My Friend Rose

This is, I think, the 8th book in Jane Duncan's 'My Friends' series, but as the books often jump through time in the narrator's life, it isn't necessary to read them in order. This is the third book in this series that I have read, and I like it much better than the last one I read (which was 'My Friend Muriel'). The narrator, Janet, is a Scottish woman living in London in the 1930's who ends up being a nanny to a lonely, spoiled little girl named Dee. Dee's stepmother is the Rose of the title, a brash, spoiled, beautiful, childish, alcoholic woman who somehow inspires pity and compassion even in those whom she's insulting. Duncan has a flare for turning a phrase in an unexpected and refreshing direction, and she goes off on far fewer tangents than in 'Muriel.' It wasn't until the very end, however, when Janet meets Rose again after many years, that the reasons for considering Rose a positive influence became apparent, and that was when the book moved up from 3.5 to 4 stars for me. I know these books are difficult to find, but check your local library or used bookstore--if you like this one, there's about 18 more to read.