Pat answers “Toward the end of the book it was...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about The Perfect Nanny:

Toward the end of the book it was emphasized Louise was destitute. Why didn't she have any money? She was paid and they mentioned Louise didn't spend much on clothing (accepting hand-me-downs), and she ate at the Masses' house.

Pat I had the same question. Obviously the Massies paid her the going rate for nannies - they specifically didn't want to hire an illegal, who could be ta…moreI had the same question. Obviously the Massies paid her the going rate for nannies - they specifically didn't want to hire an illegal, who could be taken advantage of, and Mr. Massie said himself that (presumably after taxes and the nanny's salary were subtracted from the wife's wages, there wouldn't be much left, but he was willing for her to go back to work if it would make his wife happier. She wasn't paying her bills, and she hardly had to buy food as she ate mostly at her employers' so where did her salary go? Did she just not realize she had it? I find it hard to believe she was so destitute. (Of course once Mrs. Massie made partner her income as a lawyer could have increased substantially.)

A lot has been made of this book being about classism and the employer's being entitled and taking advantage of their nanny, but don't see that. The Massies were hardly living a glittering life. They both worked, their apartment was so small they partitioned their bedroom out of their living room and it was described as stifling. They both worked to exhaustion, they didn't seem to splurge much. They took one vacation a year, hardly seemed to live a high life and supported five lives on their two salaries, counting the nanny. The one indulgence mentioned is Paul buying, with some embarrassment, a second hand Rolex at a "very good price". Yet I hear this book described as a study in classism and racism, neither making any sense.

The nanny is obviously mentally challenged, she seems overwhelmed by math (according to her daughter, whose fate is also ambiguous). But the whole issue of finance is so unexplained that I wonder if the nanny simply didn't understand what she had. And so mentally challenged she didn't know how to ask for help. I don't see the Massies as being unkind or uncaring - they offered help, and when she didn't respond, they respected her -- as an adult - she was older than them - to handle her own problems. Are they to blame for not treating her as a child and forcing themselves into her life? I don't think they realized how challenged she was - frankly, as a reader I only came to the conclusion late that she was deficient in more than one respect. I came to suspect that she could do house work and play with kids but more than that was beyond her. Perhaps that's why she kept such detailed notes in her notebook.

The why of what happened is still a mystery to me. While the book was engaging I still don't like books that have such gaps in such a significant motivation. (less)

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Delphine The Massiers actually have money : they have a flat in Paris, a very expensive town, in an expensive neighborhood. They would probably pay more for th ...more
Dec 03, 2018 05:57AM · flag

Jose I saw it as if her state of mind was one of "spiritual penury" and jealous dependence no matter what money she had. I think Louise was stunted in her ...more
May 07, 2019 10:14PM · flag

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The Perfect Nanny

by Leïla Slimani

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