The Bad Mother's Handbook (2004)

I picked this up expecting a light, fluffy, humorous little read, perfect for a day off in the sunshine. Well, it wasn't quite as fluffy as I'd thought. In fact, this book covers everything from teen pregnancy to adoption to child neglect to dementia.

Charlotte has discovered, to her horror, that her less-than-idyllic dalliance with arrogant Paul has left her pregnant at seventeen. Thank heavens for oddball Daniel, her new best friend and confidante, who just might prove to be the haven of sanity she needs. Charlotte's mum Karen is left reeling when she finds out she's adopted - will her enquiries bring her a fairytale reunion, and can she cope with Charlotte's revelation on top of everything else? And as for Nan, poor senile Nan with her colostomy bag and her penchant for toasting letters - well, she just wants everyone to be happy...

With all this going on, it's fortunate that the characters are so endearing, and that Long has managed to create an absorbing story that never loses its lightness of touch and sense of humour. The narrative switches between Charlotte's rapidly maturing voice, Karen's rather self-absorbed musings, and Nan' wistful recollections of her own past, bringing together these three women, three ages, three personalities, into one winding family history. There were amusing moments tempered by moments where the tears were prickling the backs of my eyes; unhappy moments contrasted with moments of hope and happiness.

Ultimately this is a story about family, about relationships, about a shared history, and about pulling together to get through everything life throws at you. I wasn't completely blown away, but I'm glad I read it and I'm sure I'll enjoy the other two of Long's books that are still waiting eagerly on my shelves! ( )

I really enjoyed this book, not what I expected at all. A refreshing change from yummy mummies etc. ( )

This is the story of three generations of one family. Charlotte Cooper is 17, about to do her A levels, and suddenly discovers she’s pregnant. Her mother Karen is furious with her, not least because she had Charlotte at the age of 16, and has always tried to stop her daughter making the same “mistakes” that she did. But it’s not long before Karen finds something out which makes her question her role in her family and wonder whether there isn’t a better life waiting for her somewhere. Meanwhile, Karen’s mother, Nancy Hesketh, who lives with them, is slowly succumbing to dementia, which is causing all sorts of chaos. But when she’s not posting her grandaughter’s homework in the toaster, or hiding letters under the sofa, she reminisces silently about her life.

This is a very enjoyable and undemanding read. The multiple narrators (Charlotte, Karen and ‘Nan’) ensure that we see events from each point of view – although Nan’s contributions are generally short and relate to the past rather than the present situation. The main body of the story is told through Karen and Charlotte’s narration.

All of the three main characters are believeable. The constant locking of horns between Charlotte and her mother will also have many teenagers and parents of teenagers nodding in recognition! The story is touchingly told, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as well.

My only niggle with this book was the ending seemed rushed, almost as if the author had said what she wanted to say and just wanted to end the book quickly, and a few smaller aspects of the story did not seem completely resolved. But overall, this is a good book – probably aimed more at the female market – and one which I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to. ( )

Upmarket chicklit, a 'three generations of women' novel. In this case, the three generations all live together in a terraced house Oop North, Nana has Alzheimer Syndrome and a catheter bag, granddaughter is doing A-levels and hoping to go to college in spite of being up the duff, and Mum is hardly in a position to blame her, being only in her mid-30s herself. Incisive writing, and believable characters. ( )