Taking the Devil's Advice

by Anne Fine

Spending the summer with his ex-wife, his children, his ex-gardener (and ex-wife's new husband) was never going to be a good idea. Perhaps Oliver should have expected the autobiography he was writing would be constantly sabotaged? Perhaps he should have guessed that he'd have scorn and derision poured upon him? But then Oliver was a philosopher, always happier with abstraction than reality, and the realities of his life have never been simple - and they're just about to come crashing down around him in the most unexpected and hilarious of ways.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 1990

About the author

Though readers often find themselves inadvertently laughing aloud as they read Anne Fine's novels, as she herself admits, "a lot of my work, even for fairly young readers, raises serious social issues. Growing up is a long and confusing business. I try to show that the battle through the chaos is worthwhile and can, at times, be seen as very funny." In 1994, this unique combination of humour and realism inspired the hit movie MRS. DOUBTFIRE, based on Anne's novel MADAME DOUBTFIRE and starring the late comedic genius Robin Williams.

Anne is best known in her home country, England, as a writer principally for children, but over the years she has also written eight novels for adult readers. Seven of these she describes as black - or sour - comedies, and the first, THE KILLJOY, simply as "dead black". These novels have proved great favourites with reading groups, causing readers to squirm with mingled horror and delight as she peels away the layers in all too familiar family relationships, exposing the tangled threads and conflicts beneath. (It's perhaps not surprising that Anne has openly expressed astonishment at the fact that murder in the domestic setting is not even more common.)

Anne has written more than sixty books for children and young people. Amongst numerous other awards, she is twice winner of both the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's book award, and the Whitbread Award. Twice chosen as Children's Author of the Year in the British Book Awards, Anne Fine was also the first novelist to be honoured as Children's Laureate in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Anne became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Her work has been translated into forty five languages.

Anne Fine lives in the north of England and has two grown up daughters.

Reviews

[Bridget Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Anne Fine which is for adults. Her characters is always interesting and these are no exception!

Oliver is staying with his ex-wife, Charlotte, and their children. Charlotte is living with her new partner, Ally, at their old family home while Olly writes his autobiography. We see their alternate views of life, the universe and each other as the book progresses. Olly is a philosophy professor whose mind (in his view) is on higher things than the mundane matters his wife focuses on like their home, children, garden and what they’re going to eat for dinner. To complicate matters, Ally is the chap who was doing their garden and he has his own relationship problems with his ex-wife. This is great fun and mercifully, has a highly satisfactory outcome at the end.

[Helen Marple-Horvat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Anne Fine managed to create a perfect balance in the drama between the protagonists, whilst also painting the sub-plot family in great, believable detail. I found myself in sympathy with both people in this complex ex-marriage. I think this shows the skill of the author. In what world would I ever normally side with a husband whose priority it is to carve out intellectual space for himself at the expense of his wife and family? She lives in the 'real world' of bins, garden work, and the general thinking ahead that is needed for the management of the whole, and loves it. He lives in an abstract world of philosophy, whilst enabling the family financially.

Sounds like the nightmare that it is, as well as being high comedy...almost like those plays that are so well crafted that you want to dissect them for hours afterwards in the pub.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of people loved this book & I can see why however I only thought it was ok. It is all about a couple now divorced relating the same situations past & present from their own side & at the same time slating one another. It's good as it shows blame is 6 of one and half a dozen of the other most of the time. However not much happens & I didn't love any of the characters at all and question how the main ones married originally. Also the main character has a complete lack of empathy for his own kids, would that really happen even for a real life philosopher? Not sure. Maybe.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to explain how much I loved this book. It was funny and sad. Sometimes I hated Oliver, Constance and Ally all at different times. This book really was able to bring light to what divorced families may go through. Without giving away too much of the story, I really loved the relationship that Oliver and Constance had. I love the bickering and the love for each other. This was such a great $1 find at the library book sale. I will cherish this book forever.

[Khoreutees · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a clever and well-written book, and in traditional Anne Fine fashion mercilessly honest about the peculiarity and nastiness of people, particularly those with complex relations. The narrative style of individual written rants, interspersed with accounts of past events works well for the subject matter and keep things entertaining.
However, the book never really engaged me. I found myself increasingly irritated by all the characters.

[Myrthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A divorced philosopher lives the summer with his ex-wife and her new love, along with their shared kids. A thorough lesson on unreliable narrators, I became attached then unattached to different characters, until I accepted the characters were all utterly flawed and resigned myself to being entertained by the bickering, the nitpicking on both sides, and the brief glimpses of affection and self-awareness (which I may or may not have dreamt up in desperation?). The ending, a few reviews have stated, is a departure from the genre and strange. I personally thought it was okay but, maybe I'm thick and the true meaning flew over my head. A lot of the things in the book did so until I reread.

[Anna Hepworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, with a somewhat out of the blue change of genre right at the end. I like the conceit of this being diary-ish, with commentaries by one of the other characters, but the main voice is such an unlikable individual.

Worth having read once.

[Jenny Editor · Rating 4 out of 5]

As it says on the cover, this is a brilliant slanging match between a woman and her ex-husband, and I love a good argument on paper. It is of its time, but it's clever and funny about relationships and family dynamics. The only thing I hated was the ending, which felt completely unnecessary.

[Josette Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very funny in parts.

[Manu Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plutôt 2,5. Mais j'ai trouvé que ça s'enlisait vite dans la guéguerre entre ex-époux et ça m'a ennuyé. J'ai cru à une fin digne d'intérêt, qui elle aussi retombe comme un soufflet. Dommage.

[Ella87 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Der Klappentext klingt lustiger als es tatsächlich ist. Schade. So an sich ist es gut geschrieben.

[Dilay Şahin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olly is such an insufferable selfish prick

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of a random library selection but it's actually really good fun.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diverting yet very serious tale of marriage, divorce, self-absorption and recriminations. A very quick and fun read, yet it will have you squirming with recognition.