Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
I can say without much doubt that I would never have picked this book up on my own, but when my friend Anne recommends it as highly as she does, I knew I had to give it a chance.
And I am so glad I did. I took it with me on our Thanksgiving trip, and it was a perfect vacation read. Light and fun, without being silly and making me regret spending my reading time on it.
In many ways the book feels like a fantasy tale: the dowdy, down-on-her-luck governess who is desperate to find a new position finds herself swept up into a glamorous world for a day. Miss Pettigrew might be the governess but her hopefully-new employer (or is that her new charge?) is the one acting as a fairy godmother worthy of any Cinderella tale.
It’s not often that a book has me finishing it and pondering if I should give the movie
If you’ve seen the movie, what did you think? Would it ruin my memory of the book to watch it?
Publisher’s Description:
Miss Pettigrew is about a governess sent by an employment agency to the wrong address, where she encounters a glamorous night-club singer, Miss LaFosse.
Book Details
Title: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Author: Winifred Watson
Category: Fiction / Romance
Length: 256 pages
My Rating: 4 Stars
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I have seen the movie, after I read the book. For me the charm of the book was the dialogue, it moves the story forward, you understand changes that are taking place with the characters through the dialogue. I did not think that transferred well to the movie.
I thought the movie was weak compared to the book. Maybe if I had never read the book, I could have enjoyed the movie more for what it was, a light piece of entertainment. But I thought the book was so clever, I was expecting more from the movie. But it is fun to watch a movie after reading the book, even when you are disappointed.
Well, rats. I was hoping I’d have people gushing over the movie too.
Thanks for sharing your view on it though – I may still watch it eventually, but try to not expect it to be too much like the book.
I haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet, but I’ve heard good things about both. I know everyone says that movies never compare to the books, but I’ve always liked films based on books. I just appreciate them as their own entity.
Most of the time I can appreciate movies as a separate form of entertainment from the books that inspired them, but sometimes when a movie, I don’t know, misses the feel of why the book itself was so good, or takes too many liberties with the story, it frustrates and disappoints me. I know that movies have to leave things out, and things can never be exactly the same, but sometimes the changes they make aren’t even necessary to the new format.
I’m glad to know there IS a book! The movie has been in our Netflix queue for awhile, but we haven’t gotten to it yet. Sounds like this may be one time when (if the movie will be watched) I should watch the movie first, then read the book.
And we just canceled Netflix last weekend – I should have looked there for the movie. I always forgot my husband had signed up for it.
Ha! Funny that you mention that Anne recommended it. I asked Anne to write a guest post for me about a book she “evangelizes” for — and she picked this one!
Yes I did! Coming soon
The movie’s not bad (I saw it first) but it’s not as good as the book. Although I’ve been thinking about the movie a lot recently between you and Jessica, so maybe I need to watch it again. It’s at least good enough that I’m considering it!
I’m so glad you shared about this book. So much fun!
That is funny, and I’ll look forward to her evangelizing post on your site!
I love the book, but not the movie. I happened upon the book in the library one day. So funny.
Did you read the book or watch the movie first?