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The queen of the black-hearted soap opera is back!Welcome to the upwardly mobile Prendergast Road…On Prendergast Road, deep in Nappy Valley, among olive trees in terracotta, lower fuel emissions, Lithuanian prostitutes, teenage drug dealers, stalkers and soaring house prices, five desperate women wait…The progeny of the IVF generation is ready to start school and only one of them is destined to get a place in Nappy Valley's most oversubscribed cradle of learning. How far will these women go to get that place?Follow Kate Hunter into the depths of her impeccably honed life, as she struggles to maintain the façade of perfection. When exactly did life become a life class? Is happiness overrated? Is it just possible that beneath the flawless sheen of her friends' and neighbours' amazingly trouble-free lives, beneath the freshly-ironed shirts and home-grown veg, lie the same half-truths, the same uncertainties and the same desperation to keep up with the Joneses…?Sarah May is an intimate observer of society (AKA curtain-twitcher of the highest order) and her novel is an hilariously dark-hearted soap opera of our everyday lives. In a society that always strives to be more organic, less carbon-polluting, more virtuous than any other, 'The Rise and Fall of the Domestic Diva' is a breath of fresh air (imported from the mountains of Nepal and filtered organically for purity, of course. A snip at only £6.99.).
The fierce competition for a coveted spot at an elite local school pushes five neighbors to the brink of social and personal collapse. Kate Hunter attempts to curate a life of domestic perfection, but the pressure to maintain appearances in the affluent Nappy Valley begins to erode her composure. As she observes the lives of her peers, she discovers that the polished exteriors of her neighborhood hide a web of secrets, insecurities, and desperate maneuvers. The narrative, delivered with a sharp, observational wit, tracks the unraveling of these women as they navigate the absurdities of modern middle-class expectations.
This novel functions as a biting critique of the performative nature of modern suburban life, focusing on the absurdity of status-seeking in affluent communities. The narrative style suggests a cynical, observational approach that highlights the disconnect between the curated lives of the characters and their internal anxieties. Readers likely find the humor in the book to be dark and pointed, reflecting the author's intent to expose the cracks in the facade of perfection. The work serves as a commentary on the pressures of social conformity and the relentless pursuit of status in a competitive environment.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2008-12-01
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
0007232330
ISBN-13:
9780007232338
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