- Paperback
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd (Jan 25 2001)
- ISBN-10: 0141004320
- ISBN-13: 978-0141004327
- Shipping Weight: 789 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Clara Hutt, 33, speaks for middle-class marital ennui as she reflects on her life, her indifferent husband, Robert, her two lice-ridden young boys, and her "roomy four-bedroomed Victorian terraced" London home and asks, "Is that it, then?" With a sense of humor that ranges from witty and raucous to simpering and mean-spirited, British first-time author Knight relates the ribald story of a modern woman and her quest for happiness. Clara, whose fragmented family consists of a mother who's fond of accumulating ex-husbands, a wealthy but distant father, two spoiled stepsisters and a listless stepbrother, resolves to have a "nuclear" family. After attaining this conventional goal, however, she discovers that marriage is more boring than blissful. The arduous rigmarole of "hoovering," chauffeuring, cooking and compromising leaves Clara unsatisfied. She tends to complain, self-deprecate and obsess on trivialities while comparing herself to her friends: Tamsin, who is single, unburdened and prowling for romance; Stella the "pottery cat," a rustic single mother who bakes her own bread; Naomi, the model housewife who feeds her kids gourmet lunches and manages to keep her home impeccably clean. Simmering with envy, longing for affection (and a little bit of "swooning"), Clara grows restless and seeks solace in the admiring eyes of an unlikely character. Although Knight's lively narrative entertains while animating many of the common misconceptions people have about marriage, the reader should be prepared to suspend belief for the final course of this chatty tale. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Knight, whose weekly London Sunday Times columns are filled with wry social commentary, has joined the Bridget Jones school of novelists. With less-than-perfect grace, our heroine, Clara Hutt, is dealing with the mini-traumas of married life, including juggling freelance writing and parenting. Beset with a domineering but oh-so-chic mother, ditzy stepsisters, befuddled friends, and a mostly absent husband, Clara worries about her weight, the slide of her wardrobe from elegance to comfort, marital infidelity, and recovering from a disastrous interview in which she managed not only to insult an up-and-coming dance star but also to give him head lice. Despite her self-doubts, Clara proves to have sufficient resiliency to deal with the end of her marriage and the beginning of a new relationship. The witty commentary on middle-class mores and humor make this slight novel an enjoyable read and saves it from being simply a clone. Recommended for public libraries.DJan Blodgett, Davidson Coll. Lib., NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste Of Time,
By A Customer
This review is from: My Life on a Plate (Paperback)
To say I was disappointed with this book would be an understatement in the extreme. I feel cheated, not only out of the dollars that I paid out for this dross, but also out of the time I spent sitting reading it, when I could have been doing something more productive. In fact anything would be more productive than reading this. I'm not saying this book is totally useless, you could use it to line a cat box, but if your thinking of buying it to read, save your money. Any book would be a better read than this one.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny and wise...,
By
This review is from: My Life on a Plate (Paperback)
I've had this book on my bookshelf for awhile, and finally decided to read it since I was in the mood for something light and quick. I am pleased to say that My Life on a Plate ended up being such fun to read. I thought the main character was hilarious, and her take on marriage and motherhood was as honest as it gets.My Life on a Plate is more of a portrait than a novel. Author India Knight provides a winning character study of a wife and mother and the things that happen to her day-to-day. Clare Hutts is a part-time magazine writer who has been married to her husband, Richard, for the past eight years. And while their marriage doesn't seem so bad, Clare can't stop thinking that something is missing. Not kids -- they have two small boys -- and certainly not the fairy tale lifestyle -- financial security, a beautiful house, and working from home. Maybe it's the fact that Richard doesn't ever feed the boys breakfast, or perhaps it's because they aren't romantic anymore -- whatever the reason, Clare's journey throughout this novel is eye-opening at best. I really enjoyed reading this book. Clare is a hilarious character, and her insights on marriage are as honest as they are funny. I felt the tone of the book was consistent throughout, and by the time the last page rolled around, I knew it couldn't end any other way. India Knight did an excellent job with this one, and I look forward to her future books.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing!,
By Melissa "texasmom95" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: My Life on a Plate (Paperback)
I expected to love this book. I am a big fan of Bridget Jones, etc. and thought that this book would be a similar, fun read - only even better because it was about a married woman.Unfortunately, I was wrong. I found the book boring. I also didn't care to read about Clara's husband's secretive bathroom habits, her children's nits, etc. At times the book seemed senselessly crude. Bottom line: A total waste of time. For a FUN read, try ASKING FOR TROUBLE by Elizabeth Young, instead.
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