Book review: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

I don't really do book reviews on this blog anymore. Instead, I'm aiming to chronicle every book I read in 2018 over on Instagram, with a mini review of each one there too. But sometimes a book comes along that's just too good...

I was going to be bold and say if you read one book in 2018, make it this. Then I read the last few pages, and would like to say this instead: if you read one more book in your life, make it this.

It's gripping throughout, the same story told from the point of view of a husband, wife, and... well, let's call her a family friend. Their three stories don't match up, and you'll be trying to work out who's lying and why. It'll infiltrate your life, you'll be puzzling over it non-stop. Think Gone Girl meets Stepford Wives.

Then, it all goes Inception (remember that film, with all the different layers of dreams?). I didn't like the film, and normally I struggle to enjoy supernatural/fantasy elements of books - in this case, lucid dreaming- but this toes the line perfectly between making you think and getting too complicated to follow. You might find yourself rereading a couple of pages, but it'll be from sheer disbelief rather than confusion.

There's one heck of a twist at the end... and just when you've recovered from that, Pinborough lobs an even bigger twist at her readers, one which will change everything throughout the whole book you've just finished. I'd be bold enough to say it's the best book ending I've ever read. The book's official hashtag (because that's what books did in 2017) is #wtfthatending, which tells you everything you need to know.

It's rare to find an author who nails both plot and writing style so succinctly. Between Her Eyes has the whole package: a plot that intrigues and entices, keeping you reading until beyond midnight, and well-formed characters, each with their own tone of voice.

I honestly don't know why everyone's making such a fuss about Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train when this far superior domestic thriller is out there on shelves. Do yourself a favour and read it.

TL;DR: Put your life on hold until you've read this in its entirety.

I wrote a book

That's a blatant lie. I didn't write a book at all. But I did write some articles which made their way into a book, which has now been published. It's a proper book, with pages and page numbers and a cover and everything, so I'm basically classing myself as a published author now thank you very much *mic drop*

Oh, the book? It's good. It's called Londonist Mapped, and was put together by my lovely colleagues at Londonist in collaboration with the AA, because they like maps almost as much as we do. It's got all sorts of London geekery in it, and colourful, beautiful maps to go with each article. Where else could you learn about state banquets, atomic bombs, Sherlock Holmes, penicillin, tube pedantry, and the man who invented sunglasses, all in one book. Eh? Eh?

It's available now on Amazon, which is nice, but also in Real-Life Book Shops, like Waterstones:

A post shared by Londonist (@londonist_com) on Oct 27, 2017 at 1:55am PDT

And Foyles:

A post shared by Londonist (@londonist_com) on Nov 3, 2017 at 2:35am PDT

And Stanfords:

A post shared by Londonist (@londonist_com) on Nov 13, 2017 at 8:48am PST

So that's a bit exciting (especially Stanfords, because the cafe there does the best hot chocolate in London).

My colleague Will made a video to tell you all about it.

Pretty, isn't it? BUY IT. BUY IT HERE. Buy it for everyone you know this Christmas. And when you've got it in your hands (wash them first please, it's very pretty), open it (carefully!) and head straight to the back, where you'll see my name in black and white (among my colleagues, of course). Then pour yourself a cuppa and read the rest of it. It's a right treat.

Londonist Mapped, available now on Amazon, and in all good bookshops.

Holiday Reading Roundup: February 2017

For me, books are a key part of a good old beach holiday -- not just one or two new bestsellers, but any novels I can get my hands on. I don't care how old they are, I spend far longer deciding which books to take on holiday than I do picking my clothes. I've normally cracked my first spine (sorry, purists) before I've even left the tarmac at Gatwick, and spend the next ten days eating my way through the collection, before pouncing on any books whoever I'm travelling with has brought, and hoovering up any English language offerings on the hotel bookshelf. Here are some brief reviews of what I munched my way through in Agadir:

Missing by Susan Lewis *****

Most of Lewis's novels can be described as hard to put down, but getting through a 500-pager in 24 hours is a new one, even for me. The story is a bit of a slow one, with the author introducing the characters separately -- in the style of Jodi Picoult -- before revealing how their lives overlap. It's worth persevering as more and more of the plot is revealed. A missing mother, an unidentified corpse a missing baby and an illegitimate child make for an engrossing read if you enjoy solving mysteries as you go. Highly recommended.

The Bones Of You by Debbie Howells ****

One to read if you enjoyed The Lovely Bones or Gone Girl. An 18 year old girl, Rosie, goes missing, and the novel follows the fallout of her disappearance, both with her close family and more widely, in the village she lives in. As well as the usual list of suspects -- a controlling father, a clandestine boyfriend -- the narrative is interspersed with chapters from Rosie's own point of view, adding another dimension to the usual mystery. Happily, the plot isn't immediately predictable, but unfortunately it's also lacking in the sort of gasp-out-loud plot twist that I've come to love in this sort of novel. Still well worth a read though.

The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas ****

I'll be honest, I wasn't looking forward to reading this one -- historical fiction isn't usually my idea of a good holiday read. The story flicks between modern-day Wales and 1940s India, bonding generations of the same family through the eponymous Kashmir shawl. Initially, the shawl is a tedious device linking two seemingly distant groups of people, but as the narrative develops, my desperation to know the full story of the shawl increased. Initially, I found the 1940s based chapters dull, wishing the author would stay in the present day, but by halfway through, I wanted the reverse. A fascinating level of research must have gone into writing this book, and yet it isn't culturally different enough to be too dull or too challenging. Takes a while to get into, but worth persevering.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty *****

Based on the lives of three Australian women, the protagonists of The Husband's Secret seem separate until it becomes clear how their lives are linked -- and then a secret is revealed, linking them even further. It's good fun trying to predict what'll happen. The plot is an unpredictable one, and all the more satisfying for it. The author manages to offer an ending that satisfies the reader, despite it not being the ending you find yourself hoping for. The novel's downfall is the dilemma faced by one character over whether or not to reveal the big secret -- I was left feeling indifferent regarding the choice she faced, the narrative lacking the urgency required to make it a real nail-biter.

What's Left Of Me by Kat Zhang ***

I'm not sure if this one is intended as YA fiction but it certainly feels that way. It also falls into the science fiction genre, something I usually avoid. The opening few pages reminded me of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves but the truth here is revealed at the beginning instead of halfway through. Despite my initial reservations, I soon found myself clinging to the enjoyable if predictable story. The ending leaves a few loose ends and a lot to be desired but the concept of Hybrids will stay with you long after you've forgotten the story. It'd lend itself well to a film, with a similar audience to Twilight or the Hunger Games.

By The Time You Read This by Lola Jaye ***

This one is a sweet, touching story about a girl whose father died when she was five. Approaching her 13th birthday, an aunt gives her a book, The Manual, that he wrote for her before he died. It contains a chapter to be read each birthday between the ages of 13 and 30, plus a miscellaneous section offering general life advice. Through the book, we watch her grow up, through family issues, relationships, jobs, travelling and more. As is necessary with a story spanning nearly two decades, time is elastic, but at times the narrative dragged, and at other points it skipped over sections that I felt warranted more detail. A cross between a coming-of-age tale and a self-help tome, it's a lovely read, as much about death as it is about life.

A Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson **

Best described as an easy read, A Boy Called Hope has its moments, but for the most part it's a bland, predictable story. It has some sweet parts and a couple of chuckle out loud moments, but what was missing for me was any sort of affinity with the main character, an 11 year old boy trying to get back in touch with his own father. It passed a couple of hours, but I wouldn't recommend putting it to the top of your must-read list.

Lizzie Jordan's Secret Life by Chris Manby **

Bland and cringeworthy are the two words that come to mind with this one. The story begins with a pair of college sweethearts who break up but stay penpals when they find themselves living on different continents. Six years later, they're reunited, putting the web of lies they've told each other in the intervening years in jeopardy. The one thing going for this novel is that the ending isn't the one you'd expect -- even if the rest of the story is. It feels like the character of Lizzie is intended as one the reader can identify with, but she becomes such a slapstick caricature that I found myself repulsed by her rather than enjoying her. One best avoided, in my humble opinion.

What are your top reading recommendations (holiday or otherwise)? Let me know in the comments - I'm desperate for some new reads.


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The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne: Book Review

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne
***
(May contain spoilers)

The Guilty One is the story of an eleven year old child who is accused of the murder of his eight year old friend. The plot doesn't focus on him, but on his solicitor, Daniel, a thirty-something Londoner. Except the plot's not really about thirty-something Daniel. To tell you the truth, the book flicks backwards and forwards so much, I couldn't tell you what it's about.

Chapters alternate between the thirty year old Daniel, dealing with this court case and the death of his adopted mother, Minnie, and teenage Daniel, growing up with Minnie. In doing this, it seems Ballantyne intends to highlight the parallels between the lives and experience of Daniel and his client, Sebastian. However, the result is that we never spend enough time at one period or the other of Daniel's life to really grow attached to him as a character.

In the latter half of the book, a large part of it is taken up by the court case. Now, I love a fictional court case, and I've read more than enough Jodi Picoult books to know just how gripping they can be. That's not the case here though. Prior to the court case, the reader isn't given enough information to form their own conclusion as to whether Sebastian is innocent or guilty, and without that belief, there's nothing to hope for.

A weak attempt at a love story also runs as a subplot throughout the novel, but once again, the reader isn't given the chance to grow attached enough to either of the characters to care one way or the other how that works out.

Conclusion: Meh - if it's the only thing around, give it a go, but there are plenty of better books out there.

Born Wild by Tony Fitzjohn: book review

Born Wild by Tony Fitzjohn
***

Born Wild is about Tony Fitzjohn's life in the African bush, specifically at Kora in Kenya, the wildlife camp where he learnt his trade under the guidance of George Adamson. If that name sounds familiar, it's because George Adamson was one half of the couple whose story was told in the film Born Free.

Born Wild differs from other books on similar topics in that it's not written by a scientist or a conservationist -- not an intentional one anyway. Fitzjohn was born and raised in Cockfosters in London, and without any background in science, ended up working with -- and successfully leading conservation projects to rehabilitate and breed -- lions, leopards and rhino, among others.

It's a brutally honest read, revealing Fitzjohn's brushes with alcoholism and less than perfect relationships, and yet the final chapters read in an almost self-congratulatory tone. Deserved, perhaps, but slightly grating to read.

It's not exactly a no-holds-barred account of George and Joy Adamson's life either -- Fitzjohn's admiration and respect for George is prescient throughout -- but it certainly takes the Hollywood sheen off of the couple portrayed in Born Free.

Anyone with even a passing interest in wildlife conservation -- particularly in Africa in the latter part of the 20th century--will be aware of how much conservation is about the politics as well as the science. If the political side of things is something that interests you, get stuck in. If not, a large part of the book will seem like an incessant amount of name dropping, reading like a who's who in the power rings (both legitimate and corrupt) of Western Africa.

I confess, I found myself skimming over these parts as I was struggling to remember who was who anyway, and I don't feel like doing so reduced my overall enjoyment of the book.  What I would like to have seen more of is the detail of day to day life in Kora camp -- the methods used to raise and release the lions, the living conditions. In reality, very little of the book is set in the camp itself, and it's the poorer for it.

I'm always on the lookout for decent wildlife/animal/conservation non-fiction books, so if you've got any recommendations, please let me know in the comments. Here's a free tip for you: Killing Keiko by Mark Simmons.

This Is A Love Story by Jessica Thompson: Book Review

This Is A Love Story by Jessica Thompson
*****

This Is A Love Story is indeed a love story. It's also a drag-you-through-the-emotional-wringer, rip-your-heart-out-and-stamp-all-over-it kind of story. And I loved it.

It tells the story of Nick and Sienna, two young Londoners who become friends, although it's made explicitly clear from the start of the novel that they both want something more.

Life gets in the way, as it so often does in these things and stops them getting together, despite a few near misses. The plot is reassuringly predictable, but from almost the first chapter, I wasn't in it for the plot. I was in it for the sheer love of the characters, so deep and well-constructed that I was rooting for them throughout.

The final third of the book had me blubbing my eyes out on a packed commuter train, forcing me to pack it away until I got home to the privacy of room and finish reading there. I devoured it, and it wasn't until I turned the last page that I realised how attached I had become to Nick and Sienna. Closing the back cover left me feeling bereft.

For anyone who enjoys a bit of high-brow reading, this probably isn't the book for you. It's pretty much ready-made for adaptation into a rom-com film. I'd love to see more from Thompson -- her character work is certainly deserving of another airing, but I'd like to see a less predictable storyline from her future work. Rip my heart out in a different way.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves: Book Review

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

****

If you're looking for a book with a humdinger of a plot twist, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is absolutely the book for you.

It's narrated by Rosie, an American college student in her twenties telling the story of her upbringing, specifically, the disappearance of her two siblings, Lowell and Fern.

Rosie's older brother Lowell, it becomes clear early on, ran away from home and never returned. Fern, on the other hand, is more of a mystery. We find out she is Rosie's twin, We know she's not dead. Then, on page 77, we find out the truth about Fern. It's gasp-out-loud-on-the-train stuff.

Karen Joy Fowler also wrote The Jane Austen Book Club, which if I'm honest, I found a bit wishy-washy, so I was dubious when my colleague, the lovely Zoe, singled me out as someone who should definitely read this book. Her reason for thinking this also remained a mystery until the all-important page 77, when suddenly the penny dropped.

Compared to other books I've enjoyed recently, this one's a bit of a slow mover. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters, even Rosie - although this may be intentional on the part of the author. Yet something that I couldn't quite put my finger on kept me reading all the way to the end.

2014 reading list

I've always been a keen reader- as a child my love of books led to my family mocking me for not even being able to go on a short journey without a well-thumbed favourite or new literary adventure for company. I would go as far as to say that my love of books is the reason behind my habit of carrying a large handbag around -another mocking point for my family and friends.

Yet despite my love for reading, I am often ashamed to admit that I have never read many of the great 'classics' that I feel I should have read. I'm all about reading for enjoyment rather than chore, nevertheless I have been wondering recently whether I'm missing out. Not being one for making new year's resolutions, I've decided to make a list of books I want to read in 2014, and it goes something like this (in no particular order):

Around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Grapes of Wrath by John Stenibeck
A Passage to India by EM Forster
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger
One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Moby Dick by Helman Melville
Little Women by Louisa M.Alcott
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
The Sherlock Holmes series (or at least part of) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

As I tick them off, I'll be writing a brief review of each one here. If you have any more suggestions of what I should read, tweet me @scribbling_lau!

"May I have you attention please?" by James Corden- review

Since being introduced to the work of James Corden via the medium of the brilliant Gavin and Stacey a couple of years back, I've had nothing but admiration for this talented comedy writer and his partner in crime, Ruth Jones. Well, admiration and a hint of jealousy at this man's amazing comedy writing (and acting) talents. I've often been heard to lament out loud (to no-one in particular) that I wish I had written Gavin and Stacey, so succinctly perfect is this series. I mean, I would have got there eventually, Corden and Jones just beat me to it, that's all.

So I was extremely excited to stumble across James Corden's autobiography recently (not as excited as I was when I learnt that my Dad had once shared a lift with him at Upton Park, but you catch my drift); surely this would give me the insight needed to get into the mind of this wizard, thus allowing me to replicate his comedy writing success in my own, yet-to-be-conceptualised show?

I started reading with trepidation. From the few celebrity autobiographies I have read, they all seem to follow a similar pattern: Woe is me -> I'm so talented -> Fame and fortune -> The inevitable downfall -> Discolouring the good name of other celebrities.

Corden, however, is refreshingly honest. His admission of his own lack of confidence only serves to make him more endearing to the reader. His refusal to show anything but respect for former girlfriends and colleagues, rather than dishing the dirt, is admirable. He doesn't deny that his success comes from a lot of hard slog, dodging the usual celebrity twaddle that talent alone is responsible for their rise to fame. Most poignantly, his writing of the book shortly after the birth of his son serves to make the reader feel as if they are being invited in to share a momentous occasion in Corden's life.

In short, I am now even more full of admiration for this comedy genius, and, at the risk of sounding cheesy, May I have your attention please? is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read, and I'll tell you for why. I am now determined that 2013 will be the year that I try my hand at script-writing. I've considered it before, but with no professional training and no experience in this area, it's difficult to know where to start. However, having learned about the development of Gavin and Stacey, from Corden's own observations at a wedding, to the building of the characters, to the writing of the first episode in a hotel room (Elbow musical accompaniment optional), I am left feeling somewhat empowered to have a go myself. I know it won't be easy, and I know that success in this industry is rare, but if you never try then you never know.

James Corden, I thank you and I salute you.

Everybody else, watch this space.

Review: "Thanks for the memories" by Cecelia Ahern

The name "Cecelia Ahern" has always floated around my literary consciousness, been there in the foreground, but for some reason I've always overlooked her books in favour of other popular authors. What a mistake to make.

I recently picked up a copy of "Thanks for the memories" and I'm so glad I did. Whilst this book does have elements of the "chick-lit" genre (the love story, the near misses, the happy ending), ithere is more to it than this. 

Ahern uses elements of the supernatural to grip the reader, and whilst this is something I usually shy away from (I struggled with Harry Potter for this reason), Ahern keeps the plot simple, easy to follow, even for the most imagination-starved reader such as myself.

The basic concept is this; Justin, a recently relocated divorcee is persuaded into giving blood in exchange for a date. Joyce, a soon-to-be-divorced estate agent with a troubled personal life, receives his blood donation, and with it receives memories, skills and knowledge that she did not possess before. Throughout the novel, their paths cross several times, sometimes intentionally, sometimes chaotically. I won't give too much away, but the plot is gripping until the very end.

Several times I found myself howling with laughter due to Ahern's brilliant ability to bring a scene to life; the scene of Joyce's dad attempting to collect his suitcase from the airport conveyor belt particularly  sticks in my mind. Ahern also has a talent at crafting believable, realistic characters; again, Joyce's dad is the prime example. Through clever dialogue and wonderful description, he comes alive as somebody that any reader can identify in part, and, quite frankly, the novel would fall apart without him. Sadly, the character of Joyce is not quite as developed as I would have liked - despite her troubles, I found little reason to sympathise with her.

Suffice to say that I will be skipping over Ahern's books no more!

Book review: "Stealing Water" by Tim Ecott

It has always been an ambition of mine to read a travel book about a place whilst I am in that place; travel and books are two of my favourite things, so it makes sense to combine the two and enrich my enjoyment of them both. I managed to achieve this on my trip to South Africa, when I read Stealing Water by Tim Ecott. Like many things, reading the book was something I planned to do before I left home, but it never happened.  This turned out for the best, as it lead to me being able to absorb Ecott's affectionate descriptions of the buildings of Johannesburg whilst sitting in the South African bush with a panoramic view of the distant sprawling Jozi metropolis, the perfect travel literature experience.

Undoubtedly Johannesburg has changed since the days Ecott reminisces about; for one thing, the modern day Johannesburg seems to cover a vast area similar to London. The skyscrapers seem to centre around two areas, with a lesser horizon of other buildings linking the two. Secondly, from what I have heard, Johannesburg is much more dangerous now than in the past. En-route to the Lion Park on my first day, I was warned of the dangers of central Johannesburg, specifically the Nigerian drug rings which operate in the city centre.

The autobiographical Stealing Water serves as a memoir of Ecott's youth, split between Johannesburg and Northern Ireland. Both locations were undergoing periods of political divide at this time, although Apartheid is rarely mentioned in the book, excepting a couple of passing references to the black maids of white families and the racially segregated living areas.

Instead, the book offers a refreshingly honest account of life for the average immigrant family in Johannesburg. Whilst the drama level varies throughout the book, with some pages being quite slow, it is the detail of everyday mundanities which build up to provide a fascinating collective insight.

Not what you would describe a "unputdownable" (largely because that probably isn't a word), the pace is slow, but this serves to echo the African lifestyle. I stuck with it because of my current interest in all things South African, but sadly I don't think I would have done so otherwise, which is a shame because it turned out to be an insightful and rewarding read.

Review: Miracle on Regent Street

Miracle on Regent Street was one of the top Christmas reads of 2011, being raved about on Twitter, the blogosphere and beyond.  Unfortunately due to my penniless student state, I didn't manage to get myself a copy until well into January, but it was well worth the wait.

Focusing on one girls attempts at saving a department store, the story was well structured if predictable at times. It is doubtful if, at time of writing, the author knew quite how poignantly relevant much of the story would be, when you consider how many retails businesses went into administration over the 2011-2012 festive period.

The writing, although powerful for the most part, was at times very amateur, and I found myself wincing at the painfully over the top description, which was often simplistic and unnecessary. On reflection, this is more to do with the fact that Harris' writing style is  remarkably similar to my own fictional narrative style (and the reason why I avoid this genre), than due to any lack of talent or ability on the part of the author.

One area in which the novel excels is creating a festive atmosphere-curled up in bed on a cold January night, I was temporally disoriented briefly, believing that it was really December and Christmas was still yet to come. Bad luck. The descriptions of the beautiful vintage clothing that forms part of Evie's transformation are inspirational, and certainly gave me a hankering for a black and white dogtooth skirt!

I won't lie and say I read it all one sitting, At first I struggled to get into the story, but after a couple of chapters, I was glad I persevered.

Conclusion: Partly questionable writing, but overall a good read.

A tiny bit marvellous-book review

A tiny bit marvellous is comedian Dawn French's first dibble in the world of fiction writing, following her autobiography Dear Fatty.

Rather than relying heavily on plot to retain readers, as the majority of fiction writers tend to do, French's writing style alone carries the book. Adopting three entirely different writing styles for Mo, Dora and Peter (Oscar) Battle allows their individual world view to be understood in no uncertain terms. However, in places Dora's chapters are sprinkled a little too liberally with "like" and other such teenage markers.

From the start you very much get the impression that the matriarchal character of Mo is, perhaps subconsciously, based loosely on French herself. Her quick witted ways have strong echoes of Dear Fatty 

French's admirable versatility and extreme talent as both a comedic and serious writer are well showcased throughout this book, which is perhaps not as gripping as French's autobiography, Dear Fatty, but equally well written and deserving of a read.

For more Scribbling Lau book reviews, click here, or to read my review of Dawn French's 'Dear Fatty', click here.

Dear Fatty-book review

Dear Dawn French,

I have just finished reading your fabulous autobiography "Dear Fatty". My, you are a funny lady, aren't you? I mean, we all knew that. Who could forget you puddle-diving, gate-hopping, chocolate-munching antics as the lovely Geraldine in The Vicar of Dibley. But who knew that under your smiley, cuddly exterior (I hope you don't mind me calling you cuddly. I don't think you will) there is such a fiercely protective mother, such a devoted wife, such a caring daughter and sister?

It makes such a refreshing change for a celebrity autobiography to not be all me, me, me. Obviously it is largely about you, it wouldn't be a very good autobiography if it wasn't now, would it? But how clever of you to address it to members of your family and your friends, who have helped you to become who you are today. It adds a certain poignancy, don't you think? But so laugh out loud so funny at the same time. Genius.

And of course, it was good to finally learn where your love of Terry's Chocolate Oranges comes from.

May you keep entertaining our nation for many years to come. You and Fatty. Although I've just seen her on the tellybob. Anyway anyway anyway, fab book, keep being funny.


Laura Reynolds (not a nickname)
(age 20)


P.S  I hope you gave Official Tin Voice from the Athletics competition hell. I'm sure you did. That's why so many people like you. That Madonna lady wouldn't have done, she would have been pleased for the attention, and for everyone to see her new face stretching.


                                                                  ***


Dear Fatty is the fabulous autobiography of Dawn French, Vicar of Dibley, comedienne extraordinaire and all round seemingly lovely lady. She has always been a celebrity to admire, both for her refusal to conform to the stereotypes expected of celebrities nowadays, and for the way she has managed to keep her successful career and family life separate, leading an apparently normal life away from the limelight, and allowing her daughter to do the same. However, Dear Fatty sheds knew light on the amazing strength of this admirable woman, in the face of personal tragedy, blatant racism, and of course mothering a teenager.

If you are familiar with any of the work of Dawn French, you will be able to hear her brilliant comedy voice throughout as you read Dear Fatty. Her brilliant letters aimed at Madonna provide a brilliant comedy angle

Velcro factor: 7/10. There is no specific drama making you stick to reading the book, but as with all autobiographies, you kind of want to fast forward to the bit where she gets famous. And of course, the next punchline is always just over the page.

Humour score: 9/10. Well, she is a comedian, y'know.

Overall rating: 8/10.  Probably not good for reading on a packed train, or anywhere it would be considered unacceptable to chuckle out loud. Oh hell, try it, spread the joy.