Split Time

Felicity Price

Random House

Otago Daily Times, March 25th 2005

I recently heard author Felicity Price describe her latest novel Split Time as ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary for grown ups.’  This is a fairly accurate summation. 

PR consultant Penny Rushmore’s life is a chaotic blur of late appointments, school fixtures and family crises.  With teenage children, a mother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, her own company to run and an adulterous husband, she barely has time to worry about the hot flushes and her blossoming girth.  When her mother gives her a series of letters written by her great grandmother Annie (an active suffragette and temperance advocate), she is struck by the similarities between their situations.  Unlike Penny, however, Annie manages to keep her life under control, and has a few lessons for her great granddaughter.

Split Time is competently written (the difficulties of coping with an aging parent are particularly well presented) and lacks the irritatingly adolescent whine of Bridget Jones.  While not my cup of tea, it should keep those looking for a light chick-lit read happily entertained.