Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

[Esiotrot]

Synopsis

At fifty, Pippa Lee seems just fine. The devoted wife of a brilliant publisher thirty years her senior, the proud mother of successful twins, and a lovely and adored friend and neighbour, she seems to glow with feminine serenity. But when her husband spontaneously decides they should cast off Gramercy Park for Marigold Village retirement home, as a "preemptive strike against his decrepitude," Pippa finds her beatific persona unravelling in alarming ways.The truth is, the gracious woman of the present day has seen more than her fair share of the wild side. By seventeen, Pippa has lived with a Dexedrine addicted mother, felt the first stirrings of sexuality with a school girlfriend, had an affair with a teacher, and run away from home, set adrift on a course littered with broken hearts - until she found love and security in a family of her own.And now that seemingly established world, too, is in danger.In Pippa Lee we have an unforgettable heroine, and a quirky and acutely intelligent portrait of the many lives behind a single name. Even after we've read it, "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" is a story that is still unfurling.

 

At the start of this novel you are lulled into reading a story about a 50 year old wife and her 80 year old husband. On his suggestion they have sold everything and moved to 'wrinkle village' a retirement complex. Pippa plays the perfect housewife, adores her husband and panders to his needs but she is not entirely happy with her lot.

When a neighbours troubled son arrives on the scene I felt the book was going down a predictable route, but it then take an unexpected twist.

 

The middle section of the book is Pippa relaying her life from birth until she married her husband. It explores her relationships in particular with her mother. There are parts of this section which made me raise my eyebrows as she leaves home and disappears into a spiral of drugs. I felt she was easily led and was constantly seeking the unconditional love of a parent figure. She lacks ambition and responsibility, she allows others into her life at the deepest level and then drops them and runs.

 

The book ends back in the present with a few more discoveries about Pippa and those surrounding her. Pippa is a strange character - not what she appears on the surface, I would like to know what becomes of her.

 

The book is articulately written, the author creates believable characters and relationships. Womans fiction with a dark undertones, I enjoyed it and will certainly look out for her next book.

 

7/10

 

Interesting info on the author - she is married to Daniel Day Lewis and is the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller.

 

I am offering this book as a Bookring, please sign up here if your interested.

[Janet]

I was sure I'd read about this before and assumed this must be an old thread with a new reply, but it isn't so I don't know where I've read about it before!

 

Anyway, I like the sound of this - will put it on my Amazon Wishlist.

[Esiotrot]

Hi Janet -

You probably read my review in my reading list thread.

I started a bookring for the book so created a seperate thread with the review incase folks wanted to discuss after they have read it.

KxXx

[Inver]

Wasn't quite sure if I liked Pippa at various points, especially in the middle section. Some of the ways she lived made me cringe a bit, but I think she only wanted to be loved but when she finds it it did take a bit of a twist. Interesting read. I found bits of the middle section a bit unbelievable, the things she got involved with!! Few twists and turns which kept the story intriguing. You think you have Pippa's character sorted out and then she goes off in a different direction!

I enjoyed it though. Thanks for letting me join the ring.

[madcow]

I've just finished this and I have to say I have mixed feelings about it. Part way through I was thinking why am I reading this it's a bit boring then the middle bit left me thinking this is some mixed up kid who doesn't really know what she wants and the ending wasn't at all what I was expecting. The book gently lulled me into a false sense of security so the ending was a surprise and like Esio I too would like to know what became of Pippa Lee.

Once I got over the boring bit it was a really enjoyable read thanks Esio.

[Loopyloo100]

I have just finished this book and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and only got it out of the library yesterday. It's unusual for me to read a book that quickly.

[Nellie]

I am reading this book at the moment, and am about three quarters of the way through. I seem to love it one moment, and am bored with it the next. I'll stick with it to the end and see if the resolution makes it worthwhile.

[BookBee8]

This is going to sound really harsh. But this was one of the worst books I've read this year. I found it really boring and dull. I found myself rushing it to get through it so I could move onto the next book! I don't think it was badly written, the story just didn't appeal to me and I didn't care enough about the characters. It just wasn't for me.