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A Tiny Bit Marvellous
A Tiny Bit Marvellous is comedian Dawn French's hilarious pageturner. Everyone hates the perfect family. So you'll love the Battles. Meet Mo Battle, about to turn 50 and mum to two helpless, hormonal teenagers. There's 17-year-old daughter Dora who blames Mo for, like, EVERYTHING and Peter who believes he's quite simply as darling and marvellous as his hero Oscar Wilde. Somewhere, keeping quiet, is Dad . . . who's just, well... Dad. However, Mo is having a crisis. She's about to do something unusually wild and selfish, which will leave the entire family teetering on the edge of a precipice. Will the family fall? Or will they, when it really matters, be there for each other? A Tiny Bit Marvellous is the number one bestselling novel from one of Britain's favourite comic writers. Praise for A Tiny Bit 'Funny, really enjoyable, highly recommended. A wonderful writer - witty, wise, poignant' Wendy Holden 'A fantastic slam-dunk pageturner. Funny, enriching . . . page after page I laughed out loud' Mail on Sunday 'Beautifully observed. Makes you laugh on every page' The Times 'A brilliantly observed, very funny novel of family life' Woman and Home
390 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
507 people are currently reading
4370 people want to read
About the author
Dawn French
52 books997 followersDawn Roma French is a British actress, writer and comedian. In her career spanning three decades, she has been nominated for six BAFTA Awards and also won a Fellowship BAFTA along with her best friend Jennifer Saunders. She is best-known for starring in and writing her comedy sketch show, French and Saunders, alongside her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders, and for playing the lead role of Geraldine Granger in the sitcom The Vicar of Dibley.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,373 reviews
May 19, 2014
English family life in the key of shrill.
Ugh.
This book seems to take as its premise that not only are teenagers constantly (and I mean constantly) at a fever pitch of screaming and hating their parents, but also that that emotional lability (screw you, Goodreads, that is too a word) and immaturity and utter lack of self-awareness continues through everyone's entire lives.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Ugh.
This book seems to take as its premise that not only are teenagers constantly (and I mean constantly) at a fever pitch of screaming and hating their parents, but also that that emotional lability (screw you, Goodreads, that is too a word) and immaturity and utter lack of self-awareness continues through everyone's entire lives.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
November 24, 2022
I had such high expectations for this book and I feel well and truly let down. I appreciate my expectations may have been too high.
Dawn's autobiography was so funny and I couldn't put it down and this book was the complete opposite. Strange writing style, bizarre characters and no real story or point in my view.
But of course it's Dawn so I will be trying other books of hers at some point.
Dawn's autobiography was so funny and I couldn't put it down and this book was the complete opposite. Strange writing style, bizarre characters and no real story or point in my view.
But of course it's Dawn so I will be trying other books of hers at some point.
November 13, 2012
I still don't understand how a book can be a 'No1 Besteller' before it has even been published and placed on shelves. There are so many No1 Bestsellers that you would thing people would call it a draw. In any case, I have not clue as to why this book managed to become one of the 'No1's'. It is ridiculous. At first I assumed that it was just hard to get into, like some books are. But there was nothing to 'get into'. I didn't manage to read the whole thing, because I just couldn't cope with the exaggeration of teen Dora and the not-so-believeable Mo. The only character I found enteraining to read from was Oscar and even he got old after several long chapters.
I can see what French was trying to acheive, I really can. But she didn't.
Another thing that annoyed me was the size of the thing. Was there any need for the book to be that thick? No. It could easily be condensed into half it's size by narrowing the margins and reducing the font size, (hello? We are not blind). This could also help save the planet.
I can see what French was trying to acheive, I really can. But she didn't.
Another thing that annoyed me was the size of the thing. Was there any need for the book to be that thick? No. It could easily be condensed into half it's size by narrowing the margins and reducing the font size, (hello? We are not blind). This could also help save the planet.
August 22, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable novel - fun, witty and entertaining. I thought some of the teenage voices were a tad too much but in general it was a great read.
February 14, 2015
Like, an enormous bit dreadful, like.
July 3, 2017
First thing to say is the title is misleading. It's not even a tiny bit marvellous.
I have given it one star for effort, because Dawn French is a comedian who has tried to write a book.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work. The story is told through four perspectives, like a series of talking heads.
This is a tool to avoid using prose to set up scenes and describe the action, and it makes the book a bit like reading four different diaries at the same time.
Dora, the seventeen year old daughter, is a stereotype of a caricature of a stroppy teen. The dialogue is like unbearable and like, it drives you nuts like, and you would have to be a total wonk to want to read this.
The teenage son who thinks he's Oscar Wilde is totally ridiculous without being funny. What teenagers nowadays have ever heard of Oscar Wilde? Anyway the joke falls flat and is then carried on throughout the book.
Mum, is going through the usual mid-life crisis etc, etc.
I can't write any more; I'm bored even writing the review.
I have given it one star for effort, because Dawn French is a comedian who has tried to write a book.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work. The story is told through four perspectives, like a series of talking heads.
This is a tool to avoid using prose to set up scenes and describe the action, and it makes the book a bit like reading four different diaries at the same time.
Dora, the seventeen year old daughter, is a stereotype of a caricature of a stroppy teen. The dialogue is like unbearable and like, it drives you nuts like, and you would have to be a total wonk to want to read this.
The teenage son who thinks he's Oscar Wilde is totally ridiculous without being funny. What teenagers nowadays have ever heard of Oscar Wilde? Anyway the joke falls flat and is then carried on throughout the book.
Mum, is going through the usual mid-life crisis etc, etc.
I can't write any more; I'm bored even writing the review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2019
As a big fan of Dawn French, I wanted to see if her writing was as good as her performances, and in many ways I wasn't disappointed. The story follows certain events in the lives of Mo, who is about to turn 50 and hovering on the edge of an extra-marital affair with a younger man. Her husband whose inner self we see little of as, well he's just 'Dad', then there is Dora, a foul mouthed, self-obsessed seventeen-going-on-thirty-year-old and her divinely camp-over-the-top brother with a kind heart and damaged psyche who rechristens himself Oscar. [After his hero Mr Wilde]
Dora is a nightmare daughter who truly believes she knows everything, hates and abuses everyone and leaves obscene messages on her mother's phone. Mo laughingly ignores these, passing Dora's atrocious behaviour off as a teenage phase, because after all, Mo is a psychologist and no one can tell HER how the young mind works!! Mo is heading towards a mid-life crisis, although from what I can see she actually does have a life. She's also self-obsessed and instead of attending Dora's eighteenth birthday party, she takes off to a hotel to meet her would-be lover - who fortuitously doesn't turn up.
The text-speak, repetitive swearing language style gets a bit wearing after a while and more than once I found myself wanting to clip Dora round the ear and tell her to stop being such a cow, shake Mo for being totally unaware of what her family was going through and instead, fixating on a hopeless romance. As for allowing 'Oscar' to wear a smoking jacket, which may be PC in this day and age but he's sixteen! Won't somebody talk to the boy for goodness sake??
Dora is a nightmare daughter who truly believes she knows everything, hates and abuses everyone and leaves obscene messages on her mother's phone. Mo laughingly ignores these, passing Dora's atrocious behaviour off as a teenage phase, because after all, Mo is a psychologist and no one can tell HER how the young mind works!! Mo is heading towards a mid-life crisis, although from what I can see she actually does have a life. She's also self-obsessed and instead of attending Dora's eighteenth birthday party, she takes off to a hotel to meet her would-be lover - who fortuitously doesn't turn up.
The text-speak, repetitive swearing language style gets a bit wearing after a while and more than once I found myself wanting to clip Dora round the ear and tell her to stop being such a cow, shake Mo for being totally unaware of what her family was going through and instead, fixating on a hopeless romance. As for allowing 'Oscar' to wear a smoking jacket, which may be PC in this day and age but he's sixteen! Won't somebody talk to the boy for goodness sake??
February 8, 2011
Dawn French is one of the very best TV Comedy writers of her generation. I love her TV work to bits. But sadly, transferring her skills to this format just doesn't work.
This is the story of...what exactly? Nothing much happens for the first two thirds of the book - mum goes through a mid life crisis, whilst her 18 year old daughter and 16 year old son try to share their growing up experiences with us. And although the book livened up ever so slightly in the final third, nothing changed much.
Oscar/ Peter - the son - and Dora - the daughter -were extremely one dimensional characters. The cliched attempts to breath life into these characters simply didn't work, and their cumbersome ways of self expression was extremely hard to read.
Mo the mum was a slightly better characterization - but I do wonder if her story was the strongest by far,and that this may have been a much better novel if the story had been told only through her voice?
There were some amusing bits, and there were a few other redeeming little titbits, which is why this just about squeezes two stars. Nevertheless, the whole experience left me extremely disappointed. Which is disappointing in itself, as I really wanted to love this book.
This is the story of...what exactly? Nothing much happens for the first two thirds of the book - mum goes through a mid life crisis, whilst her 18 year old daughter and 16 year old son try to share their growing up experiences with us. And although the book livened up ever so slightly in the final third, nothing changed much.
Oscar/ Peter - the son - and Dora - the daughter -were extremely one dimensional characters. The cliched attempts to breath life into these characters simply didn't work, and their cumbersome ways of self expression was extremely hard to read.
Mo the mum was a slightly better characterization - but I do wonder if her story was the strongest by far,and that this may have been a much better novel if the story had been told only through her voice?
There were some amusing bits, and there were a few other redeeming little titbits, which is why this just about squeezes two stars. Nevertheless, the whole experience left me extremely disappointed. Which is disappointing in itself, as I really wanted to love this book.
March 30, 2012
This book is a terrible match for me. It's squarely and unashamedly aimed at middle aged women, it's full of stereotyped characters and irritating text-speak, has a plot that's largely predictable from the blurb alone, and a "twist" that's both obvious and pointless.
And yet... I found it really quite endearing. It's a novel of the "mental chewing gum" variety - no thought required - but it's a pretty good example of that kind of book. It has genuine humour and genuine warmth. While the characters were stereotypical, dull, and at times a little irritating, I did begin to care about where their stories would lead: particularly Oscar, whose part steals the show.
Others have documented the style: it's a sort of modern take on the epistolary form, with different characters narrating each chapter in the first-person. And whilst others have become irritated by the writing styles, and particularly that used for Dora, I think it fits together quite well.
Overall, it was a quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it despite myself. I'd definitely consider reading Dawn French's next novel.
And yet... I found it really quite endearing. It's a novel of the "mental chewing gum" variety - no thought required - but it's a pretty good example of that kind of book. It has genuine humour and genuine warmth. While the characters were stereotypical, dull, and at times a little irritating, I did begin to care about where their stories would lead: particularly Oscar, whose part steals the show.
Others have documented the style: it's a sort of modern take on the epistolary form, with different characters narrating each chapter in the first-person. And whilst others have become irritated by the writing styles, and particularly that used for Dora, I think it fits together quite well.
Overall, it was a quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it despite myself. I'd definitely consider reading Dawn French's next novel.
Read
August 9, 2011I've loved Dawn French the writer/performer for 30 years, but Dawn French the novelist is just ghastly, if this is anything to go by. A family of non-dimensional characters spouting about their boring, middle-class lives with nary a sentence that isn't boiling with cliches. I ran out of patience very early, I must confess, I think after I'd read the third chapter in the voice of the vacuous teenage daughter. Yes, we know teenage girls overuse 'like' and we've seen shallowness and mother-hating (but mother-loving underneath all the vitriol, ahhh) a thousand times before. There's nothing new, revelatory or interesting here and, crucially given the comic genius of the writer, not a single genuinely witty line. Grim beyond words.
December 16, 2010
I had to read this book in order to review it for a publisher, but I couldn't finish it. I got within 100 pages of the end and I had to shut it and put it out of my mind.
I am not usually interested in books in the comedy genre, although I do enjoy human interest stories. Well this book was far from human interest. i couldn't stand the people and please-Dora is almost 18? She acts more like 12. I'm all for showing human foibles and family missteps, but this book went far beyond what I sincerely hope is the norm for modern family life.
Sorry this book is just not for me, but I honestly hated it.
I am not usually interested in books in the comedy genre, although I do enjoy human interest stories. Well this book was far from human interest. i couldn't stand the people and please-Dora is almost 18? She acts more like 12. I'm all for showing human foibles and family missteps, but this book went far beyond what I sincerely hope is the norm for modern family life.
Sorry this book is just not for me, but I honestly hated it.
December 10, 2010
The Good Stuff
Bloody hilarious and witty at times. You gotta love the English, they have such a way with words
Oscar and Pam were my favorite characters. Would have liked to have some of book written from Pam's voice
Some lovely wise and very real moments about living with ones family
The sheer audacity of Mo's inner dialogue is wonderful
Made me LMAO on many occasions -- note to self mus learn to stop snorting out loud in public places -- people tend to stare
The scene between Dora and her grandma Pam about sex is delightful. My god I wish Pam was my grandma
The opening chapter is extremely funny
You will fall in love with Oscar. His way of speaking comes straight out of an Oscar Wilde story
A lot more dysfunctional than most families, but there is still the echo of truth about family life and the misunderstanding and judgement between different generations
The Not so Good Stuff
Very slow in the middle, might have deleted 50 pages or so
Dora is an annoying selfish little git and I disliked the chapters written by her. I honestly wanted to slap her upside the head on many occasions
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"What would be a good title for a self-help book for parents of teenagers? Two possible ideas at the moment under consideration: 1. Whatever and 2. Teenagers: The Manual. Hmm. Think the exclamation mark on the 1st suggestion might preclude it from being a serious contender."
"Her name is Pamela. I ask you, how was she ever supposed to make anyting of herself with that ghastly moniker as her albatross?"
"Oddly, it is Veronica that I find most disappointing. George is just behaving like the reactive Pavlov’s dog with many cocks that he is. Has always been. It’s a given with him, mandatory, if there’s a pretty girl and she shows any interest at all in him, he is helpless. Ring the bell, the dog salivates. He’s not even choosy, really anyone will do, and they do do. Often"
What I Learned
tons of english slang
Damn, I am a really good mom
Who should/shouldn't read
Those who like English Humour
Not for the prudish - as the dialogue is quite salty at times
3.5 Dewey's
Bloody hilarious and witty at times. You gotta love the English, they have such a way with words
Oscar and Pam were my favorite characters. Would have liked to have some of book written from Pam's voice
Some lovely wise and very real moments about living with ones family
The sheer audacity of Mo's inner dialogue is wonderful
Made me LMAO on many occasions -- note to self mus learn to stop snorting out loud in public places -- people tend to stare
The scene between Dora and her grandma Pam about sex is delightful. My god I wish Pam was my grandma
The opening chapter is extremely funny
You will fall in love with Oscar. His way of speaking comes straight out of an Oscar Wilde story
A lot more dysfunctional than most families, but there is still the echo of truth about family life and the misunderstanding and judgement between different generations
The Not so Good Stuff
Very slow in the middle, might have deleted 50 pages or so
Dora is an annoying selfish little git and I disliked the chapters written by her. I honestly wanted to slap her upside the head on many occasions
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"What would be a good title for a self-help book for parents of teenagers? Two possible ideas at the moment under consideration: 1. Whatever and 2. Teenagers: The Manual. Hmm. Think the exclamation mark on the 1st suggestion might preclude it from being a serious contender."
"Her name is Pamela. I ask you, how was she ever supposed to make anyting of herself with that ghastly moniker as her albatross?"
"Oddly, it is Veronica that I find most disappointing. George is just behaving like the reactive Pavlov’s dog with many cocks that he is. Has always been. It’s a given with him, mandatory, if there’s a pretty girl and she shows any interest at all in him, he is helpless. Ring the bell, the dog salivates. He’s not even choosy, really anyone will do, and they do do. Often"
What I Learned
tons of english slang
Damn, I am a really good mom
Who should/shouldn't read
Those who like English Humour
Not for the prudish - as the dialogue is quite salty at times
3.5 Dewey's
March 20, 2012
Full disclosure: I didn't even finish this book. So it might bet better towards the end, but I skipped ahead quite a bit to see if it improves, and it doesn't. So. The book is written entirely in first person, and each chapter is titled after the name and age of the person narrating. That'd be fine, if everyone in it wasn't a giant prat. The daughter swears every other word, hates her mother, and in general is just a chav. The son has an ego bigger than necessary. The mom thinks she's better than everyone on the entire planer, including her husband, who she belittles and ignores. What's worse, on the whole, the voice doesn't change very much between people and it basically just sounds like the mother impersonating her children. It's not funny. It's not original. It definitely isn't brilliant or a page turner. I see enough selfishness in the world around me (and my own selfishness, which I try to not cultivate) to want to read about a family full of it and no one thinking there's anything wrong. Anyway. Enough ranting.
July 21, 2011
When I was about 50 pages in, I hated this book.
It's written in a diary style, from the point of view of (mainly) three characters. There's Mo, the tired child psychiatrist mother, Dora, the Facebook obsessed 17 year old, and Peter, the precocious 16 year old obsessed with Oscar Wilde.
The reason I hated the book was the "voice" of Dora. Just a small example, near the beginning of the book Dora writes:
"I can't believe I actually went out with him, how embarrassing. On top of it all, he is so rank, like, a total minger. Lottie always says he's like well below me and she's like so right"
As someone who was seventeen only a few years ago, this grated. Dora is written like a caricature of a teenage girl. Self-obsessed, ditzy and, like, sooooo totally incapable of like forming a sentence that is, like, grammatically correct and whatevr.
Thankfully, Mo and Peter are so delicious to read that I kept going. By the time I was 100 pages in, I realised I was reading as fast as possible and loathe to stop. Dora became more human as time went on, and Peter is written so incredibly well. Mo's story is the driving force behind the plot, but with it we are allowed to revel in the day-to-day activities of her children. And it's fantastic.
The story, in the end, comes together incredibly well. The characters of Pamela and Dad are sadly only there, for the most part, in the background, but they give real heart to the story. The ending is perfect; everything from Dora's 18th birthday party to the final page made me feel all warm and gooey inside. Definitely a recommendation.
It's written in a diary style, from the point of view of (mainly) three characters. There's Mo, the tired child psychiatrist mother, Dora, the Facebook obsessed 17 year old, and Peter, the precocious 16 year old obsessed with Oscar Wilde.
The reason I hated the book was the "voice" of Dora. Just a small example, near the beginning of the book Dora writes:
"I can't believe I actually went out with him, how embarrassing. On top of it all, he is so rank, like, a total minger. Lottie always says he's like well below me and she's like so right"
As someone who was seventeen only a few years ago, this grated. Dora is written like a caricature of a teenage girl. Self-obsessed, ditzy and, like, sooooo totally incapable of like forming a sentence that is, like, grammatically correct and whatevr.
Thankfully, Mo and Peter are so delicious to read that I kept going. By the time I was 100 pages in, I realised I was reading as fast as possible and loathe to stop. Dora became more human as time went on, and Peter is written so incredibly well. Mo's story is the driving force behind the plot, but with it we are allowed to revel in the day-to-day activities of her children. And it's fantastic.
The story, in the end, comes together incredibly well. The characters of Pamela and Dad are sadly only there, for the most part, in the background, but they give real heart to the story. The ending is perfect; everything from Dora's 18th birthday party to the final page made me feel all warm and gooey inside. Definitely a recommendation.
October 27, 2015
Completely unrealistic. Irritating, clichéd characters and narrative voices. Ridiculous situations. And it is not even remotely funny. I may have smiled once or twice, possibly, against my will. The teenage daughter is written in Vicky Pollard's voice and is tediously hateful and self-loathing. The son is tiresomely, unconvincingly verbose and obnoxious. The mother is an idiot. The plot makes little sense when subjected to any scrutiny and there are deeply dubious actions and attitudes which we are apparently supposed to applaud.
Oh dear. I like Dawn French, I really do, but I don't think novel-writing is her forte. Awful.
Oh dear. I like Dawn French, I really do, but I don't think novel-writing is her forte. Awful.
June 7, 2019
Man I love Dawn French but I lost interest in this so fast and had to force myself to finish it. This just wasn’t for me, un-relatable characters and annoying ones. Her writing just didn’t gel with me. I’m so upset about it. 2 stars. 🌟🌟
October 13, 2011
I bought this book for £3.99 on my Kindle.
I love Dawn French anyway and had heard the great reviews, so I just knew I was going to love it, and I did. I devoured it in 2 days, could not put it down.
It is done in the style of a diary entry type book, but with no dates, just different chapters for each member of the household. Mo is a mother of 2, wife and child psychologist who is struggling with her own issues and errant teenagers!
Dora is a struggling teenager with the typical body issues and feelings of maternal hatred. Peter, Mo's son, channels Oscar Wilde and will not answer to Peter. He is also gay and struggling with an inappropriate crush which he feels is true love.
Then there is Dad, who is a background, steady character in the beginning, but you realise he loves his family and is actually the sanest of the bunch.
Add into the mix a pregnant dog called Poo, a nutty grandma and a couple of other strange characters and you have a brilliant, modern take on the family life of today, with the stresses and strains of every day life, with problems like piercings, smoking jackets and Facebook thrown in for good measure. I can't wait till her next book, dawn once again proves herself to be a brilliant, funny, clever lady who really knows what she is talking about!
I would recommend this book and will be reading it again!
I love Dawn French anyway and had heard the great reviews, so I just knew I was going to love it, and I did. I devoured it in 2 days, could not put it down.
It is done in the style of a diary entry type book, but with no dates, just different chapters for each member of the household. Mo is a mother of 2, wife and child psychologist who is struggling with her own issues and errant teenagers!
Dora is a struggling teenager with the typical body issues and feelings of maternal hatred. Peter, Mo's son, channels Oscar Wilde and will not answer to Peter. He is also gay and struggling with an inappropriate crush which he feels is true love.
Then there is Dad, who is a background, steady character in the beginning, but you realise he loves his family and is actually the sanest of the bunch.
Add into the mix a pregnant dog called Poo, a nutty grandma and a couple of other strange characters and you have a brilliant, modern take on the family life of today, with the stresses and strains of every day life, with problems like piercings, smoking jackets and Facebook thrown in for good measure. I can't wait till her next book, dawn once again proves herself to be a brilliant, funny, clever lady who really knows what she is talking about!
I would recommend this book and will be reading it again!
May 4, 2015
Ubuduće više neću uzimati knjige na čijim koricama piše "urnebesno smiješno". Ovog puta to kaže Sunday Times, a obično ne zaostaju za time ni New York Times i ostale "papirnate kuće". Ovdje nisam našla ni mrvicu nečega da mi usne završe bar u nekom iskrivljenom smješku. Ne samo da predmetna obitelj Battle nije savršena, prikazana je takvom da u njoj baš ništa ne štima. Dva tinejdžera od 17 i 16 godina se čude što baka još uvijek zemljom hoda, a za mamu (dječjeg psihologa) je ionako najbolje da crkne, uz pregršt "krasnih" epiteta koje ne želim ni ponoviti, a svaki ima predznak "jebeno", kao da je to jedina riječ naučena u školi. Priča je ispričana iz perspektive majke, sina i kćeri, a tata... pa on je valjda tu samo usput, obični "proizvođač sperme".
Nekako sam došla do polovice knjige, ostalo sam preletjela, ali za obje polovice učinak je isti - jedno veliko ništa! Vjerojatno su na kraju svi sami sebi super, ljube se i vole ali mene to više nije zanimalo saznati.
Htjela sam provjeriti kakva je Dawn French kao pisac, s obzirom da mi je u seriji Vikar iz Dibleya bila odlična.
Nažalost, potpuni promašaj!
Provjerila sam malo ocjene drugih čitatelja na Goodreadsu, začuđujuće (ili ne) ima jako puno jedinica i najčešće nisu pročitane do kraja. Znači, ipak nisam crna ovca već samo razočarani čitatelj koji vam neće preporučiti ovu knjigu.
Nekako sam došla do polovice knjige, ostalo sam preletjela, ali za obje polovice učinak je isti - jedno veliko ništa! Vjerojatno su na kraju svi sami sebi super, ljube se i vole ali mene to više nije zanimalo saznati.
Htjela sam provjeriti kakva je Dawn French kao pisac, s obzirom da mi je u seriji Vikar iz Dibleya bila odlična.
Nažalost, potpuni promašaj!
Provjerila sam malo ocjene drugih čitatelja na Goodreadsu, začuđujuće (ili ne) ima jako puno jedinica i najčešće nisu pročitane do kraja. Znači, ipak nisam crna ovca već samo razočarani čitatelj koji vam neće preporučiti ovu knjigu.
September 24, 2014
I bought this book because it's by Dawn French, whom I love, and the title made it sound like it could well be a tiny bit marvellous.
However, it was a very bit boring!
The mum ws ok, the daughter was funny at times, the son drove me mad and bored me to tears. The story was dull and I just couldn't get into it. The only good bit was the ending, because A) it was the ending, and B) because of the twist, which after such a boring read, was totally so like unpredictable.
One for the charity shop.
However, it was a very bit boring!
The mum ws ok, the daughter was funny at times, the son drove me mad and bored me to tears. The story was dull and I just couldn't get into it. The only good bit was the ending, because A) it was the ending, and B) because of the twist, which after such a boring read, was totally so like unpredictable.
One for the charity shop.
September 4, 2011
Mo Battle is about to turn the big 50 and she is having a mid-life panic. She is fed up with her life that is the same, day in day out, she is a wife and mother to two teenagers, Dora who is seventeen and has self-esteem problems and holds her mum responsible for everything going wrong in her life and Peter who truly believes he is Oscar Wilde, his hero. Mo’s husband is not saying much and is keeping very quiet.
Mo is prepared to do something completely different to bring change to her dull life and which is a big step away from being a wife and mum. She is taking a huge risk regardless of the consequences that it can cause her family, either driving them apart or pulling them closer together.
This is a really funny novel from the well known comedienne Dawn French. This is Dawn’s first novel and it is written from each of the characters own points of view and we get to see the ups and downs of family life and the different relationships and feelings they have for each other. I am a parent to two teenagers myself and the observation of teenage behaviour is spot on and anyone who are parents to teenage children will relate to this book and how true to life it is. Dawn is well known for making people laugh and she does not disappoint with this book and its great wit.
Mo is prepared to do something completely different to bring change to her dull life and which is a big step away from being a wife and mum. She is taking a huge risk regardless of the consequences that it can cause her family, either driving them apart or pulling them closer together.
This is a really funny novel from the well known comedienne Dawn French. This is Dawn’s first novel and it is written from each of the characters own points of view and we get to see the ups and downs of family life and the different relationships and feelings they have for each other. I am a parent to two teenagers myself and the observation of teenage behaviour is spot on and anyone who are parents to teenage children will relate to this book and how true to life it is. Dawn is well known for making people laugh and she does not disappoint with this book and its great wit.
January 28, 2011
I felt this book didn't have much depth to it. The characters were bland, uninteresting and weren't explored enough making it difficult to empathize with any of them.
The storyline was in complete disarray; the storyline leading up to the 'climatic' moments were not introduced into the novel until past midway. So what was the point of the first half of the novel? I asked myself that same question as I was reading it.
I felt completely agitated whilst reading the excerpts from Dora. Yes Dawn French has a talent in capturing the essence and humour of teenage-talk, however she failed to discover other dimensions to Dora's character and so I was left disliking Dora through and through, even during her 'nicer conversion' period.
Oscar was probably the most thrilling character of all. I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed reading his poetic descriptions of some of life's most mundane moments. In saying that I probably also could not have handled an entire book full of Oscar's satirical attitude.
All in all, it was an easy read, albeit perhaps not the most enjoyable but credit must still be given to Dawn French for her comedic talent.
The storyline was in complete disarray; the storyline leading up to the 'climatic' moments were not introduced into the novel until past midway. So what was the point of the first half of the novel? I asked myself that same question as I was reading it.
I felt completely agitated whilst reading the excerpts from Dora. Yes Dawn French has a talent in capturing the essence and humour of teenage-talk, however she failed to discover other dimensions to Dora's character and so I was left disliking Dora through and through, even during her 'nicer conversion' period.
Oscar was probably the most thrilling character of all. I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed reading his poetic descriptions of some of life's most mundane moments. In saying that I probably also could not have handled an entire book full of Oscar's satirical attitude.
All in all, it was an easy read, albeit perhaps not the most enjoyable but credit must still be given to Dawn French for her comedic talent.
November 14, 2017
You can read the review here: http://embracingmybooks.blogspot.be/2...
May 22, 2022
This was rather disappointing! I had high expectations, as I find Dawn French entertaining, however it fell flat on a few different levels. My biggest gripe was how utterly exaggerated the teens were…. One dimensional, Dora always angry, swearing , shouting and screaming at Mum, Oscar, slightly better but still…. A pity as these kind of family stories can often be amusing, sadly this wasn’t for me.
March 14, 2011
I chose this book to take with me on holiday for the simple reasons that I wanted something light and humerous to read and that as a fan of Dawn French's comedic talent I was interested to see if this would extend to her writing. I am very pleased to say that the answer is yes! The novel follows the lives of a modern family; Mo who is about to turn 50; her husband, who as far as I can recall is just refered to by the other characters as Husband or Dad, so we never learn his name; daughter,Dora who is turning 18; and her younger brother Peter, who has an obsession with Oscar Wilde and insists on being called Oscar and dressing and sounding like him. Not so much a narrated story as a series of diary extracts from each of the characters where we learn of their highs and lows, faults and failings, talents, hopes and dreams. Their relationships with each other which can be warm, loving, frustrating, funny, annoying and angry either separately or all at once is typical of family confined to sharing the same living space. Dawn has certainly captured the angsty, hormone-raging, USA-influenced speech of modern teenagers, which I found to be witty, at times rude and disrespectful, and worrying. Does anyone speak proper English anymore! I know, I'm now showing my age. In short I thought 'A Tiny Bit Marvellous' was just that.
August 24, 2015
Definitely my new favourite book! I loved it! Dawn French is not only brilliant comedian but also a marvellous author! What an intense book, with infuriating characters that I though I could never love until I did! I cannot recommend this book enough!!
December 16, 2010
Not impressed so far.
April 21, 2011
Didn't finish it . Would not recommend
November 27, 2011
Although I've left Israel, I hope to continue participating as a member of my beloved Jerusalem-based book club thanks to the blessings of technology. Only one of them is on goodreads so Randi, if you're reading this, I'll try to be a little nicer in the meeting but here I'm going to be brutally honest. This book was crap.
The story is about a family -- Dad, who remains voiceless and nameless until the final scenes, Mom/Mo, a surprisingly uninsightful child psychologist, Dora, her 17-year-old ditzy daughter who sounds a lot more like a 14-year-old, and Peter/Oscar, her 16-year-old son with an Oscar Wilde obsession. Naturally there's a wise and all-knowing grandmother whom all of them love and turn to for advice, a woman who manages to be hip while remaining empathic and right there with the home-baked goodies (recipes at the end of the book! I'm starting to think that's a sign of seriously low-level chick lit, much as I love recipes). It's told from multiple perspectives, a style which usually doesn't work for me and certainly didn't here.
Dora hates her mother bitterly for reasons most 17-year-olds have gotten over -- deep-seated, complex issues like not being allowed to get a navel ring. You'd be amazed at the amount of vitriol launched by this conflict. The completely thick Mo is -- irony of ironies! -- in the process of writing a survival manual for parents of teens as she remains completely clueless about and/or at loggerheads with her own. Dora clearly came by her stupidity honestly. I don't know how much Dawn French knows about child psychology or child psychologists, but typically when we struggle with our own kids, we do engage in some self-reflection at some point usually informed by some theory or another. We don't simply throw our hands up and continue to fancy ourselves deeply prescient simply because we're in this field, even as our fights with our children continually prove us wrong.
Sigh. Dawn meant well. The family dynamics here could have been interesting, had she given Dora several more IQ points and made her feelings about her mother more complex and three-dimensional; had Mo been a little more psychologically aware (hello?) and self-examining (how did she make it through graduate school with such a profound absence of this quality?); had, oh, I don't know, had this been a different book I guess. I really can't believe I read the whole thing, shaking my head and rolling my eyes the entire time, and I sure hope my book club chooses something better next time because I fully intend to finish that one too.
The story is about a family -- Dad, who remains voiceless and nameless until the final scenes, Mom/Mo, a surprisingly uninsightful child psychologist, Dora, her 17-year-old ditzy daughter who sounds a lot more like a 14-year-old, and Peter/Oscar, her 16-year-old son with an Oscar Wilde obsession. Naturally there's a wise and all-knowing grandmother whom all of them love and turn to for advice, a woman who manages to be hip while remaining empathic and right there with the home-baked goodies (recipes at the end of the book! I'm starting to think that's a sign of seriously low-level chick lit, much as I love recipes). It's told from multiple perspectives, a style which usually doesn't work for me and certainly didn't here.
Dora hates her mother bitterly for reasons most 17-year-olds have gotten over -- deep-seated, complex issues like not being allowed to get a navel ring. You'd be amazed at the amount of vitriol launched by this conflict. The completely thick Mo is -- irony of ironies! -- in the process of writing a survival manual for parents of teens as she remains completely clueless about and/or at loggerheads with her own. Dora clearly came by her stupidity honestly. I don't know how much Dawn French knows about child psychology or child psychologists, but typically when we struggle with our own kids, we do engage in some self-reflection at some point usually informed by some theory or another. We don't simply throw our hands up and continue to fancy ourselves deeply prescient simply because we're in this field, even as our fights with our children continually prove us wrong.
Sigh. Dawn meant well. The family dynamics here could have been interesting, had she given Dora several more IQ points and made her feelings about her mother more complex and three-dimensional; had Mo been a little more psychologically aware (hello?) and self-examining (how did she make it through graduate school with such a profound absence of this quality?); had, oh, I don't know, had this been a different book I guess. I really can't believe I read the whole thing, shaking my head and rolling my eyes the entire time, and I sure hope my book club chooses something better next time because I fully intend to finish that one too.
July 7, 2013
I've never been absolutely crazy about French but I didn't dislike her enough to be put off by the fact that she'd written this book. Thinking it looked like something I'd like, I picked it up for a couple of pennies at a carboot sale and started to read it almost straight away.
I can't explain how disappointed with it I am. I must admit, I never actually finished this book. After 200 odd pages, I just couldn't face the last 100 or so. There was very little that had happened and as far as being 'spectacularly funny' as advertised, I'd laughed maybe once. I just could not suffer through the last third of A Tiny Bit Marvellous with it's underdeveloped characters and obvious attempts at being funny which fell flat time and time again.
Each chapter being written from the point of view of one of three characters - Mum, Mo. Daughter, Dora or a son who thinks he's channelling Oscar Wilde)
Mo is probably the most tolerable character but that's not really saying much. Realising that she's no longer looking as young as she used to and starting to feel the effects of old age and turning into her own mother, Mo is pretty two dimensional but, unfortunately, is the most developed of the three main characters.
'Oscar' - whose real name I can't even remember - is precocious and irritating. I believe he was 15-ish and was absolutely obsessed with Oscar Wilde and thought that he was linked with him. His endless search for a smoking jacket to wear at school was enough for me to dismiss him.
Dora, the seventeen year old, was what really broke this camels back. As a 19 year old myself, the way that French wrote the teenager really irritated me, having her concerned with very little else but, like, prom and like, her ex-boyfriend that she totally doesn't even want anymore but is actually, like, completely 100% in love with, FYI. She's a complete embodiment of the teenage stereotype and it's bad enough listening to adults impersonating teenagers in everyday life, but to read it without any sense of irony is just plain frustrating.
A Tiny Bit Marvellous may have improved in the last 100 pages, but I'm afraid that I just couldn't suffer through it to find out which is a shame because I so wanted to like it.
Very disappointed. It'll be going back to a carboot sale and will hopefully find a reader that likes it a lot more than I did.
I can't explain how disappointed with it I am. I must admit, I never actually finished this book. After 200 odd pages, I just couldn't face the last 100 or so. There was very little that had happened and as far as being 'spectacularly funny' as advertised, I'd laughed maybe once. I just could not suffer through the last third of A Tiny Bit Marvellous with it's underdeveloped characters and obvious attempts at being funny which fell flat time and time again.
Each chapter being written from the point of view of one of three characters - Mum, Mo. Daughter, Dora or a son who thinks he's channelling Oscar Wilde)
Mo is probably the most tolerable character but that's not really saying much. Realising that she's no longer looking as young as she used to and starting to feel the effects of old age and turning into her own mother, Mo is pretty two dimensional but, unfortunately, is the most developed of the three main characters.
'Oscar' - whose real name I can't even remember - is precocious and irritating. I believe he was 15-ish and was absolutely obsessed with Oscar Wilde and thought that he was linked with him. His endless search for a smoking jacket to wear at school was enough for me to dismiss him.
Dora, the seventeen year old, was what really broke this camels back. As a 19 year old myself, the way that French wrote the teenager really irritated me, having her concerned with very little else but, like, prom and like, her ex-boyfriend that she totally doesn't even want anymore but is actually, like, completely 100% in love with, FYI. She's a complete embodiment of the teenage stereotype and it's bad enough listening to adults impersonating teenagers in everyday life, but to read it without any sense of irony is just plain frustrating.
A Tiny Bit Marvellous may have improved in the last 100 pages, but I'm afraid that I just couldn't suffer through it to find out which is a shame because I so wanted to like it.
Very disappointed. It'll be going back to a carboot sale and will hopefully find a reader that likes it a lot more than I did.
June 26, 2012
Die Familie Battle hat ein großes Problem - Sie können einander nicht leiden!
Dora, die Teenage-Tochter träumt davon endlich volljährig zu werden und bei X Factor aufzutreten. Ihr Bruder Peter, der sich selbst nur Oscar nennt, ist ganz anders als seine Schwester. Über ihn ist der Geist von Oscar Wilde gekommen und nun gibt er sich wie ein Dandy. Mo, die Mutter der Familie, ist vollkommen ausgelaugt. Der graue Alltag hat sie so sehr aufgesogen, dass kein Farbklecks mehr übrig blieb, an dem sie sich hätte erfreuen können. Dem Vater bleibt nichts anderes übrig als die Scherben zusammenzukehren, wenn in der Familie wieder etwas zu Bruch geht.
Oma Pamela weiß immer Rat und der Hund ist trächtig.
Der Klappentext verspricht ein Buch voller Geheimnisse und Spannung, doch wer darauf hofft, dürfte reichlich enttäuscht werden, denn viel passiert nicht zwischen diesen zwei Buchdeckeln. Es ist vielmehr ein amüsantes Buch über eine Familie voller Individualisten. Jeder hat seinen eigenen Kopf und an Zusammenhalt ist nicht zu denken. Durch diese Konstellation ergeben sich viele witzige Ereignisse, die jedoch auch hier mehr durch einem durchgängigen Wortwitz brillieren.
Das Buch ist in Tagebuchform geschrieben. Zu Wort kommen vor allem die Mutter Mo, Dora und Oscar. Jede Person hat seinen eigenen Schreibstil. So lässt Dora zum Beispiel all ihren Frust in einer sehr schimpfwortlastigen Sprache ab, während ihr Bruder sich bemüht wie Oscar Wilde zu klingen.
Die Charaktere werden im Laufe des Buches immer lebendiger und wirken wie reale Menschen, die einem aus dem Leben berichten.
Insgesamt hat mir das Buch sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Man sollte jedoch wirklich keinesfalls mit den Erwartungen daran gehen, dass einen die Spannung zum umblättern zwingen wird. Es ist ein Buch, dass durch seine Charaktere und den Wortwitz lebt.
Kleines Extra - Hinten im Buch befinden sich noch Rezepte.
Dora, die Teenage-Tochter träumt davon endlich volljährig zu werden und bei X Factor aufzutreten. Ihr Bruder Peter, der sich selbst nur Oscar nennt, ist ganz anders als seine Schwester. Über ihn ist der Geist von Oscar Wilde gekommen und nun gibt er sich wie ein Dandy. Mo, die Mutter der Familie, ist vollkommen ausgelaugt. Der graue Alltag hat sie so sehr aufgesogen, dass kein Farbklecks mehr übrig blieb, an dem sie sich hätte erfreuen können. Dem Vater bleibt nichts anderes übrig als die Scherben zusammenzukehren, wenn in der Familie wieder etwas zu Bruch geht.
Oma Pamela weiß immer Rat und der Hund ist trächtig.
Der Klappentext verspricht ein Buch voller Geheimnisse und Spannung, doch wer darauf hofft, dürfte reichlich enttäuscht werden, denn viel passiert nicht zwischen diesen zwei Buchdeckeln. Es ist vielmehr ein amüsantes Buch über eine Familie voller Individualisten. Jeder hat seinen eigenen Kopf und an Zusammenhalt ist nicht zu denken. Durch diese Konstellation ergeben sich viele witzige Ereignisse, die jedoch auch hier mehr durch einem durchgängigen Wortwitz brillieren.
Das Buch ist in Tagebuchform geschrieben. Zu Wort kommen vor allem die Mutter Mo, Dora und Oscar. Jede Person hat seinen eigenen Schreibstil. So lässt Dora zum Beispiel all ihren Frust in einer sehr schimpfwortlastigen Sprache ab, während ihr Bruder sich bemüht wie Oscar Wilde zu klingen.
Die Charaktere werden im Laufe des Buches immer lebendiger und wirken wie reale Menschen, die einem aus dem Leben berichten.
Insgesamt hat mir das Buch sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Man sollte jedoch wirklich keinesfalls mit den Erwartungen daran gehen, dass einen die Spannung zum umblättern zwingen wird. Es ist ein Buch, dass durch seine Charaktere und den Wortwitz lebt.
Kleines Extra - Hinten im Buch befinden sich noch Rezepte.
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