Marie Dunwoody tries to do it all – maintain a happy marriage, raise
three children, and run her own dental practice, a vocation to which she is
devoted. She manages an impressive juggling act of her responsibilities, but
when she is told at the last minute by her twins that she’s meant to be baking
a showstopper for their school fair she feels she has failed, having to resort
to Mr. Kipling Fondant Fancies. Her humiliation is reinforced by her seemingly
perfect neighbour Lucy’s beautiful creations outshining her meagre
offerings. The fair proves to be
transformative, however, when Marie happens upon a copy of Mary Berry’s Complete Baking Bible. She vows to
become more like Mary, and in consequence, to her mind, a better mother.
Her ambition soon becomes something of an obsession as she battles
her way through simple sponges, the threat of the challenging croquembouche,
which she has promised to make for a friend’s wedding, constantly hanging over
her. Keen bakers will feel a sense of familiarity in the frustrations and
satisfaction in attempting to produce a perfect bake, and relish in the humour
of Marie and her husband Robert’s split allegiance when he becomes a devotee of
Paul Hollywood. The book is not all light-hearted Bake-Off references and
collapsing cakes however, dealing with the pressures of marriage and
parenthood, and the contrast between appearances and reality. It is this which
makes the book unforgettable and drags you into the lives of the inhabitants of
a small suburban street.
Marie’s son Angus is besotted with a girl he has only ever met online
while completely ignoring the affections of his neighbour Chloe, the future of
the dental practice is threatened by the opening of a rival across the road,
more concerned with aesthetics than quality dental care, Robert’s job is
hanging in the balance, and Lucy’s perfect life is a constant frustration. It
all feels very real and relevant.
Through her baking endeavours Marie’s perspective begins to change
and neighbourhood scandals are discovered. All the revelations may not be a
total shock to the reader, but it is the journey that matters, and you find
yourself becoming quite attached to the characters. A feel-good book accurately
portraying the day-to-day challenges and triumphs of a modern family. This was
something of a diversion from my normal reading habits, but one that I’m very
glad I took.
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