I’ve always been intrigued by the story of how ‘Frankenstein’ came into existence – the stormy summer of 1816 on the shores of Lake Geneva where Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori gathered to share their storytelling and pass the time. The rest, as they say, is history…
Except that Claire Clairmont, Mary Shelley’s step-sister, was also there that summer and is often forgotten in the light of the bigger, badder and much more infamous characters around her. I only really knew about her from reading Jeanette Winterson’s ‘Frankissstein’, a reimagining of that crazy summer and a whole lot more (sexbots!) I’m always here for stories about women whose voices have been lost to history, so I approached this book with enthusiasm.
As a huge fan of Kate Davies novel ‘In at the Deep End’, I was pleased to be granted a review copy of ‘Nuclear Family’ by NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review – as always, opinions are entirely my own.
The book opens with Lena buying a DNA kit as a Christmas present for her dad (Tom) and her twin sister (Alison). She thinks it will be fun – plus there was an offer on the kits, so they’re a bargain! However, it forces Tom into the confession that Alison and Lena were conceived using a sperm donor – something that neither were really ready to find out in their thirties. Both respond very differently – but the impact on both is lasting as they reconsider their relationships, thoughts about having their own children and what it means to be family.
Thanks to Random Things Tours and Monoray/Octopus Publishing Group for including me on the blog tour and for my review copy of the book. As always, opinions are entirely my own.
This book was published in hardback on 30th September, 2021.
From the Publisher:
Known for her sharp, witty and surreal view on everyday life, Lucy shares the unpredictable craziness of being a mum in this brilliant and laugh-out-loud ‘mumoir’.
Mums everywhere will recognise the madness of it all. From when Lucy was hospitalised with indigestion in her third trimester (blame the burrito), to when she was this close to slapping her hypno-birthing instructor, to finding herself drinking a whole pint of custard in one sitting.
‘Drinking Custard’ also captures Lucy’s marriage to comedian Jon, as they navigate Lucy’s raging pregnancy hormones and balk at pram prices together.
My Review:
Although my own children are older than Lucy’s daughter (this book covers the period from pregnancy to starting school), this early period of parenthood is definitely a time in my life that I haven’t forgotten. As I also love a funny book, I immediately signed up for the blog tour.
And I’m so glad I did!
Once I got beyond the fact that I had totally mis-identified Lucy Beaumont (in my head, she was actress Lucy Punch – whoops!) and then realised that she is married to comedian Jon Richardson, I was happy to immerse myself in their childrearing experiences.
To be honest, I was sold from pretty much the first page when there was that Elizabeth Stone quotation about having children being like your heart walking around outside your body. I’ve always thought this was a creepy idea, so I loved Lucy’s comment – ‘Nice quote, but you’d die if that happened, Liz’. Ahh, it seems we are on the same wavelength from the start…
The book is chronological, covering pregnancy, birth, babyhood/that horrific sleep deprived bit, the toddler years and then coming up to school age. There are footnotes along the way in which Jon Richardson puts across his side of the story and these form a funny commentary – but the lion’s share of the storytelling is done by Lucy.
Lucy Beaumont is a fabulous and witty narrator of her story – I was going to say guide, but she is clear that this book isn’t full of parenting tips and is much more about entertainment, Good, I say – most of the parenting books I did try out of desperation when my children were tiny were no help and laughter would have been better anyway!
There are some really relatable moments, I think, for any parent. While I didn’t resort to drinking custard myself, I’m staggered that my son didn’t emerge with some kind of red meat or fizzy cola bottle addiction… There’s also the exhaustion – Lucy forgets her own child’s name and hires a sleep trainer; I couldn’t confirm my own address in the bank and was heavily reliant on The Baby Whisperer website to fix my own little sleep thief! Lucy’s baby rules the roost at home – and I think a lot of us have been there too.
I thoroughly enjoyed this little peek into another family’s life during those tricky early years. It was heartening to read some of my own thoughts – particularly about ridiculous situations you end up in as a parent – mirrored back at me. Albeit in a funnier way. And without having to actually relive those sleepless months.
I’d recommend this to anyone who has embarked on the parenting journey only to wonder – even if only occasionally – what on earth they are doing. Or anyone who has watched children’s TV and wondered who thought ‘In the Night Garden’ was a good idea. Or anyone who has ever gone to a baby group in the desperate hope of finding kindred spirits (I’m still traumatised by my one visit to Rhythm Time).
Definitely pick up this book if you want a laugh – I zipped through it, giggling to myself as I went and think it would make a great Christmas present for anyone on the parenthood journey. And probably an excellent deterrent for anyone idly considering having a baby!
About the Author:
Lucy Beaumont is a talented stand-up, comedy actress and writer. She is the writer and star of BBC Radio 4’s To Hull and Back, writer of Channel 4’s Hullraisers and co-writer of Dave’s Meet The Richardsons which returns for a second series this year. Lucy is a well-known daughter of Hull and is passionate about her hometown. She has appeared on numerous entertainment shows; Artsnight (BBC2), Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier (Dave), Alan Davies’ As Yet Untitled (Dave), QI (BBC2), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Jonathan Ross Show (ITV), The One Show (BBC1), Cats Does Countdown (C4), What’s Going to Kill Us (C5), Live At The Electric (BBC Three) and featured in a Maltesers advertising campaign.
The fifth book in our week of 20th August releases is ‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward and it is an absolutely glorious piece of historical fiction.
I had scheduled this post for later in the week, but you absolutely need to know about this now – publication day!
Well, this is rather fabulous! I came to this book expecting a bit of intrigue, a gothic feel and a solid historical tale. It delivered all that and a lot more.
The main narrative takes place in 1925 and is told by Louisa Drew, a war widow who has remarried and is heavily pregnant. In need of money, she takes a commission at the crumbling Clewer Hall in Sussex which is shortly to be sold; her job is to photograph the house and its contents for auction.
She is welcomed by the residents of the Hall, although they seem ill at ease and perturbed by her pregnancy. She finds out that the Hall was the site of an infamous séance in 1896 which is to be recreated during her stay with as many of the original attendees as are still alive. As the date for the séance arrives, there are mysterious occurrences and tension begins to build about why Louisa was selected for the commission.
Some of the scenes in the novel flash back to the original séance in 1896 and the reader begins to see how the events of that night continue to reverberate down through the years.
One of the strengths of this story is just how deliciously creepy it is! The building of Clewer Hall is hugely important to the story and it is a place of decay, mysterious shadows and uncanny events. The fact that one wing has fallen into disrepair is central – it is here that Louisa feels most uncomfortable and unsure whether to blame her strange symptoms on advanced pregnancy or something more sinister.
The plotting of this book is also intricate and clever – I felt that I was in the hands of a confident and accomplished storyteller, even as I also felt that I couldn’t see how the strands of the narrative were ever going to come together. But come together they do – and it is absolutely satisfying.
The novel is filled with realistic and compelling characters, but it is especially worth mentioning Louisa Drew herself. Louisa is a really engaging narrator and we feel – in turn – frightened with her, sorry for her, awed at her bravery and empathetic for her situation. Her tragic back-story gives her depth and should make her feel like one of life’s victims,; however, she shows so much strength in her position as a pioneer of magazine photography and courage in facing the events at Clewer Hall that she is elevated in the readers’ opinion. The rest of the inhabitants of the Hall are no less developed – and there are a lot of them with complex, intertwining lives.
This book would be absolutely perfect for those who love Laura Purcell’s books or ‘The Little Stranger’ by Sarah Waters. There is the same mix of a compelling and well-crafted story with just a pinch of the supernatural!
Overall, this is a highly recommended slice of historical fiction. It has mystery, horror and – more surprisingly – a lot of heart. I loved it.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you would like to buy this book, the link is below – I may receive commission on any purchases but it won’t cost you any more.
Header photo with thanks to Ján Jakub Naništa for sharing their work on Unsplash.
