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Danielle Crittenden, the author of WHAT OUR MOTHERS DIDN'T TELL US, delivers a second humorous novel in AMANDA BRIGHT@HOME, her witty statement on stay-at-home mothers through the life of Amanda Bright, a bright, well-educated woman residing in urban Washington, D.C. Her major dilemma is how to balance the care of her two children, Ben and Sophie, with the social demands of her husband's job. Bob Clarke rewrites his position at the Department of Justice when he becomes proactive in the investigation of a conglomerate called Megabyte.
Amanda's typical day consists of avoiding toys, clothing and any item slung in the pathway from one room to another of her modest house. Hers is a topsy-turvy world peopled by "play-group" mothers whose common bond is the exclusive preschool their children attend. When 35-year-old Amanda cannot bask beside a pool without feeling restless, she questions the quality of her existence. Their inane conversations revolve around spas, facelifts, and what prestigious school in which to enroll little Meredith or Olivia for the coming year.
Crittenden plays Amanda's deck of cards in a game predictable for her circumstances. Amanda's mother had been a liberal, politically active feminist and cannot understand why her daughter has succumbed to the life she leads. Amanda's blind acceptance of her motherhood infuriates her mother, who takes advantage of every possible opportunity to remind her of her wasted potential.
Amanda works through her identification process through confrontations, trial and error, hilarious pitfalls, and a brief encounter with another parent, Alan. The book is the first to be serialized in the Wall Street Journal, a bold accomplishment for the author. Any woman who has raised young children can relate to the chaos inherent in a household with peanut butter, paper and scissors, backpacks, and lots of toys. Our heroine sorts through the mess of her life, confronts it and reaches a comfortable conclusion.
"Driving a Volvo while listening to 'Itsy Bitsy Spider,' having all this so-called time to sit around and bake cookies and dealing with Ben's poor 'scissoring skills' at school" endear Amanda to any female who celebrates Mother's Day. I hope that Amanda's reality is not a true stereotype, but rather a humorous peek at modern living.
--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
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