Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy – Polly Walker

It took me a while to read this one. For the first half to two-thirds of the book, I found it very hard going, largely because I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for the main character (too shallow and narcissistic) and because the tone of it was unremittingly negative (yes, I know being a mum is hard work, but can’t we make the point with some humour?)

However at some point in the book it did eventually pick up. I both liked and believed in the happy ending, and I started to enjoy some of the characters (Alice in particular).

It’s kind of a shame it took me so long to get into because this book makes serious points on a range of topics. In particular the experience of going back to work after maternity was particularly well dealt with, and a touch I particularly liked was the fact that the evil boss was female – avoiding making the suggestion that everything bad is exclusively the fault of men.

Enlightening more than enjoyable.

Biting off more than I can chew

Ok, I know what I'm writing this month now, and after a good weekend I'm no longer way behind on my word count. I have definitely bitten off more than I can chew trying to write this particular story, but this is NaNo, which means quitting is out of the question - chalk this up as a learning experience.

It might have helped if I had an outline before I started too, rather than just some general ideas of things I might throw into the story. Or if I really knew my main character. But life has been busy, and sometimes planning for writing (or even writing itself) has to take a back seat.

On the positive side, right now I don't feel completely shattered for the first time in a week and a half, and I haven't actually come down with anything (I felt like I was about to last weekend).