not So Perfect Life has really got me craving more of this genre. Kinsella weaves hilarity into her writing and gives an upbeat feel to the story, while exposing the characters and their weaknesses. The book will honestly put a smile on your face, even though you are feeling for Katie and her problems in life.
❀ Relatable
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella is sure to be loved by fans of the author. This book not only exposes our societal desire to put forth a fabulous image, it is relatable and hilarious at the same time. This is one book that will give you lots of laughter.
About Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series as well as the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night, My Not So Perfect Life, and, most recently, Surprise Me. She lives between London and the country.
About Lori
Avid reader. Contributor to The Candid Cover. Educator.
I haven’t heard much about this book before, but it sounds really lovely. I’m glad you enjoyed it 😀 I’ll have to check it out!
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
I haven’t heard anything about this book, nor have I read anything by this author, but this sounds so good, and since you liked it, I’m definitely going to have to look into it! I’m always looking for a book that’s going to make me laugh, so this sounds like a good one to pick up. Great review!
It is the perfect book to just relax and enjoy. I definitely recommend any Kinsella novel for a good laugh. 🙂
Yay. So glad you enjoyed this. I’m a big Kinsella fan so I’ve been looking forward to it. I’d heard it was a bit more serious than her usual shopaholic type books. Did you find that?
It is a bit more serious, but it is still packed full of humour. The serious side is not heavy and is very relatable. I think that you will love it. 🙂
From the summary I never would have guessed this was filled with satire! That definitely makes me want to read it more. The themes also sound really interesting and could contain some fantastic lessons.
I hope that you enjoy this one if you do get a chance to read it! 🙂
She had me at rejiggered! This sounds like LIFE, fro teen to adult, woman or man, just plain LIFE!
This sounds like a really good book!