She’s a Lamb! by Meredith Hambrock: REVIEW
Synopsis
Jessamyn St. Germain is sick of being an aspiring musical theatre star. At 26, she knows time is running out to get her big break, so she convinces herself that the role of Maria in a local production of The Sound of Music is going to be hers. The only problem is, the people running the show have other ideas. Unfortunately for them, “I would kill for that part” might not just be a figure of speech for Jessamyn.
My Review
Serious question: Why didn’t this book make the Giller Prize shortlist? Thankfully, I don’t think Meredith Hambrock will react to rejection the way Jessamyn does, but Hambrock actually does deserve the accolades. She’s a Lamb! is a satirical masterpiece!
I’ve come to understand over the past couple of years that I love reading books about delusional people. That probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I understand that. But Jess St. Germain is probably the most delulu character I’ve read who isn’t in an actual asylum of some kind, and I ate up every word of it. She lies to herself about her talent, about who holds the power in her relationships, about other people’s motivations, and even about her own actions. She’s given chance after chance to make something of her career, and we the readers can see that, but she’s convinced that she knows better than everyone what role she should have (Maria and nothing but Maria), so every attempt to steer her down a different path is interpreted as an obstacle she must overcome to attain her dream.
In real life, I can’t stand poor decision-making like this. Having someone like Jess around would drive me nuts. But I don’t think we’re supposed to like Jess or even root for her. She’s a caricature, a satirized version of an untalented narcissist, and I absolutely loved to absolutely hate her.
She’s a darling! She’s a demon! She’s a…
I did, however, feel sorry for her on occasion. Throughout the story, you come to understand to some degree why she’s putting so much pressure on herself, why her relationships are so weird, and why she’s slowly cracking under it all. She’s a pathetic figure, but she’s also a completely terrible human being. She definitely fits the unkindest lines of the “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” song:
When I’m with her I’m confused
Out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Unpredictable as weather
She’s as flighty as a feather
She’s a darling! She’s a demon! She’s a lamb!
She’d outpester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest
She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl
She is gentle! She is wild!
She’s a riddle! She’s a child!
She’s a headache! She’s an angel!
She’s a girl!
(Rodgers/Hammerstein, 1959)
It’s clear that Hambrock used these lyrics as her inspiration for creating this character, turning the nuns’ exaggerations into understatements, and I found that extremely clever.
In Conclusion
One of my favourite books of the year, hands down. If you enjoy the “weird girl” genre that has been popularized over the last few years, you should check this one out.
You can buy She’s a Lamb! here on Bookshop.org*, or look for it wherever you get books.
*As an affiliate, I’ll receive a small commission from any purchase made through this link.