Friday, June 21, 2013

Book Club: "Never Sit Down In a Hoopskirt (and other things I learned in Southern Belle Hell)" by Crickett Rumley

Welcome to book club! I love to read, but I feel like I almost never get a change to do so. Recently, I went on an emergency road trip so I had some time to kill!

Naturally, I picked up this little gem from Crickett Rumley. I had been meaning to read it for a while - my father brought a signed copy of her book to me after he met her at a writer's... meeting? It was a while ago.



Plot Summary: 17-year-old rebel Jane Fontaine returns to her hometown of Bienville, Alabama, to live with her grandmother after leaving boarding school. Trying to fit in with the townsfolk, who only want to discuss her mother who passed away many years ago and her father who has since engrossed himself in work, she is ushered into the Magnolia Maids "Achievement" Pageant by her grandmother, and surprisingly, she gets in. Suddenly, she has to take a long hard look at Bienville, the Magnolia Maid program, and herself.

What I liked: I love all things southern belle. I'm embarrassed to admit I skipped debut and cotillion (in hindsight I'm mortified but that's a story for another day!) but oddly, I skipped it for the same reasons Jane felt like she didn't belong on Magnolia Court. It was easy for me to relate to all of the characters- they were all so likable! And, without spoiling the ending, I liked the way the "Mean Girl" character, Ashley, was taken care of, so to speak. Finally, I just LOVED the tone - it felt like a girl my age was really telling the story.

What I didn't like: I wish I had more insight on Jane's father, Cosmo. I also wish I had a few more physical descriptions of the characters, but I feel that was an artistic choice to allow the reader some creative wiggle room. I also wish one of the ending parts didn't end the way it did (gah it made me want to cry and go hug my Mom and Dad) but that's the way life is. There were also a few plot holes that I wish had been filled in (The train on the Queen's dress and the two pink dresses bothered me to no end!)

Overall: Four out of Five stars. Would recommend to other southern belles, but you may be slightly put off by the approach. A nice, easy, quick read!

What are you reading? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

No comments:

Post a Comment