I think I had a preconceived notion that I would get a light, fluffy chick lit read with a heroine dripping with sarcasm and, in fact, nothing could have been further from the truth. Edwina is an artist and illustrator, her first husband and father to her twins dies very young in a freak accident on a family holiday, I warmed to her as a character looking back over an eventful life where nothing works out as planned and everything has to be taken on and managed as best she can. The characters are believable and fully fleshed out giving a seeringly honest portrait of the secrets and betrayals that can fester within a family. Most of the characters in this novel, perhaps with the exception of Alicia, Edwina’s cleaner-turned companion, are unlikeable and unreliable at times – but not all of the time; we empathize, sympathize, and laugh with them too.

Moving by Jenny Eclair, book review: Comedian reveals her dark

The story moves on giving the perspective of two other characters, which is an interesting development and rounds out the narrative.

After she moved to London, Eclair's first job was at Camberwell Arts College as a life model, which she did for about two terms. This serves to move the plot forward, revealing the unknown tragedy that lies at the heart of the story which is slowly peeled away by the different characters. As the memories come flooding back we learn about her life, the tragedies, the joys, the achievements and the failures. Without giving away the plot, this novel is essentially the story of a family told from three very different perspectives. It used to be a full family home, as if Edwina and her family expanded to fill the space, but as they left it became too big for her; leaving her and her memories behind.

One house, one extended family, many stories – AnnaBookBel

Eclair was born to English parents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, where her father, Derek Hargreaves, a major in the British Army, had been posted in 1952. The use of different voices means that we see the actions of the other participants from different points of view so our perceptions and views are constantly changing. She's selling the house that was a witness to so many events, and we learn about her life - starting when she entered the house as a pregnant newlywed, through losing her first husband, raising her children, having second husband, working. Even though I can't help thinking that this story is much more serious than "Life, Death and Vanilla Slices" (although it was also not only bed of roses and fun, fun, fun), the writing style stayed the same, the storytelling interesting, and the plot, even though I have read books about the same idea previously, was fresh, original and it tackled the story from different to all the others angle.

Publishers often expect that placing a famous name on a book cover will sell more copies with little focus on the often comical contents.

Moving by Jenny Eclair, book review: Comedian reveals her dark Moving by Jenny Eclair, book review: Comedian reveals her dark

Questa casa è intrisa fino allo scheletro del nostro sangue, del nostro sudore, dell’amore, delle risate, dei tradimenti. I have not read her other books, and was intrigued to find out how much of her wonderful turn of phrase, was on display here. As she shows the estate agent around the house each room prompts memories of her past and her life in the house with her family. Each room evokes memories in Edwina – of her first husband Ollie, father of her twins Rowena and Charlie.

The methods used to tell the story were very clever - one part coming together as an elderly lady shows an estate agent around her home with different items and rooms triggering memories and another part doing the same but with the character looking through a photo album - it was surprisingly well structured. In 1989, when she was named the Time Out Cabaret Award winner, she said it "was nice because it's the first time I've ever won without having to run 100 metres balancing an egg on a spoon. I fear there are many more mothers like Edwina who've lost their children and don't fully understand why. It was yet another example of young kids who had everything, but lacked the most important thing; a peace within themselves. She continues to tour her one woman stand up shows throughout the UK and was the first female comic to win The Edinburgh Fringe Perrier Award, in 1995.

Jenny Eclair | LoveReading Books By Jenny Eclair | LoveReading

I was pleased Fern treated her gay flatmates with indifference at their sexuality, but the author falls into the trap of turning them into sex toy mad lesbians.Jenny Éclair has a very fresh and interesting writing style and I can’t wait to read more of her books. Not completely sure about the structure: it's one complete story but told from three different perspectives.