I must confess that I didn't really 'get' this. I don't know if I'm just not the target audience but it just seemed a bit unfinished. It felt to me that there needed to be a little bit more set in the present day OR another chapter or two at the end.

I'm going to be placing this in my 'to donate' pile. ( )

I felt compelled to finish this because I have a whole shelf of unread thrift store books making me feel guilty. I was bothered by the unfamiliar lifestyle of their family, it just didn't seem believable...or it is hard to imagine a single mother affording such a privileged and indulgent lifestyle (even if she sold paintings for awhile).
Too many characters, and locales-- and so little depth. Not to mention the downward spiral of the main character and her mother was just depressing. It's too bad the story didn't stay focused. Each time I started to enjoy a setting, the story changed. So many good places for the story to stay focused on and developed more. Too bad.
I don't know if it is me or what, but I do like to start a book and have a clear time and place hinted at with in the first few paragraphs. I couldn't really "place" the characters in a certain time period. It took awhile. I suppose it was early 80s onward? I don't know. Maybe I missed some British references.
Anyway, thank god it is over.
( )

Mooie roman over opgroeien in Engeland in een kunstenaarsmilieu. Een beetje het 'hideous kinky' van de jaren '90. Ook qua sfeer te vergelijken met de boeken van Esther Freud.
Het blijkt dat volwassen worden in een welliswaar riante omgeving maar met (te) veel vrijheid zeker niet makkelijk is. ( )

I LOVED this book!!!! well worth the read. ( )

I loved the book! Knowing that this was the first book by Sophie Dahl and think it was a good start. ( )