Great, very amusing.
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I really enjoyed this. Much better than some of the usual 'new mother' comedy books.
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are we supposed to believe this?
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hmm, not sure i agree with the other reviewers. Yes, there were several laugh-out-loud moments but do these characters really exist? it read to me more like a Sophie Kinsella Shopaholic book, funny but full of completely one-sided, unreal characters who would never exist in real life. i just felt the author was trying a bit hard to be funny that she missed out a lot of other, more real stuff about her experiences of motherhood that to me would have been much more interesting. and her baby hardly seems to get a look-in!
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Very Good Sequel
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This is the sequel to Mel's first book, From Here To Maternity, and they are similar enough that it's fair to say that if you enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy the second one just as much. That said, there are some key differences.
The first thing that is obvious is that the experience of doing the first book has left her a better writer. The structure is far better in this sequel, and I found the laugh out loud moments were built up better than in FHTM. Mel's writing style is natural, personable and flows well. The only negative point is that the ending is a bit flat and seemed to come out of nowhere, although I suppose that's only natural given that the subject matter in the first book led to an obvious finale.
The second point is that this book is darker than the original - I guess whether that is a good or a bad thing depends on your tastes, but I found that some of it (especially the frequent drug references and the fairly bleak final few chapters) made the book less likable than FHTM overall. Whether the darker tone was intentional or not I don't know, but if there is a third book to come (and I hope there is!), I'd prefer more of the cheeky sense of fun that the first book had to make a return.
Other than that, the rest is what you'd expect - good gags, an eye for absurdity and characters, and a lot of smart one-liners. Highly recommended (even if I do think FHTM is just a tiny bit more likeable).
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Amusing, but didn't quite hit the spot
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I was eager to delve into this book thinking it would be a lot funnier than it actually was. Although a lot of the anecdotes brought a smile to my face with familiar wry memories, all in all I found this 'lightly fictionalised' (in the author's own words) book a little..well..over the top. It's similar to the sitcom Blessed (bar the two kids) that she did. Both had all the right ingredients but didn't quite pull it off.
Don't get me wrong, I laughed out loud a few times, but on the whole it was only ok.
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laugh out loud
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Not many books make me laugh out loud: this one did from start to finish. A must-read for every less-than-perfect mum who has had to deal with the deadly politics of the school playground.
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