As a big fan of Stibbe’s writing (and her previous autobiographical book, ‘Love, Nina’), I requested this without actually knowing what it was about. I don’t regret this at all!
In fact, it’s kind of tricky to pin down what this book is actually about. It’s Nina Stibbe’s diaries covering her move to London (with dog, Peggy, as indicated by the title) in the period of an impending divorce. Leaving her home in Cornwall, Stibbe takes a spare room in the home of author Deborah Moggach (‘Debby’) and spends a year navigating a new life in the city. Surrounded by friends (including lots of other writers) and her grown-up children, Stibbe reevaluates her life and muses on a range of topics – from the big things (life, love, family) to the very small (toads, internet adverts, swimming at the lido).
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Mrs Narwhal’s Diary’ by S J Norbury.
Thanks to Damp Pebbles tours for inviting me on the tour and for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is published by the brilliant Louise Walters Books.
From the Publisher:
“It was Woman’s Hour who suggested I keep a diary. They said it was good for mental health, and I must say I did feel much less frazzled after writing everything down yesterday. The frustrations were all still there, but somehow smoothed out – as if by a really good steam iron.”
Mrs Narwhal is overwhelmed. Her husband, Hugh, is unkind and unhappy – working every hour at a job he hates to save the ancestral home he never wanted. Then there’s Hugh’s sister, Rose, who’s spurned her one true love, and ricochets from crisis to crisis; and not to mention two small boys to bring up safely in a house that could crumble around their ears at any moment…
When Hugh’s pride receives a fatal blow, and he walks out, Mrs Narwhal is plunged into a crisis of both heart and home. With help from Rose she sets out to save the house her husband couldn’t. But can she save her marriage? And does she really want Hugh back?
Funny, charming, and moving, Mrs Narwhal’s Diary is an irresistible story which will enchant and delight its readers.
My Review:
This isn’t my usual genre, but I’ve heard such brilliant things about Louise Walters Books (plus I enjoyed ‘Old Bones’ by Helen Kitson from the same stable) that I was keen to join the blog tour. I’d seen someone suggest that this book had echoes of ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodie Smith (a favourite of mine) and was drawn by the idea of a gentle, funny read.
‘Mrs Narwhal’s Diary’ is covers a tumultuous year in the life of the Narwhal family. Mrs Narwhal’s husband, Hugh, has inherited his family estate and it isn’t in a good way. Add in Hugh’s loose cannon of a sister (Rose) who is separated from her husband, two lively sons, a slightly odd groundsman, a difficult customer of her husband’s furniture business, a surly cleaner – and it is clear that Mrs Narwhal has her work cut out for her!
Given the diary format, it is Mrs Narwhal’s voice that we hear most distinctly and what a voice it is! Funny, thoughtful, wise – she is a character that the reader cannot help but warm to, even though I was a bit frustrated by some of her reactions to things in the novel. I loved that you could hear her almost unfiltered private thoughts which was important in gaining an insight into the other characters and events. It’s a wholly realistic and engaging voice and the reader shares in her frustrations, sadness and moments of joy.
However, my favourite character in the novel had to be Rose – she is brilliant! She is much less measured and diplomatic than Mrs Narwhal and I loved the way she was often tactless and blunt, yet clearly fun and respected by those around her. I also loved her involvement in the stately home visit that ended rather unfortunately…
With such strong female characters (including the memory of the terrifying Greer), Hugh was always going to be a disappointment. However, it is precisely this about him that allows the women to shine in this novel and take charge of the huge project that comes their way regarding Narwhal Hall.
The characterisation is one of the real strengths of the novel – like real life, this isn’t packed with exciting events or plot twists. Instead, it is the quiet story of a family rearranging their relationships and redrawing boundaries as life moves on around them. It is all the better for this and allows for some really insightful and clever observations on human nature.
However, all the wisdom and insight of the novel rather takes the reader by surprise as it tends to be the humour and ridiculousness of everyday life (especially everyday life in a crumbling stately home) that is foregrounded. There are some very funny events, not least the opening of the novel when Mrs Narwhal is waiting anxiously for the piper to fall through the boards of the tree house.
Little details – both relatable and those unique to the Narwhals – are what make this novel. The missing scissors, the stuffed polar bears, the ghastliness of the school fete, the Minecraft posters on the precious wood panelling, the insulting poem about a character’s generously-sized bottom – these are the things that make the reader laugh and make up the days of the lives of the Narwhal family.
I’d whole-heartedly recommend this book to those looking for a funny, charming and sweet novel. It isn’t without its quiet sadness, but it is absolutely relatable and entertaining. Comparisons with ‘I Capture the Castle’ are justified – the eccentric family living in a run-down setting – but Mrs Narwhal deals adroitly with so much more than Cassandra Mortmain as she faces everything that middle-aged life can fling her way. And always with wit and humour and charm.
About the Author:
S J Norbury lives in Herefordshire with her family. Mrs Narwhal’s Diary is her first novel.
I first started reading Gill Sims’ writing on Facebook where she produces the very funny ‘Peter and Jane’. These (mainly slightly-veiled autobiographical) updates became a book, that book became a series and here we are – the fourth and final book in the ‘Why Mummy’ series.
In this book, Peter and Jane are now older teenagers and our main protagonist, Ellen, is having to deal with GCSEs, A Levels and her oldest baby leaving for university. She also has her ex-husband to contend with as he seems to be about to start a new family with his girlfriend, Marisa,. She is surrounded by her usual bunch of funny friends and eccentric family members.
As with previous books, this is presented as a diary, although most of the events seem to happen in the first part of the year. There are some real rites of passage here that those who have been through it (either themselves or as parents) will recognise – the driving test, first car, 18th birthday parties, exam results,..it is all just so relatable!
And that really is Sims’ skill – taking the everyday and making it funny. This isn’t an idealistic view of parenting – Ellen looking after her friend’s toddler for the weekend is enough to put anyone off having children and also reminded me of the time in my own life when I needed eyes in the back of my head and a cure for sleep deprivation. Much of the book is very funny – some of it made me laugh out loud in recognition or because of Ellen’s sharp take on things.
That’s not to say that this novel doesn’t have serious moments – there is recognition of the situation of having ageing parents and realising they aren’t invincible, plus the emptying of the family nest. As someone who has this a few years ahead of me, it does seem sad and unimaginable that my babies will move out one day. However, I still have the experience of living with them as teens which – according to this book – might soften the blow of them leaving! The teenage boys that eat through everything in the house, the teenage girls obsessed with socialising above all else, the nagging over revision and chores…all familiar already!
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys funny, relatable books about family life – things like Matt Coyne’s books and the Unmumsy Mum and Hurrah for Gin (all worth investigating if you aren’t familiar with them). It is funny, a bit poignant and absolutely engaging.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Header photo with thanks to Kevin Kelly for sharing their work on Unsplash.
This book, to be published on 1st October, is a non-fiction journal of the lockdown period in spring/summer 2020 by the journalist, writer and television presenter, Dawn O’Porter.
I really like Dawn O’Porter. Having watched several of her documentaries and read a couple of her novels, I’d say I was pretty much sold on her work and so was very much looking forward to reading this book, a diary of her lockdown experiences. She lives in LA with her actor husband and two small sons so I was fairly confident that her experiences of lockdown wouldn’t be anything like mine!
Saying that though, O’Porter’s experiences are pretty relatable for anyone who has lived with small children. The potty training, the sleep deprivation, the repetitive questions about favourite dinosaurs…I think most people would recognise something there! Add into this pet ownership, navigating the weird new world of lockdown, preparing for a house move, cooking, and the ups and downs of marriage and I expect that something in this book will strike a chord with everyone.
Other reviewers have mentioned that it is a bit soon to be reading about lockdown. As we seem poised on the edge of a second wave of coronavirus, I can totally understand that this book might be a bit too much for some people. As it was, I didn’t particularly focus on the lockdown theme as O’Porter writes engagingly about things not connected to the virus.
Yes, it was lockdown that meant she had to spend more time with her kids, but the anecdotes about family life are funny and entertaining. Indeed, there’s plenty here that’s not corona-themed, such as O’Porter’s grief about the death of her friend, Caroline Flack, or her musings on the death of George Floyd from the centre of LA’s protest-zone (where she lives).
At its best, this book is hilarious and fresh – a funny and lively take on a time that challenged most of us. However, for me, the political elements of the book were slightly less successful and a bit discordant after the candid, confessional style of the rest. It was interesting to hear O’Porter’s views on racism and anti-racism, but it did move the book from something fairly light and entertaining to something more didactic, which wasn’t really what I was after.
Overall. if you like Dawn O’Porter’s writing then there is a lot you will like here. Some of the things she writes about are relatable, some are a bit banal and some are a bit odd (she lost me at the crystals). Some things are very funny and others sad. What isn’t in doubt is O’Porter’s ability to entertain with her writing and it is for this reason that I’d recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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Header photo with thanks to engin akyurt for sharing their work on Unsplash.
