Dahl, Sophie (Playing With the Grown-ups)

[An Early Reviewer copy from LibraryThing. Thanks LT!]

I had no expectations for this book, even with the knowledge that her grandfather is the famous Roald. The description on LibraryThing gave an indication that it might be a chick-lit type book, and to some degree it is. In that female emotions, thoughts, processes are front and center.

I usually enjoy well-written chick-lit, and this is certainly beautifully written. But there is no progress in the novel. We watch Kitty grow up with her unhinged mother both in England and in New York, but there's too little of the essential (why is Kitty suddenly a convert to Swami-ji? what in God's name possesses her to allow her mother to do drugs with her?) and far too much detail about rooms and clothing.

I was also irrationally irritated by Kitty becoming thin, pretty and popular, but probably because I wasn't. (At least I'm honest.) To be really honest, I wish she'd write children's books. I think her attention to detail and her ability to be really funny would serve her well in that realm.