An extremely free flowing, fluent & easy to read pick. Welcome back the Schnabel family that enthralled us with wit, humor and wackiness last year, and is all set to repeat here. Prettier If She Smiled More instantly draws you in with it’s simplistic & light-hearted vibes which assure it to be a feel-good read.
While Dinner With The Schnabels had Tansy’s family (Simon and the kids) in the thick of things, this time round we have her sister Kylie taking limelight. It’s always good when a sequel gives a supporting character of the past, a chance to be the main lead. It starts with Kylie having a disastrous week with 3 disasters coming her way one after another. The main being, her dream of owning the pharmacy she works in going for a toss, and her job threatened all the same. And from here on, Toni Jordan takes you through a fun filled, hilarious & most enjoyable ride dealing with these disasters and the absurdities of the Schnabel family keeping you pinned to your seats.
Prettier If She Smiled More successfully carries forward the legacy of Dinner With The Schnabels with Toni Jordan’s signature wackiness, hilarious dialogues and entertaining narration. One that stays in my mind is when Simon asks Gloria “You adopted a dog?”, there came her reply that there’s no other way to get them, they are a different species. Hahah. Sometimes it hits you much after you have read it, almost as an after thought, which only accentuates it’s effect. And then that whole thing about tautologies with Patrick. Or the sibling banter between Nick and Kylie. Toni Jordan is a master at her craft, making these situations and dialogues sound so real and genuine.
Kylie’s character is brought out as being her own worst enemy – taking on all responsibility & then feeling sorry for herself. Actually quite similar to many of us who give too much importance to ourselves & believe that the world would stop functioning if we stopped being responsible for everything! At times it made me feel frustrated, but you understand the reasons behind it when her story is revealed in the later parts.
There is a sentence in the book that says “Kylie, Tansy & Nick – they are the 3 satellites revolving around planet Gloria“. While Kylie may be the protagonist here, the star of the book is once again Gloria – just as the prequel. Gloria is literally running the show. What a character Toni Jordan has built upon – simply W.O.W. Loud mouthed, unabashed, unashamed, bordering on being rude at times. She continues to provide majority of the laughter – for a start, the way she gets rid of Ramona. Or how she cuts away David’s face from all pictures & replaces them with Kevin’s. It is funny how she enjoys being a pain in the b*** for Kylie! But as we would see towards the end, a strong woman & in full support of letting her daughter live her life the way she desires. *Claps*
From characters to situations. For me, there are 3 highlights that stand tall in this book. First, the generous & sumptuous celebration of India, or more specifically, Indian cuisine. It made my heart swell with joy to read 2 chapters deliciously describing and devouring all the treasures of our desi joys from samosa, bhaji, pakoras, palak paneer, paratha, naan & chapati. Toni Jordan – never knew you were such a big fan of our cuisine!
Next is, the open day event. This is the part that elevates the book a couple of notches, catapulting it to the same league as it’s predecessor. This is a complete laugh riot. The little kids ignoring Kylie’s instructions and doing just the opposites. The whole situation is a feast. So wonderfully executed by Jordan. The highlight of the book for me without a doubt.
Lastly, it is so refreshing to see Kylie break the shackles and be a free bird. It is so life affirming to see her willing to take the plunge and go back to all that she had missed out in her life – what she dreamt of as a child. Age never should be a barrier. And also, as the book says Life is for living, not working. And Gloria coming in her support saying She has no dependents, she can live however she chooses. The importance of a family & their support signified. And, a subtle message amidst all the chaos.
If we were to look for flaws just for the heck of it, one could say it tends to get repetitive at points. For instance, describing Kylie’s character many a time. And also, I think those who have read the prequel would enjoy this book more. The author does give backdrops of old characters, but it isn’t the same as reading the real thing. But other than that, no qualms. If I were to pick, I would say Dinner With The Schnabels was a tad bit better – maybe due to not knowing what to expect. But only fair to say, this is a lovable series everyone should read.
Get it here -> Prettier If She Smiled More