This is a comic novel about a smart teenager, Frederica, smarting over the behavior of her parents, David and Aviva, both teachers at a third rate women’s college and dorm “mothers” to one of the halls. They are nit-picking liberals, union activists and “the most annoyingly evenhanded parental team in the history of civilization.”
Things get complicated when Frederica discovers her father has an ex-wife (still adored by his mother) who becomes employed at the same college.
At first this delights Frederica, who daydreams what her life would have been like with Laura Lee as her mother. However, soon LL turns out to be a needy mess.
Frederica begins to appreciate her parents’ tepid liberalism and they in turn acquire the backbone to deal the nutty Laura Lee.
Elinor Lipman is both funny and seriously thought provoking. I look forward to my next read.
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