Before I do anything else, I have to give a shout-out to to my blogger friend An Historian About Town, who recommended The Finishing Touches in one of her wonderful blog posts. The Historian and I share an affinity for British chick lit (which, I agree, is usually slightly superior to American chick lit), and this charming, sweet, and funny novel by Hester Browne did not disappoint!
So, Historian, thanks for the rec! Consider us even for when I introduced you to Whittard tea.
While so much women’s fiction follows the same trope of “hapless woman randomly finds a new career,” the The Finishing Touches puts a unique spin on things: the main character, Betsy, finds herself revamping the fusty old British finishing school in which she was raised by her adoptive family. While attempting to transition the archaic institution into the modern era, she’s also looking for her birth mother, who she’s convinced was a finishing school grad way back when.
I find the idea of finishing school completely fascinating. And, indeed, the Phillimore Academy — before Betsy gets her hands on it — is exactly what you would expect from a hoity-toity institution charged with turning out “proper” society ladies. There’s classes on glove wearing, pheasant eating, flower arranging … yeah, you get the picture.
While entertaining, such skills are not particularly applicable to most women today. Betsy’s revamp puts a fresh spin on the school’s curriculum, taking courses meant to turn out vapid trophy wives and modernizing them to turn out smart, savvy, and independent women who, while they might like to have a husband, don’t necessarily need one.
I was itching to try some of the new classes that Betsy created for the modernized Acamedy. I’ve always thought someone needs to create a “Real Life Hack” school with classes that you will actually need in the real world: e.g., how to pay your taxes, how to balance a checkbook (back when people did that, anyway), how to change a tire, how to cook yourself a simple but tasty meal, etc.
Admittedly, there are still some “ladies” classes at the new Phillimore Academythat sounded pretty damn enticing, feminism be damned: how to walk in heels (truly, it’s an art); how to give yourself a professional manicure (how needed is THIS right now?); how to pose to your best advantage in photos (social media is cruel to those of us who aren’t naturally photogenic); and, most importantly… HOW TO GIVE YOURSELF A BLOW OUT.
Can you imagine??? Having salon-style hair every day, a la Kate Middleton? I know. I KNOW. That class alone had me ready to sign up for a 6-week course, pronto.
Frivolty aside, at the core of Betsy’s mother’s school is the message that a woman should be confident in herself, and Lady Phillimore was great at dispensing tips and tricks to achieve that. Each chapter of The Finishing Touches begins with a tidbit of advice, most of which I found quite useful and still applicable to today’s women. And, obviously, Betsy turned out A-OK after being reared by Miss Manners herself, and that alone speaks volumes for what’s at the core of the Phillimore Academy.
Of course, as with any chick lit novel, there’s lot of female friendship and a little bit of romance going on in between the more heroic activities of saving the school. There are hilarious scenes throughout the book, many of which involve the rich and over-privileged young ladies already enrolled in the Academy and who serve as Betsy’s guinea pigs for the new classes. I was constantly cackling out loud at their ridiculous conversations and crazy antics. And, there’s plenty of heart as Betsy reveals her vulnerable side in her attempt to find her birth mother, as well as find her proper place amidst her adoptive family and in the finishing school.
If you’re looking for a great, easy, and fun escape, give The Finishing Touches a try. Wearing your best pearls while reading is optional.
And, be sure to check back in for my book-inspired recipe: Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches!
