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The Undomestic Goddess By Sophie Kinsella ISBN13: 978-038533869

I should point out, given my low rating of this book, that I am actually a big Sophie Kinsella fan. So my opinion is not at all based on the light nature of her novels, which I classify in the airport fiction genera. With The Undomestic Goddess though, I was disappointed. A catchy title based on a recently popular phrase, the story itself was the contrary, with the main character a domestic convert.

The Shopoholic series was popular with me as it seemed to have three elements. Firstly, something the average girl could identify with, be it a love for shopping, apathy with their job or another facet in the lead character's life. Secondly, it had an element of fantasy: the shopping. Thirdly, the consequences of Becky's actions were exaggerated and the tangles kept you reading on intrigued to see how they could possibly be corrected.

I expect with The Undomestic Goddess most readers started to read the book as they identified with the character's job. Working hard, feeling unappreciated or on the brink of becoming successful, but at the mercy of others decisions. It had the exaggerated circumstances, which caused the lead character to have to leave her job. But it had no element of fantasy. You start to read the book and cross your fingers for Samantha's promotion and that she'll get the guy. Instead, as the story moves on it's not an issue of her not getting it, she doesn't want it.

While we all like a sea change and may dream of an escape from monotony, a leopard doesn't change its spots. An ambitious city girl who has always worked unfathomable hours and come top of her classes will not be forever happy cleaning toilets, baking fish and earning little while married to a gardener (with no appreciation for her former life). Even the author struggled to suppress this obvious desire of her own character, as Samantha jumped edit any contract that passed before her, thrived when it was time to work fast to correct her name and desired for a young law student to know she was not really just domestic help.