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Mistakes in the Background by Laura Dockrill
Feast your eyes on a treasury of words and illustrations from one of the most exciting young talents around, recently voted by The Times as one of the top ten literary talents of 2008. Enter the weird and wonderful world of Laura Dockrill … I draw like a left-handed baby, I can hardly spell my own name and watching me use a glue-stick is a bit like watching a large bear trying to ram his own head into a pocket-sized cat-flap …no, really. But once the book is finished, when I can see the pages coming together, getting thicker and thicker, detailed and covered with stories and my imagination recorded on pages …everything at last makes sense (to me at least). I did this because I have got things to say. I've got pictures I want you to see and characters I want you to meet - the crying ice-skating boy, the Rolf Harris obsessive, the rude girl in McDonalds with the chocolate milkshake and the try-hard Mighty Boosh watching mum. I don't keep a diary. I think they’re crap. But this is much more than a diary. This is my map.
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First published October 13, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 15, 2017
Oh dear.
I really wanted to love this quirky book which combines poetry with artwork but found the poetry...well, rather silly actually.
Most of the "poems" were long and waffly and sounded akin to Purple Ronnie! The poems don't have any real depth to them and are flippant. I hate to say it but Dockrill just dumps a load of rhyming words together in the hope that they make her pieces flow, which often, they don't.
The vast majority of the poems collected here are forgettable and don't challenge you in any way. I don't mind humour and silliness but I like affecting work too, and wasn't moved by this at all.
I thought there was an art, a real skill to writing poetry, but in this instance believe that anyone could pull off something similar :(
The one poem I did like was 'Little Miss Winter' which was quite bittersweet. That was the only piece I had any connection with and felt slightly moved by.
Sadly, I won't be recommending this book to anyone.
I really wanted to love this quirky book which combines poetry with artwork but found the poetry...well, rather silly actually.
Most of the "poems" were long and waffly and sounded akin to Purple Ronnie! The poems don't have any real depth to them and are flippant. I hate to say it but Dockrill just dumps a load of rhyming words together in the hope that they make her pieces flow, which often, they don't.
The vast majority of the poems collected here are forgettable and don't challenge you in any way. I don't mind humour and silliness but I like affecting work too, and wasn't moved by this at all.
I thought there was an art, a real skill to writing poetry, but in this instance believe that anyone could pull off something similar :(
The one poem I did like was 'Little Miss Winter' which was quite bittersweet. That was the only piece I had any connection with and felt slightly moved by.
Sadly, I won't be recommending this book to anyone.
October 9, 2017
I really wanted to love this book and was extremely excited when I received it in the mail. However, I was quite disappointed reading her poems. Unfortunately I have to admit that I expected more from the artwork. It was very tiring to read her handwriting.
I guess, it just wasn't my cup of tea!
I guess, it just wasn't my cup of tea!
February 25, 2016
I wanted to pick this up after Lena at justkissmyfrog did an interview with Laura about her book Lorali, which I read last year and loved! So I got the ebook of this and devoured it! It feels so good to be reading poetry again and what an unique collection this is. The were quite a few that stood out for me but the poem at the end really gave me the shivers.
February 24, 2011
I do not read poetry often, but I found myself inexorably drawn into the South London world created by Laura Dockrill in Mistakes in the Background that I savored each poem and ran through the book in the space of a few days. The settings and situations are so urban, yet there's nothing foggy or gray. All the characters are vibrant, and the stories are about common people, common interactions, all told in beautiful rhythm.
August 14, 2015
Review from Tea & Titles
Mistakes in the Background is a very unique book. Not only is it made up of poems and short stories, it also includes little illustrations and other decorative things. I’ve never read anything like it before, but I’m hoping now that I can find some other things like it because I really enjoyed this.
I’m not an artist myself, so I really liked that Laura’s style was very simple and messy because I felt more connected to it. I love looking at beautiful, perfect art journals and etc. but I don’t feel as intimidated by Laura’s style. It made me like the book even more, especially because a lot of the illustrations are really cute. I especially adored the other things—the use of labels, different papers, even shoelaces at one point. It made me feel very inspired to being creative, which is always a good thing.
The poetry was gorgeous and just completely mental in parts. I haven’t read as much poetry as I would have liked, but a lot of the poetry I’ve read before now has been classic stuff—Plath, Bronte, Keats etc. So it was really interesting to read some contemporary poetry, even if I was a little young to get a few of the references. I really enjoyed how Laura focused on real life, or at least she didn’t try to see some crazy amount of beauty in every situation, it was real.
All in all, yes you should totally read Mistakes in the Background. I can’t wait to get around to Laura Dockrill’s absolutely beautiful new YA book, Lorali.
Mistakes in the Background is a very unique book. Not only is it made up of poems and short stories, it also includes little illustrations and other decorative things. I’ve never read anything like it before, but I’m hoping now that I can find some other things like it because I really enjoyed this.
I’m not an artist myself, so I really liked that Laura’s style was very simple and messy because I felt more connected to it. I love looking at beautiful, perfect art journals and etc. but I don’t feel as intimidated by Laura’s style. It made me like the book even more, especially because a lot of the illustrations are really cute. I especially adored the other things—the use of labels, different papers, even shoelaces at one point. It made me feel very inspired to being creative, which is always a good thing.
The poetry was gorgeous and just completely mental in parts. I haven’t read as much poetry as I would have liked, but a lot of the poetry I’ve read before now has been classic stuff—Plath, Bronte, Keats etc. So it was really interesting to read some contemporary poetry, even if I was a little young to get a few of the references. I really enjoyed how Laura focused on real life, or at least she didn’t try to see some crazy amount of beauty in every situation, it was real.
All in all, yes you should totally read Mistakes in the Background. I can’t wait to get around to Laura Dockrill’s absolutely beautiful new YA book, Lorali.
February 8, 2013
Mistakes in the Background is a small, sweet book but it never quite lives up to its original promise. The novelty of the format - basically, scribbles - wears off pretty quickly, and some of it is actually quite difficult to read.
That said, there were a couple of highlights which made reading the whole thing worthwhile. The poem "And the bubblebath bottle in the shape of Fireman Sam" captures beautifully the relationship between sisters. So much so I wanted to rip out the page and send it to mine.
That said, there were a couple of highlights which made reading the whole thing worthwhile. The poem "And the bubblebath bottle in the shape of Fireman Sam" captures beautifully the relationship between sisters. So much so I wanted to rip out the page and send it to mine.
December 18, 2009
This has to be in my top 3 books of this year.
It's brilliant and perfect, and I doubt you will be able to put it down.
I've been coming back to it all year long. Its zine-style charm is welcoming and addictive, whilst Laura Dockrill's view of the world makes you want to jump up and down on a bouncy castle then settle down for a lovely cuppa with a blank journal and a pen.
It's brilliant and perfect, and I doubt you will be able to put it down.
I've been coming back to it all year long. Its zine-style charm is welcoming and addictive, whilst Laura Dockrill's view of the world makes you want to jump up and down on a bouncy castle then settle down for a lovely cuppa with a blank journal and a pen.
July 21, 2012
I'm not one for poetry but bought this after meeting Laura not so long back and can honestly say I loved it. It's quirky and funny and nothing like I thought poetry was or could be. I could dip in and out of it for ages and thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 25, 2015
the writing and drawing style is really cool and quirky, I enjoyed it!
May 1, 2012
Very inspiring creatively. Perfect for when you only have a few mins.
January 24, 2011
cute, my favourite is definitely Mazes. cute illustration too.
March 20, 2018
Really made me laugh out loud. Enjoyed the crazy drawings
January 25, 2019
Quirky, witty and somewhat nostalgic.
May 6, 2019
feels like my own angsty teenage poetry/spoken word in the best way
July 27, 2020
Never read anything like it before, but picked up from a local park book swap and enjoyed reading on a sunny afternoon in the garden. Made me chuckle a few times.
October 3, 2020
This reads better than Rupi Kaur, but that's my personal impression. Overall, is this good writing/illustration? Idk.
November 20, 2020
My favourite book of all time. Love love love.
Laura Dockrill is a unique flamboyant writer and a master storyteller. If colour and quirk and wonderful character is your thing then read Dockrill.
Laura Dockrill is a unique flamboyant writer and a master storyteller. If colour and quirk and wonderful character is your thing then read Dockrill.
May 12, 2021
Not the easiest to read, feels more like a bit of concept art than a poetry anthology in some instances. Still and enjoyable and quirky read however.
January 2, 2023
Read this book years ago and it’s one of those books I think about all the time.
July 18, 2014
Witty and anecdotal this reads and looks like the author's diary.
Full of her innermost thoughts, poems, little stories and daydreams this is a lovely, light read to get through in an hour or so.
Think this kind of humour would especially appeal to teenage readers.
Well worth reading if you like this brand of comedy.
Full of her innermost thoughts, poems, little stories and daydreams this is a lovely, light read to get through in an hour or so.
Think this kind of humour would especially appeal to teenage readers.
Well worth reading if you like this brand of comedy.
October 21, 2013
Although Laura definatly has a way with words I really struggled to get into this. Her short stories are bizarre and humorous but i failed to find the common thread between them. Well written and worth a look but perhaps a little arty for me.
June 15, 2016
I really love this anecdotal, poetic, thoughts based book of notes and scribbles. Some pieces are completely random and hilarious and some are thought provoking and touching. My favourites are Specks, Square and The Man with Such Long Arms.
June 2, 2016
Brill!
April 14, 2017
I listened to the audiobook version of this, and honestly I thought it was great. It was exciting, and even though some of the poems were a little weird I still really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews