Reviews

Enjoyed this light, comedic (almost farcical?) "Cinderella" story set in 1938. Miss Pettigrew, through a series of misunderstandings, learns to relax, take charge, and live for the rest of the day (her life). I like the idea, which I failed to notice on my own but read in a review, that this is a story where a woman is saved by another woman (instead of a man.)

libbilouworrelli's review against another edition

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5.0

Miss Pettigrew shows up to the employment agency destitute and in desperate need of a job. Today is her last day to pay her landlord before she is thrown into the street. In a twist of fate, she is mistakenly sent to Delysia LaFosse.

Here, Miss Pettigrew’s life changes and she becomes just Guinevere. She meets new friends who care for her, tries on a little makeup and a new hairdo, and begins to feel like a new woman. What other joys will her new friends bring? And, can this joy last or will she be homeless at the end of the day?

nenenest's review against another edition

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5.0

I picked this book up in a charity shop because it sounded vaguely fun and it was cheap. It’s great. If you have a chance read it. It’s light hearted , warm hearted, frivolous and totally fun. Don’t let its age put you off. It comes from a very different time but Miss Pettigrew is still a wonderful character. The one issue was some slight racism. One character is considered as lower marriage material as there might be a bit of Jew in him. Unfortunately those were the beliefs in 1938 and luckily we have moved on.

abbutterflie's review against another edition

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3.0

Quite sweet as a bit of a flight of fantasy with a happy ending. A good book for brightening up a wet January and imagining an escape from a dull, grey existence. Marred slightly by its legitimisation of domestic violence, anti-semitism and other racism, but those were probably reflective of the social mores of its time.

zeseal's review against another edition

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3.0

Strange book - written in the 30s, think of mary poppins slumming it in a night club and really enjoying herself for one day. Enjoyable, but not for everyone.

tilda_bookworm's review against another edition

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4.5

Charming and amusing, a rollicking good time. It is of its era in that old prejudices are on full show in parts but it almost seemed to me that the reader was not supposed to agree with the viewpoints presented because

Miss Pettigrew's character arc is, at least in part, about learning to be less concerned with judgment and decorum and so

the author seems to be almost satirising some of the views of the time.

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