Paul Gallico’s delightful little (as in, its only about 150 pages, give or take) book is about Mrs. Ada Harris (or Mrs. ‘Arris, as she would say in her cockney accent), a London charwoman who finds herself coveting in the worst way imaginable a Dior dress. Never mind that she can’t afford it; never mind that she’d never have any place to wear it. After winning a bit of money, and scrimping and saving the rest, Mrs. Harris goes off to Paris to the House of Dior.But nothing turns out the way she imagines it to be—especially the people, who she’d imagined to be disgusting and dirty. Once there, Mrs. Harris becomes acquainted with a number of eccentric characters, to whom she becomes a sort of 1950s fairy-tale godmother. The book is completely charming and funny. My only criticism of the book is that Gallico could have drawn Mrs. Harris’s week-long stay in Paris out a bit more, and given the reader a bit more to chew on. But otherwise, just a magical little Cinderella story with a twist. There are other books in this series (Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York, Mrs. 'Arris goes to Parliament, and there may be more). I look forward to unearthing and reading them.
Also reviewed by: Reading 1001, Worthwhile Books
Comments
It is told a bit like a fairy tale, but I thought that the ending saved it from being too sugary-sweet.