A smart, sassy coming of second age novel, irresistible in its wit and uproarious in its humour.
As the eldest child in a single-parent family, Kylie’s always had more important things on her mind than smiling for random strangers. Controlling her job, her home, her romantic life and – most importantly – her family takes all her concentration. She’s always succeeded though, because that’s just who Kylie is.
When her fiercely independent mother breaks an ankle and needs help, it’s up to Kylie, as usual, to fix things. She reluctantly packs her bags and moves in, but back in her childhood home, things start to unravel. Could it be that Kylie’s carefully curated life is not so perfect after all?
Toni Jordan’s debut novel, Addition, was longlisted for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Since then, she has proven to be an astonishing talent, delivering bestselling novels in a range of genres, including her 2020 literary mystery The Fragments, and her 2022 covid-comedy, Dinner with the Schnabels. Her latest novel, Prettier if She Smiled More, is a fabulously entertaining, astute, moving and deeply funny follow-up to Dinner with the Schnabels. This smart, sassy coming of second age novel is irresistible in its wit and uproarious in its humour. It’s also poignant and at times eye wateringly accurate in its character descriptions and explorations.
Prettier if She Smiled More kicks off with our heroine Kylie Schnabel, the dutiful eldest child of the Schnables and ever professional pharmacist. A universe of order has carefully been constructed to keep Kylie in place. It is with the utmost delight and compassion that Jordan then explodes this world as the rug of Kylie’s hospital corner’s existence is unceremoniously pulled from under her.
As in real life, everything happens at once. The announcement of Kylie’s projected career ascendency to take over the pharmacy where she has long worked is superseded by the arrival of a major corporate buyout. This is closely followed by a shift in her romantic status, and a temporary move. None of these were in Kylie’s plans.
Prettier if She Smiled More appealed to me on many levels: the unravelling of what we convince ourselves are watertight plans, the resistance to change and chaos, the wonder of unlearning everything and everyone you thought you knew. Jordan also exposes the challenge of long-term familial relationships, particularly when you’re forced to spend extended periods with them. Especially when it’s with your mother, the danger of syncing Fitbits, the joy of letting go and embracing the mess.
Jordan is the type of writer you want to hang out with all day and read. And when it’s over you want to go back and read over again just to hang out some more. Jordan takes us by the hand through her intelligent and deft storytelling as we travel with Kylie and her superb observations and satirical insights into the wonderland of family dynamics, ageing and the beauty of daily life. Like its predecessor, Prettier if She Smiled More is a triumph of heart and humour.
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