The Undomestic Goddess

This week I decided to review a book that I just finished, The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. For those of you who know a lot about chick lit, you will probably recognise Kinsella as being the author of the widely popular Shopaholic series. I have to admit that my decision to read The Undomestic Goddess came about mostly because of how much I enjoyed those books.

Samantha Sweeting is the “goddess” that the story is based on. She is a workaholic attorney from London England, the same place that Sophie Kinsella is from. Kinsella is also a former self proclaimed workaholic, so it seems that she may have based the Samantha’s character herself.

Shortly into the novel, Samantha makes a huge mistake at work and has a complete meltdown. After a series of events she ends up in the middle of the English countryside with no idea where she is. Samantha is too afraid to go back to London and face her mistake, so she takes a housekeeping job with a local family. Her new employers have no idea that she is a lawyer, or that she actually has no idea how to cook or clean. ... It is all very dramatic and silly, but it is also an overall fast and fun read. Anyone who likes chick lit will love The Undomestic Goddess.

After dong some research, I realized that Kinsella has a lot in common with Samantha's character. Both women left highly stressful jobs and ended up perusing more carefree lifestyles. Kinsella is a former financial journalist, and she now spends her time writing novels. In several interviews, she has mentioned that her current job gives her the time to spend with her family that she didn’t have before. I believe that Kinsella’s drastic life change was one of her biggest inspirations for writing The Undomestic Goddess.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light and witty novel to enjoy. It is genuinely funny and has all of the charming, romantic and light-hearted tones that make any chick lit novel great.

Happy Reading