JJ (Juliet Jackson) is the twenty something protagonist of this novel, and we see her enjoy a happy relationship with her boyfriend Rob, a distant relationship with her Mum and a strongly bonded friendship with her best friend Theodora. JJ wishes her Mum would be more like a normal Mum, but Beth Jackson is dedicated to her media career, leaving little time to spare. Beth has always striven to be a good Mum, having had JJ at fifteen years of age. She publicly declared in a newspaper column that she would not be depending on welfare handouts, committing herself to her work.
We see JJ struggle for a plum role in her workplace at an advertising firm. We see JJ have a constant internal battle with herself because her Mum is often publishing columns or doing television gigs in which she discusses her daughter's life. And we witness JJ wishing her boyfriend would suggest that they live together. Theodora, an artist and JJ's house mate and best friend, gets JJ to move out and return to living with her parents as she needs JJ's bedroom to work on her latest art project.
The novel finishes with the reader celebrating mothers and daughters, especially the relationship between Beth and JJ. Beth, pregnant, and JJ attend a studio to see Theodora's finished art project which features all the highlights of their relationship through the years in a sand sculpture. And excitement ensues - Beth goes into early labour at thirty weeks.
JJ is awarded the plum role at work but turns it down, handing in her resignation to help her Mum with the new arrivals.
I enjoyed reading this novel, in some parts it appeared to have quite trivial information, however, these pieces of information dovetailed quite nicely to bring the book to a satisfying conclusion.
Review by Bianca
