A review by nohoperadio
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson

3.25

All characters are stock, everything that happens is implausible, the prose is artless in all senses, I was charmed anyhow. I’m not sure any author has ever loved her protagonist as much as Winifred Watson loves Miss Pettigrew–she so palpably wants her creation to escape the dreariness imposed by her poverty, conservative upbringing and low self-esteem that the story is just shameless wish-fulfillment. But it’s such earnest wish-fulfillment (and, crucially, with a sense of fun and awareness of how silly it is) that the effect is touching.

This is the beatific voice of the drunk girl who has noticed you’re not enjoying the party and for five minutes makes it her divinely appointed calling to show you that the world is your friend. Let us never close our hearts to this voice.