The women at number 10 are ready for the mother of all battles.
When Sam, Jackie and Anna successfully campaign to save their lollipop lady, a TV reporter asks them if they fancy standing in the general election.It is, of course, a crazy idea: Sam's youngest child has an incurable disease; Jackie is desperate for another child and her mum is struggling with Alzheimer's; and Anna's teenage children, and marriage, are in danger of going off the rails.
But sometimes the craziest ideas turn out to be the best. And just think what they could do if they did get to run the country.....
.... Outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): "Mummy, watch how fast I can go."
MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 62): "Mummy's run over Easter bunny so there'll be no eggs this year."
"Oh," I said, trying hard not to laugh. "That's a shame."
I couldn't help thinking Millie's mum Caz could teach the government a lesson or two about how to dress up the cutbacks as a tragic accident.
MY THOUGHTS: Government cutbacks, bullying, infertility, disability, the hospice movement - all of these play a part in the story of what is essentially three ordinary women whose life experiences (along with the proposed redundancy of the school's 'lollipop' lady) compels them to stand in a general election.
Well worth persevering with, eventually The Mummyfesto turned out to be a fairly good read, it's only a shame that I had to read through so much of what I can only describe as political debate before I got to the point where picking it up became more of a pleasure and less of a chore.
Ultimately a real tear-jerker of a novel (I highly recommend you have a box of tissues at the ready), I know the book had a 'political' element to it BUT I think it had more than enough going for it chronicling the everyday lives and struggles of Sam, Jackie and Anna without the author investing so much time writing what, at times, felt too much like a party political broadcast.
DISCLAIMER: An Uncorrected Bound copy (according to the Press Release sent with the book The Mummyfesto is not available until the 28th of February 2013) read and reviewed on behalf of NEWBOOKS magazine I was merely asked for my honest opinion, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
12 comments:
This sounds interesting. I like that it is mostly about the moms and their struggles. Good advice about the tissues!
Hi Tracy,
It sounds as though Linda lost her way a bit with this storyline, although I see that she is quite and established and respected author ... have you read any of her other boooks?
Perhaps she should simply have stuck to the story of the three women and their individual struggles and challenges, perhaps pulling it all together at the end, rather than the notion that three desperate women would be capable of running the country!
It sounds as though you thought the perseverence was worth it in the end, but it does take some of the enjoyment out of the whole thing, if reading a book becomes that much of a chore.
Still, it just goes to prove that we can't like everything we are asked to read and I admire your honesty in giving such a focused review.
Yvonne
This sounds pretty good. I'm not a big political person, so that's a bummer about those aspects taking over a bit. Other than that, I think it would be enjoyable. :)
Too much political rhetoric usually turns me off of a book*, but this one sounds like it has such an interesting array of topics addressed that it might be quite good.
*though I enjoyed Atlas Shrugged this past year and it's blatantly political!
Sounds like there is a lot packed into this book. I'm glad it turned out to be a "fairly good read" despite the political aspect. That usually ends up being an annoying distraction for me. I do appreciate that it ended up being an emotional experience - that says a lot about the writing.
Since I live in America you can imagine how much political bs I've been inundated with lately, so I don't think this one would be for me at this time. But at least you had a decent enough time with the book.
Hmm, yeah I don't believe I'd make it past the politics either...funny too because the cover totally gives no clue to that aspect of the story. Thanks for sharing!
I wouldn't mind the politics in the storyline as long as the rest of the book was great. This one sounds good!
I am getting to blogging later than usual today....
This sounds like a very good story! I'm not sure if the political aspects of it would lessen its appeal to me or not. Excellent review, as usual!
this one sounds like an interesting read!
big hugs~
xx
remote chance I will read this :)
Women in a general election? Interesting. Not sure it's really my kind of read, but I like the concept!
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