Member Review
Review by
Stephen D, Educator
"Are We Having Fun Yet?" is a 21st Century reworking of E.M. Delafield's hilarious "Diary of a Provincial Lady" series from the 1930s. I am a big fan of Lucy Mangan's writing, having loved 'Bookworm' and lots of her journalism in The Guardian, so I was very excited to read this book, even though as a childless male reader I am probably not the target audience!
As expected, this was an incredibly - frequently eye-wateringly - funny book. As a satire on modern-day marriage and motherhood, many of this book's targets will be familiar to fans of TV series like Motherland or Catastrophe, but are no less entertaining for that. Mangan has lots of fun at the expense of events like children's birthday parties, awkward playdates and PTA fayres, which are all described with her characteristic acuity and wit, with some exceptionally amusing turns of phrase.
Much of the enjoyment of reading this book comes from her narrator's persona - an introverted working mother who is just trying to get through each week and snatch a few minutes for herself whilst meeting the various demands of not just her two children but also her generally well-meaning but frequently oblivious lawyer husband. Mangan also assembles an enjoyable cast of supporting characters - I particularly loved the stoical elderly neighbour Mrs Bradley, and the the children's friend David, who adopts of the role of a preternaturally mature professional Yorkshireman.
Perhaps unfairly, I didn't expect that this book would also be rather moving, but the descriptions of some of the trials faced by some of the narrator's friends pack a genuine emotional punch - particularly one friend whose husband unexpectedly leaves her after ten years of marriage, and another who is pregnant after multiple rounds of IVF and several miscarriages. The novel offers plenty of righteous anger, and Mangan doesn't shy away from some very powerful social comment about the burden that mothers are expected to undertake and the socio-economic pressures facing families in our current society, whilst celebrating the strength and resilience of the narrator and her 'coven' of her friends. This never feels preachy or moralistic because Mangan is also frequently prepared to laugh at her alter-ego and her shortcomings. as well as giving her some moments of genuine (and well-deserved) happiness, so that overall the book feels incredibly warm and generous.
E.M. Delafield went on to write three sequels to The Diary of a Provincial Lady; I would happily read at least three more instalments from Mangan's suburban counterpart. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this wonderful book to review!
As expected, this was an incredibly - frequently eye-wateringly - funny book. As a satire on modern-day marriage and motherhood, many of this book's targets will be familiar to fans of TV series like Motherland or Catastrophe, but are no less entertaining for that. Mangan has lots of fun at the expense of events like children's birthday parties, awkward playdates and PTA fayres, which are all described with her characteristic acuity and wit, with some exceptionally amusing turns of phrase.
Much of the enjoyment of reading this book comes from her narrator's persona - an introverted working mother who is just trying to get through each week and snatch a few minutes for herself whilst meeting the various demands of not just her two children but also her generally well-meaning but frequently oblivious lawyer husband. Mangan also assembles an enjoyable cast of supporting characters - I particularly loved the stoical elderly neighbour Mrs Bradley, and the the children's friend David, who adopts of the role of a preternaturally mature professional Yorkshireman.
Perhaps unfairly, I didn't expect that this book would also be rather moving, but the descriptions of some of the trials faced by some of the narrator's friends pack a genuine emotional punch - particularly one friend whose husband unexpectedly leaves her after ten years of marriage, and another who is pregnant after multiple rounds of IVF and several miscarriages. The novel offers plenty of righteous anger, and Mangan doesn't shy away from some very powerful social comment about the burden that mothers are expected to undertake and the socio-economic pressures facing families in our current society, whilst celebrating the strength and resilience of the narrator and her 'coven' of her friends. This never feels preachy or moralistic because Mangan is also frequently prepared to laugh at her alter-ego and her shortcomings. as well as giving her some moments of genuine (and well-deserved) happiness, so that overall the book feels incredibly warm and generous.
E.M. Delafield went on to write three sequels to The Diary of a Provincial Lady; I would happily read at least three more instalments from Mangan's suburban counterpart. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this wonderful book to review!
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