A woman, dumped by her husband whose mistress is pregnant, takes a road trip around Iceland with the four year old deaf son of her friend. The protagonist is engaging and the relationship she builds with the child is endearing. This is an unusual road trip story, funny and sweet and charmingly odd!
View Butterflies in November
A wonderfully funny story that covers serious issues of caste and social tension with a deft, light touch. From the Mumbai slums and one man's attempts to escape the inevitabilities of his situation, through to the Brahmin's infighting at the Institute of Theory and Research, this book is both intelligent and entertaining. An intriguing portrayal of contemporary India.
View Serious Men
This is a novel full of insightful, witty observations and is a joy to read despite the countless dramas, conflicts, contradictions and fraught relationships. The foibles and failings of the characters are handled with stylistic brilliance and insightful tenderness. We truly feel included in the moral conflicts of their lives in this masterclass of convincing, captivating writing.
View The Bee Sting
Although this is written through emails and diary entries and notes, don't let that put you off. Cleverly handled, with such wit and charm, you quite forget that you're reading a story and feel immersed in the lives of these characters. I read quickly, completely addicted, desperate to know what would become of wonderful Bernadette. Sharply observed and beautifully moving - a completely satisfying read!
View Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Don't be put off by the sad opening chapters. This a fun read. After the death of her father Penny tries to recover her father's childhood home which is now occupied by extremely eccentric but mostly likable squatters. Lots of sex, drugs and protests but also a serious look at family relationships and secrets. Unusual and very entertaining.
Two extended families of likable but hugely diverse people are brought together by the adoption of two Korean babies. Each family has different aspirations both for themselves and for their children. This leads to some hilarious episodes and to inevitable misunderstandings. Great observation of American family life handled with sensitivity and humour.
View Digging to America
Very, very funny but also deeper: men, women, commitment, love, responsibility. I wasn't quite sure how it was going to work out; it could have gone either way. The people in the story are so convincing, they're almost too real to be just characters in a book. It reads more like a slice of autobiography; you can tell the author is a comedy writer. And notice the chapter headings!
View The Best a Man Can Get
This book is the perfect antidote to wallowing in self-pity. By the end of the novel you will want to throw out any self-help book that you have had the misfortune to buy. In the words of Rajee Tupak Soiree Live! Love! Learn!
View Happiness TM
Treat yourself to this quirky romantic comedy, guaranteed to lift your spirits with its feel-good factor. It's the familiar 'women from Venus, men from Mars' plot, but told from both points of view, with a down to earth honesty and a refreshing absence of chick-lit smaltz.
View Benny and Shrimp
Sally tells the story of her mid-life antics involving her 'creative' son, her overwhelmed new-mum daughter, her politician spouse, a rat-catching lodger, two long-standing friends, and a neighbour with an unhealthy interest in rhubarb leaves. Sally's life is all wrapped up in a comical coat of witty observation and good old-fashioned British humour guaranteed to raise a smile (and an eyebrow).
View Domestic Bliss and Other DisastersYou won’t find the biggest bestsellers on Whichbook as everyone knows about them already. But you can use your enjoyment of a current bestseller to see titles with a similar mood that you might try next.
