Liddy-jean, Marketing Queen

by Mari SanGiovanni

Liddy-Jean Carpenter has a plan. She is going to write a book. Liddy-Jean Carpenter also has Down syndrome. Working in the marketing department of a large corporation completing basic tasks, no one takes any notice when she starts making a detailed list of what is wrong with the way the company operates. Enlisting the aid of her coworker Rose and friend Jenny, Liddy-Jean writes an advice book for corporate America called Wand-Wavers and Worker Bees. Rose worries what will happen if Liddy-Jean’s clever book is published while Liddy-Jean is cooking up a plan to get Rose away from her dangerous boyfriend. The way Liddy-Jean sees it, love is love, and she becomes convinced that Rose belongs with Jenny and that she must hatch the perfect scheme to fix both their lives (and maybe a few others along the way). Liddy-Jean, Marketing Queen is the winner of the second-annual Bywater Prize for Fiction.

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Co · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was so much that I truly loved about this latest book by Mari - so here goes:
The unique look and insight into what a person with IDD might experience and how they might look at life ...
Liddy's extraordinary humor and strength / her lovely Italian family and everyone at the office who supports her / the humanity and kindness can be found on every page of the book and that makes this such a feel-good story ...
Liddy's bravery that made me want to be a better person just by calling someone's bluff and by not becoming complacent by going along to get along ...
Various important topics addressed like people that see and experience the world differently, grief and loss, power at work dynamics, toxic relationships, ...
Last but not least, I am thinking about using this lovely novel as a teaching tool, because there is so much in it to reveal, uncover, discover and be amazed by!
So give this book a chance, it won't disappoint you, that's for sure 😀!

[Karla C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very refreshing read from start to finish. Liddy Jean feels like a character who is both unique and believable at the same time. I liked how the story shows her perspective in a way that feels honest and emotional. The workplace environment added a lot of realism and made the challenges feel relatable. I enjoyed the humor because it felt natural rather than forced. The matchmaking storyline added an interesting layer that kept me engaged. There were moments that made me smile and others that felt thoughtful. The author did a good job balancing lighthearted and serious themes. By the end, I felt a strong sense of warmth from the story. It is the kind of book that stays with you after finishing it.