The writing is really good and fun and the narrator is amazing. I just don’t think it’s a book for me unfortunately. I might give it another try in the future but right now it’s not really for me. I got 34% in. But it’s not a bad book at all so please don’t take it the wrong way. I really hope I one day will be enjoy this book.

I’ll give it a 5 star review because it doesn’t deserve me giving it a bad rating just because it wasn’t for me.

Sarah and Juliette are two very different sisters. Sarah is a workaholic who works hard and parties harder. Though she's beginning to wonder if she needs to stop with her party days. Juliette is a mother of two who also deals with their parents who live close by and a husband that Sarah hates. Sarah decides to whisk Juliette off in an old school camper van for a road trip around Scotland. Being this close to her sister brings back so many teenage memories for Sarah. Will this trip a chance for the sisters to bond or will it drive a bigger wedge between them?

The story has a split narrative, the current road trip storyline and flashbacks to when Sarah was 15. The latter storyline focuses on her best friend Nessa, their obsession with the band 4Princes and Sarah's English teach Mr Keaveney. I felt the book was slow moving at times, probably because just as I was getting invested in one of the timelines, we jumped to the other. But once we got over the half way mark, it did pick up the pace slightly. With such a provocative title, I thought it would be slightly more extreme. I think the split timeline doesn't help this.

The sisters do feel like very different people and characters, the audiobook narrator does a great job at making them sound different, but I felt like I wanted more from their interactions. We don't see much of them together in the flashback but we're to believe they were close after this but drifted apart. Also Sarah has a bit of a weird thing against Juliette being a millennial but she isn't. Sarah is probably at the cusp of being a Xennial, but her sister is only 2 years younger than her. She'd probably be classified the same or at the very least, Sarah would have a lot of the Millennial traits too. There isn't a big enough age gap between them to have a generational divide.

Overall, while I found it slow paced to begin with, I did enjoy how it all came together. It is witty, despite some heavier themes throughout, in particular siblings and your relationships with them. And the flashback timeline is very nostalgic at times. If you liked the nostalgia of I Love You, I Love You, I Love You by Laura Dockrill but not the romance side of it, then this may appeal to you!

3.5 stars

Really good fun, with some poignancy too. Very nostalgic and funny. Excellent narrator for the audiobook - perfectly encapsulated the tone and balanced the two narratives with ease.

Thank you for the arc of this audiobook.

Slags follows Sarah and her sister Juliette as they go on a camper van trip for Juliettes 40th birthday. We also follow them at 15 in the 90’s when they were obsessed with boybands, getting drunk and their fit teacher.

I wanted to love this but I really just felt a bit meh! I don’t really get what the point of the book was? Parts of it I found quite funny but overall I just don’t really have many thoughts. It was fine.

Firstly, the title, so quintessentially 90s and British. Sets it up straight away what to expect, some 90s working class British nostalgia. I knew these girls. Knew the experiences and as an adult looking in, I want to protect them so bad. Not to mention, also be in that caravan trying to put things right.
I just love Emma Jane Unsworth's writing. She handles such heavy topics in a relatable, funny and heart breaking way.
Highly recommend.

“Slags” by Emma Jane Unsworth, narrated beautifully by Chloe Massey, left me with mixed feelings about it. The story follows Sarah, a woman in her forties, who decides to take a wild, whisky-fuelled campervan trip across Scotland with her younger sister Juliette. What starts as a boozy adventure quickly turns into a raw, often hilarious exploration of their complicated relationship and the memories that shape them.
Chloe Massey did a fantastic job bringing the sisters to life — her tone perfectly captured their contrasting personalities, and her humour really added punch to the dialogue. I especially appreciated how she differentiated their voices, making it easy to follow the shifting perspectives.
The dynamic between Sarah and Juliette felt authentic and painfully real. Their banter, frustrations, love, and exasperation shimmered through the narration, making their sisterly bond feel both messy and profound. I found myself relating to Sarah quite a bit, especially her nostalgia for her teenage years and the ways those formative experiences linger into adulthood.
However, I did find the book a bit slow at times, with some sections feeling dull and causing me to tune out. The humour, which reminded me of “Derry Girls” in its sharpness, sometimes fell flat for me—probably because the themes and tone lean more adult and gritty, which isn’t quite my usual cup of tea. While there were plenty of funny anecdotes, I felt the overall story lacked a certain spark, and I struggled to remember it afterwards.
The book also tackles some heavy topics—family trauma, identity, societal expectations on women—and I thought Unsworth handled these with care. That said, I wasn’t entirely sold on the exploration of the “life with kids versus no kids” debate; it felt a bit stereotypical and underdeveloped for my taste.
The ending felt abrupt, almost like the story was cut short, which left me a little disappointed. There were also some inconsistencies that, with more editing, might have been ironed out. Despite these flaws, I appreciated the honesty and grit of the narrative, as well as the raw honesty about women’s lives, friendships, and self-discovery.
Overall, “Slags” is a gritty, nostalgic, and occasionally hilarious read that captures the messy beauty of sisterhood and the struggles of figuring out who we are. Chloe Massey’s narration made it easy to listen to, even if the pacing and some themes didn’t fully resonate with me. I think fans of Emma Jane Unsworth’s sharp wit and stories about women’s lives will find a lot to enjoy here, especially if they appreciate humour that’s a little dark and unfiltered.

Emma Jane Unsworth captures the voice of a generation brilliantly. It's truly like having a friend telling you a long story. Chloe Massey narrates well, her intonation and emphases really bring the character of Sarah to life.

I sometimes find it hard to follow audiobooks with multiple timelines but Unsworth has written the starts of each chapter in a way that it was immediately obvious which point in time we were now in. Having the same narrator for Sarah at both ages worked really well. Despite Sarah not seeming to have become much more responsible by the age of 41 she did clearly have a different tone from her teenage self.

I would definitely recommend Slags to friends and the audiobook specifically to those who already listen to audiobooks and wouldn't be confused by the dual timeline.

A very nostalgic book for any woman growing up in the 90s. I enjoyed all the universal experiences that teenage girls have. It made me relate to the characters all that much more.

The story focuses on 2 sisters travelling round Scotland in a campervan in present day while the second time line takes us back to when they were in their early teens and we slowly learn about the traumatic experiences they had and how they ultimately overcome any misunderstandings and bond more as sisters by the end of the camping holiday.

4.5 stars

Slags is a story of two sisters on a trip in a campervan travelling across Scotland. Sarah and Juliette's relationship is so raw and real, and I think a lot of readers will relate to one or both of their experiences as women. Both sisters are problematic and a bit grating, but the connection between them and the reader makes it all worth it. As a younger sister, I related to Sarah a lot, especially as she harkens back to her teen years and the relationships (or lack thereof) that shaped her as an adult.

The sisters whiskey-fuelled holiday will bring you laughs and tears, as they realise they don't know each other quite as well as they thought they did, but you're never too old to be girls together. I love how the author positions the reader between the sisters during tense altercations, and again, encourages the reader to side with the sister they resonate with the most. This book does handle some heavy topics as Sarah is pulled into the past, but I think the author does this mindfully.

I received a free ALC and the audiobook was really captivating! I liked the narrator, I think she had a great a dry delivery that suited the book and characters.

A throwback to a different era, Slags takes us back to the early 90s - pre me too, where crushes on teachers were rife, and yes some were rumoured to actually come to fruition; boy bands and hedonistic lifestyles - as sisters Sarah and Juliette take a road trip to Scotland to celebrate a big birthday and they revisit their past lives, demons and all. I thought it was a very entertaining and amusing book, tinged with a sense of sadness and full of nostalgia for readers / listeners of that generation.
Chloe Massey is the perfect narrator, giving a true sense of Manchester to the story and bringing the sisters to life. All in all, a great listen.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ebook in exchange for a review.

Narrated by Chloe Massey
Presented by HarperCollins UK Audio

An easy enough listen, but not quite the laugh-out-loud riot I was expecting.

The setup is simple: two sisters go on a road trip around Ireland.

There's a lot about how life separates family sometimes - as everyone becomes busy with their own lives, it's hard to keep in touch with every detail of a sibling's life. There's a little hostility in their relationship - quite natural, really - but for the most part this is about their catching up and deciding what's important enough to share.

It was an okay listen, but I did find it dull in some places and as a consequence tuned out a bit. I didn't really like either sibling, but I get the feeling we weren't supposed to.

A massive subject is the difference between a life with kids, and a life without. I'm getting a little tired of the black and white comparison, to be honest - there are plenty of happy couples that choose a life without kids, yet for some reason there's a stereotype that a woman without kids is one who refuses to outgrow her 'party' years. This explored that a little, but not really satisfactorily to me.

There are some funny anecdotes here and there but for the most part it fell a little flat for me. I feel like this is a particular breed of humour that I personally find very hit or miss; it reminded me a bit of Derry Girls (which I loved) but didn't quite match it for me - perhaps because the themes are more adult.

The narrator did a great job - she differentiated between the sisters well, and there was plenty of humour in her tone that helped the jokes hit. The pacing was great, and there weren't any strange pauses.

Ultimately, I feel this one just wasn't my style. I can see others really enjoying this, and particularly readers who understand the nuances of this cultural sort of humour. I found it easy enough and I did enjoy it for the most part, but it was mostly immemorable.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Slags was brilliantly narrated but a very slow start almost made me give up. Gritty and raw even shocking at times I became gripped. I am a very old woman but this story just proved that every generation of teenage girls goes through the same kind of coming of age traumas and naivety so it was still relatable. I didn't like the abrupt ending and there were several inconsistencies that would have been picked up if proof reading was still a thing but overall I enjoyed listening.

The premise of this book spoke to me...dual timeline between when Sarah was 15 in the 90's obsessing over boy bands and English teachers and switching to the present time where sisters Sarah and Juliette are now in their 40's going on a whisky-fuelled campervan road-trip across Scotland to celebrate Juliette’s birthday.

I thought I'd really relate to Sarah having also been 15 in the 90's and in my 40's now...but I just couldn't connect with Sarah as a character. It was a gritty read with reference to sex, addiction and family dynamics....the style of writing reminded me a bit of Dawn O'Porter. I did love the relationship between Juliette and Sarah but I think this one just wasn't for me.

I listened to this in audiobook format, I thought that the audio narrator was fantastic...she deserved all the stars!

Emma Jane Unsworth’s Slags explores themes of sisterhood, self-acceptance, and nostalgia, While these elements resonate the novel ultimately didn’t work for me.

Despite its compelling premise, I found myself struggling to connect with the story. The exploration of relationships and personal growth is thoughtful, but something about the execution left me feeling detached. Perhaps it was the pacing or the narrative style, but I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the world Unsworth created.

That said, for readers who enjoy raw, unfiltered stories nd a deep dive into family dynamics, Slags may still be worth exploring.

If your teenage years occurred in the eighties/nineties, this is a must-read, especially if you’re UK based, or curious about the British teenage experience at the end of the last century. This transported me back to the first few years of senior school.
It’s a deep character study, and Sarah’s teenage experiences deeply affect her.
From a flasher on a bus to a crush on her teacher, sexual explorations and encounters with drink and drugs, we experience the peer pressure, the desire to fit in but stand out, and ALL the teenage angst.
Now at the start of her forties and single, Sarah’s demons have caught up with her and they appear to be co-existing, if not living comfortably together. She’s been in therapy for much of her adult life, and decides a week away from it all with her sister will hit the spot. Once close, they’ve grown apart, and both sisters have secrets they’ve kept from the other.
It’s a nostalgic piece for those of us who grew up in this era, sharply observed, keenly felt and beautifully written.
The narration by Chloe Massey is bang on.
Slags published on 8 May.
Five stars from me, with thanks to @NetGalley and @HarperCollins UK audio for the ARC.

As a Mancunian I found so much of this book funny and relateable. Unsworth has a real talent for characters and humour, and I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and her sister which was funny, realistic and warm, without being sickly sweet in any way. The book is also incredibly well written. Highly recommended.

Emma Jane Unsworth’s Slags is a funny, nostalgic, and deeply relatable novel that captures the messy beauty of sisterhood and self-discovery. The story follows Sarah, a woman in her forties, who embarks on a raucous campervan road trip through Scotland with her younger sister Juliette. What starts as a boozy adventure soon evolves into a tender, often hilarious exploration of their complicated relationship and the challenges they’ve both faced along the way.

Unsworth’s writing sparkles with wit and charm, blending laugh-out-loud humor with sharp emotional insight. She deftly balances lighthearted moments with reflections on more serious topics—like family trauma, identity, and the expectations society places on women. The book’s structure, which jumps between Sarah’s teenage diary entries and her present-day experiences, cleverly highlights how the past shapes the women we become.

The dynamic between Sarah and Juliette feels authentic and raw, capturing both the deep love and occasional exasperation that define sisterly bonds. The dialogue crackles with sarcasm and warmth, making the characters feel instantly familiar.

While the novel’s shifts in tone and perspective might feel jarring at first, they ultimately serve to deepen the reader’s understanding of Sarah’s journey. Some readers might find the teenage sections a bit intense, but they add a crucial layer of vulnerability that enhances the overall narrative.

Overall, Slags is a bold, funny, and thought-provoking read that celebrates the messy, beautiful realities of being a woman. Unsworth’s talent for blending humor and heart makes this novel a standout, perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about family, friendship, and finding your way in the world.

I read this book via audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration and the the story of how the girls grew up the struggles in there teens and into adulthood I would like to read more by this author

I wanted to read this book as soon as I read title and the description. It beautifully captures the complexities of sisterhood and the raw, often messy reality of girlhood especially throughout our teen years. Absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read the authors other books!

i really enjoyed the narrator of the book and they made the story flow so effortlessly
The nostalgia had me all in my feels! Getting to relive the 90s in this book was so much fun.
Sex, boy bands and getting drunk on Lambrini was a teenagers dream.
Excited to read more from this author.