(Subdue) Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple - 3 stars

[Ellen]

Eleanor really wants today to be different. She vows she will go to that yoga class, she will shower and dress, pay attention to her husband; in general, be what she has not been very much lately. Instead, her 8 year old son Timby once again fakes a tummy ache to be released from school, her husband seems to be on vacation from his hand surgery office without notifying Eleanor, and everything just seems to go awry. A man who used to work for Eleanor in her graphic illustration business has just contacted her with the news that he has published his own memoir and it contains information that Eleanor does not want anyone to know about. Things definitely go from bad to worse on the very day Eleanor had promised herself would be a good day with fulfilled intentions.

I found this story to be extremely frenetic. It was certainly humorous in parts but I can't say I admire Eleanor very much. Her child is 8, albeit a strangely adult 8, and she leaves him in a department store unsupervised while she darts into another store. Later she leaves him for hours with someone she barely remembers from years ago. She is easily brought to hysterics and is impulsive beyond common sense. Her background story is sad and can be blamed for some of her current behavior but she is a hot mess.