A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French

Everyone hates the perfect family. So you'll love the Battles. Mo is about to hit the big 50, and some uncomfortable truths are becoming quite apparent: She doesn't understand either of her teenage kids, which as a child psychologist, is fairly embarrassing. She has become entirely grey. Inside, and out. Her face has surrendered and is frightening children. Dora is about to hit the big 18 ...and about to hit anyone who annoys her, especially her precocious younger brother Peter who has a chronic Oscar Wilde fixation. Then there's Dad ...who's just, well, dad. "A Tiny Bit Marvellous" is the story of a modern family all living in their own separate bubbles lurching towards meltdown. It is for anyone who has ever shared a home with that weird group of strangers we call relations. Oh and there's a dog called Poo.


Why Read - I love Dawn French and i was hoping this book would be as good as her comedy.

I think i went in with too high expectations of this book, as I love her comedy style and was expecting this to translate in her novel. Therefore I felt a touch disappointed that this wasn't as funny or amusing as I thought. Although it wasn't a bad novel as such and it did have its wonderful moments.  What i loved about the novel was the realism that she tries to portray. Instead of the normal family theirs the mum having a mid life crisis, a teenager going through a strong rebellious stage and the brother who is having an identity crisis.

A lot of it is very relatable to the typical family and injected into that is the humour and easy wit that Dawn French is very good at. However at some points in this novel I did felt some of the jokes, the wit and the plot a little bit forced. It was a very over exaggeration of a typical family unit.  I found myself wanting to finish this book and get through it quickly. I am still a little undecided about this book. I enjoyed it as an easy read, and comical in places. However a great book from a great comedian I am not entirely convinced.