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AJ LeBlanc's Reviews > The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
by
by
First two-thirds of the book: A+! Last part: are you kidding me with this?
Pippa is 30 years younger than her husband. She is completely in love and content and happy with their clearly defined relationship. It works for them and she is at times caught off guard with how content she is.
From the outset it is clear that something is going to change. Herb is 80 and has decided to sell everything so that he and 50 year old Pippa can move into a retirement community. He wants to make sure she'll be protected and won't lose out on the size-able fortune he's created as an editor and publisher.
The book opens with Pippa facing yet another creation of her life and then jumps backwards to show how she got where she is. I liked this structure.
Miller explores the changing roles of daughter, friend, teen, young adult, woman, wife, and mother and explores how we can be defined based on what we surround ourselves with while we question who we are as an individual.
Seeing her life before Herb, it's easy to think by the end of the book she will spin herself back into earlier directions, but it's clear she is happy and in love, even if she is unsure of her new environment.
Then The Big Thing happens. I wasn't expecting the twist at all and was curious about Pippa's reaction. It made me question how much of her private lives were close under the surface and how she would respond.
Then the book tanks.
Rather than deal with the fall out and forced changes of The Big Thing, Miller seems to panic and decide that rather than have Pippa deal with what happened she'll give her an easy way out. This frustrated the hell out of me because Miller carefully creates a social structure for Pippa to navigate, then by removing one piece Pippa doesn't have to deal with much of The Big Thing. There will definitely be questions after the last page and many will wonder about Pippa's sudden choice and I felt this was too unfair and convenient. It took the focus off of other characters and put it back on her.
I recommend this because it was a good read, I just wish the ending had held up as well as the rest of the book.
Pippa is 30 years younger than her husband. She is completely in love and content and happy with their clearly defined relationship. It works for them and she is at times caught off guard with how content she is.
From the outset it is clear that something is going to change. Herb is 80 and has decided to sell everything so that he and 50 year old Pippa can move into a retirement community. He wants to make sure she'll be protected and won't lose out on the size-able fortune he's created as an editor and publisher.
The book opens with Pippa facing yet another creation of her life and then jumps backwards to show how she got where she is. I liked this structure.
Miller explores the changing roles of daughter, friend, teen, young adult, woman, wife, and mother and explores how we can be defined based on what we surround ourselves with while we question who we are as an individual.
Seeing her life before Herb, it's easy to think by the end of the book she will spin herself back into earlier directions, but it's clear she is happy and in love, even if she is unsure of her new environment.
Then The Big Thing happens. I wasn't expecting the twist at all and was curious about Pippa's reaction. It made me question how much of her private lives were close under the surface and how she would respond.
Then the book tanks.
Rather than deal with the fall out and forced changes of The Big Thing, Miller seems to panic and decide that rather than have Pippa deal with what happened she'll give her an easy way out. This frustrated the hell out of me because Miller carefully creates a social structure for Pippa to navigate, then by removing one piece Pippa doesn't have to deal with much of The Big Thing. There will definitely be questions after the last page and many will wonder about Pippa's sudden choice and I felt this was too unfair and convenient. It took the focus off of other characters and put it back on her.
I recommend this because it was a good read, I just wish the ending had held up as well as the rest of the book.
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Reading Progress
October 23, 2009
– Shelved
Started Reading
January 5, 2010
–
Finished Reading
