Lynnie
Essays, Nonfiction
I enjoy Helen Ellis' turn of phrase. She amuses
me and her books and stories are easy to read and digest. Ellis spends
her time in Southern Lady Code writing about snippets of life as an
Alabama woman let loose in New York City. (I always picture her saying it
the way the cowboys used to say it in the old Pace Picante commercial-
based on her own media references throughout the book, I'm sure she'd
know the one I'm talking about). Unfortunately, that's where Ellis lost
me sometimes.
Where I loved her stories in Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light and American Housewife, I found it harder to relate to her in Southern Lady Code where her extremes were on display. (In one essay, she walks off with another woman's Burberry coat and after pathetic attempts to find its true owner she feels so "guilty" she buys... a more expensive Burberry coat?). Sometimes her stories just screamed, "look how successful I am- ha!" which I love for her, truly. But also, success isn't really funny. Ellis is at her best when talking about her friendships and family and I really enjoyed those moments in the book most.
Lovers of Ellis' previous work will likely enjoy this quick collection, but I suspect readers who are new to Ellis will have less patience with some of the more self-serving moments.
Where I loved her stories in Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light and American Housewife, I found it harder to relate to her in Southern Lady Code where her extremes were on display. (In one essay, she walks off with another woman's Burberry coat and after pathetic attempts to find its true owner she feels so "guilty" she buys... a more expensive Burberry coat?). Sometimes her stories just screamed, "look how successful I am- ha!" which I love for her, truly. But also, success isn't really funny. Ellis is at her best when talking about her friendships and family and I really enjoyed those moments in the book most.
Lovers of Ellis' previous work will likely enjoy this quick collection, but I suspect readers who are new to Ellis will have less patience with some of the more self-serving moments.
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