A charming story that made me smile throughout. Set in the 70's, teenager Lydia isn't sure how to deal with the news that her dad is selling the family home to move onto a barge, with his new girlfriend and her family. Written in diary form, Lydia is a great narrator, her voice is spot on as she describes adjusting to the new living arrangements, plus the normal woes of being a teenage girl-boys, friends, life!

I'm not much into diary style stories, but Mud was interesting because I've never read something that dealt with this subject matter before. Lydia was a fun protagonist to read about, even if she is constantly looked down upon by the adults. I would love to read more books about this setting.

I liked this book. It's about a girl who's father marries another woman with children and they end up living on a boat. It was set in the late 70's/80's, the technology was interesting, having to ring family from the pub because they didn't have a phone and communicating with family far away through postcards and letters. There were so many children in this it was very hard to keep up.

A few things weren't addressed at the end e.g. the older sister's eating disorder, or wrapped up so quickly, the younger sister being bullied for half a book and then it gets sorted straight away.

The plot was very slow, it really dragged in the middle.

I really liked the friendship of the main character and her new friend at school, and also the relationships between the members of the families.

I received an ebook copy of this novel from Net Galley and Penguin Random House UK.
I absolutely loved this novel! Honestly, I thought the blurb sounded good, but I had no idea just how much I would love it, and how much it would speak to me!
This novel is narrated by Lydia, a 13 year old who is dealing with her dad remarrying and both families moving onto a barge on the Thames. Set in the 80s, Lydia has to deal with a new family and a new school, and the perils of being a teenager.
Lydia is one of the best narrators and one of the best characters I have read in a YA novel in years. She is smart and sensitive and funny. She seems so mature for her age at times, but also so naive, and this duality is so beautifully displayed by the author, Lydia is a character you root for from the very first page. She struggled with her self-esteem at times, and all I wanted was to give her a pep talk about how awesome she was, and how she could do anything she set her mind to.
I actually really loved all the characters in this novel, I love novels with big families, and Lydia's were so fun and crazy, even if her Dad was really annoying and disappointing at times.
The plot is crazy at times, some of the things the characters have to deal with are quite extreme, but the plot zips along quickly, and the dialogue between characters is smart and funny.
This novel deals with some difficult topics including bereavement and alcoholism, but they are sensitively and confidently written by the author, and I actually think this novel would be perfect for those children around 11/12+ as well as those in the teenage zone.
The novel is overall one of hope and love, and I honestly think it's a novel everyone should read. It has a real Enid Blyton feel to it, and I really think it stands beside her work proudly.
Seriously I cannot recommend this novel enough, a perfect read for both mature children/teens and adults alike, with one of the best and most loveable main characters/narrators I have read in a long time.

A funny and touching story about a 13 year old and her eccentric family. After her father loses all their money, the whole family has to move into a barge along with her father’s girlfriend and her kids.

Lydia is a great central character, and I really enjoyed the narration from her point of view. Her ages means she is still treated like a little kid, but she understands much more than they think. The rest of the family are all so different, which makes for some tense and funny moments as they all try to live in such a small (and leaky) space.

I really enjoyed reading Mud.
Lydia, youngest child with 3 older siblings, writes a diary. Here she tells us in a very fun and also sensitive voice about growing up in a big family. After the sudden death of her mum, her dad struggles with money and mental health problems. They move to live on a barge and find new friends and ways to live their lives. After some struggle, of course.
I really love Lydia's voice which is up-lifting and entertaining. I liked that the book is very positive, even though some challenges are quite tough, and it is very moving and a brilliant read for every 12+.

I LOVED this book. Lydia is such a character, and her voice was so strong - I couldn't stop reading. She narrated everything in a way that was amusing and yet still thoughtful. Very interesting to learn that parts of this were based on the author's life, as well. Would absolutely recommend.