Sitting Ducks

by Lisa Blower

Meagre in build. Mouthy in nature. One good owner and pottery trained: Josiah ‘Totty’ Minton is bang out of sick notes and harbouring the dream of a three-bed semi with bay windows, fully-fitted carpets and enough of a garden to stretch his legs.

It’s the 2010 general election. Labour has lost its footing and the country is in disarray. But somewhere in the arse pocket of Stoke on Trent, a mother and son are waging their campaign against the state, the system, and predatory landlord Malcolm Gandy, to remain in their council-owned home.

Lisa Blower’s debut is a novel for our times that will have you laughing out loud then raging at the page.

192 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2016

Reviews

[Sandrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. 1st novel describing the broken lives of a the forgotten in our society. Centred on what having a home or be deprived of one means. A lot of despair from those suffering and also those trying to help. I was amazed how every character welded the story together, each relevant in his/her own way.
The main characters being the grand mother Constance and her granddaughter - happiness in despair.
Brillant writing

[Cristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really struggled. I found the language complex and therefore made this a difficult read.
I only liked Constance, the matriarch as a character. She is something. The others are irritatingly weak.
I struggled with the vices of Their lives. I forced myself to persevere the first 2/3rds, I liked the end... but not enough to make leave with it.
I can see that it is a good book simply not my style.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in a condemned row of houses. There's money to be made but at what cost? As the matriarch says, there's got to be someone at the bottom of the pile. And occasionally he flips. At times funny, at times sad. And beware, reDing this could make you very angry ,........... And ashamed.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been a case co-ordinator (an underpaid and underqualified social worker), this novel really resonated with me. It's brilliant in its observations.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some wonderful passages which were straight out of my childhood, some very relevant and pointed political thrusts made without being hammered home and contained within the flow of the story as opposed to being added on in an obvious way for their own sake and there's even a character called Sheena.

[Sharon Jacobs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievable