What do you think?
Rate this book
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Meet Liz: all she wants is some peace and quiet so she can read a book with her cat Henry, love of her life, by her side. But trampling all over this dream is a group of wild things also known as Liz's family. Namely:
Richard - a man, a husband, no serious rival to Henry.
Thomas - their sensitive seven year old son, for whom life is a bed of pain already.
Evie - five year old acrobat, gangster, anarchist, daughter.
And as if her family's demands (Where are the door keys? Are we made of plastic? Do 'ghost poos' really count?) weren't enough, Liz must also contend with the madness of parents, friends, bosses, and at least one hovering nemesis. Are We Having Fun Yet? is a year with one woman as she faces all the storms of modern life (babysitters, death, threadworms) on her epic quest for that holy grail: a moment to herself.
Richard - a man, a husband, no serious rival to Henry.
Thomas - their sensitive seven year old son, for whom life is a bed of pain already.
Evie - five year old acrobat, gangster, anarchist, daughter.
And as if her family's demands (Where are the door keys? Are we made of plastic? Do 'ghost poos' really count?) weren't enough, Liz must also contend with the madness of parents, friends, bosses, and at least one hovering nemesis. Are We Having Fun Yet? is a year with one woman as she faces all the storms of modern life (babysitters, death, threadworms) on her epic quest for that holy grail: a moment to herself.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2021
85 people are currently reading
1467 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Mangan
20 books166 followersLucy Mangan (born 1974) is a British journalist and author. She is a columnist, features writer and TV critic for The Guardian. Her writing style is both feminist and humorous.
Mangan grew up in Catford, south east London, but both her parents were originally from Lancashire. She studied English at Cambridge University and trained to be a solicitor. After qualifying as a solicitor, she began to work instead in a bookshop and then, in 2003, found a work experience placement at The Guardian.
She continues to work at The Guardian writing a regular column and TV reviews plus occasional features. Her book My Family and other Disasters (2009) is a collection of her newspaper columns. She has also written books about her childhood and her wedding.
Mangan also has a regular column for Stylist magazine and has been a judge for the Booktrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize.
Mangan grew up in Catford, south east London, but both her parents were originally from Lancashire. She studied English at Cambridge University and trained to be a solicitor. After qualifying as a solicitor, she began to work instead in a bookshop and then, in 2003, found a work experience placement at The Guardian.
She continues to work at The Guardian writing a regular column and TV reviews plus occasional features. Her book My Family and other Disasters (2009) is a collection of her newspaper columns. She has also written books about her childhood and her wedding.
Mangan also has a regular column for Stylist magazine and has been a judge for the Booktrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
October 5, 2021
Five big fat stars.
This is one of the funniest books I’ve read in ages - really laugh out loud funny! This is Liz's diary of her year as wife to Richard and mother to Thomas (7 1/2 at the start of the year, a romantic, earnest, sweet, a dreamer and utterly gorgeous) and Evie (definitely a sociopath in the making at 5, takes no prisoners and is incredibly funny). Liz's day may go like this:- get up, spin plates hopefully not with breakfast on them, load washing machine/ dishwasher, spin more plates not in the machine, hurtle kids to school, hurtle frantically to work hopefully wearing matching shoes (yes, I really did) hurtle home and collect kids from school or child minder, spin dozens of plates while cooking a meal without burning and with vague nutritional value, spin more plates and collapse exhausted in a heap as husband looks on quizzically. Resonate some? Here is a sample Liz type checklist, tick all that apply, then read the book, it’s brilliant.
Maternal guilt? Oh yes.
Paternal guilt? Well I might if I was a bloke
An incredible mother who can rewire the house, fix loose roof tiles, complete the housework to Mrs Hinch standards, weed the garden, walk the dog, stock the freezer and do a million good works before 9am? Yes. Exhausting to watch.
A domestically competent father? NOPE but Liz does.
Husband who is a blind mole? Yes. If it’s not flashing with neon ... and even then ....
A blind mole who snores? Grrrr, YES
Hold a coven like drunken meetings with friends like Céline, Nadia, Fiona and Claire? Definitely
A neighbour as capable as the indomitable Mrs Bradley? Yes, that’s you Joanne.
Have in your head a retort you wish you could make but are much too polite? Yes but mine come pop into my head ten minutes too late
A child like Evie? Er no.
Competitive parenting? Witnessed it, can’t be bothered and I’m sure not into competing child naming, poor Oenone and Olivid, doubly so with a mother like Savannah.
It’s so well written and an absolute blast from start to finish. Highly recommended, no surprise there!!
With thanks to NetGalley and Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books
I have received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest unedited review.
This is one of the funniest books I’ve read in ages - really laugh out loud funny! This is Liz's diary of her year as wife to Richard and mother to Thomas (7 1/2 at the start of the year, a romantic, earnest, sweet, a dreamer and utterly gorgeous) and Evie (definitely a sociopath in the making at 5, takes no prisoners and is incredibly funny). Liz's day may go like this:- get up, spin plates hopefully not with breakfast on them, load washing machine/ dishwasher, spin more plates not in the machine, hurtle kids to school, hurtle frantically to work hopefully wearing matching shoes (yes, I really did) hurtle home and collect kids from school or child minder, spin dozens of plates while cooking a meal without burning and with vague nutritional value, spin more plates and collapse exhausted in a heap as husband looks on quizzically. Resonate some? Here is a sample Liz type checklist, tick all that apply, then read the book, it’s brilliant.
Maternal guilt? Oh yes.
Paternal guilt? Well I might if I was a bloke
An incredible mother who can rewire the house, fix loose roof tiles, complete the housework to Mrs Hinch standards, weed the garden, walk the dog, stock the freezer and do a million good works before 9am? Yes. Exhausting to watch.
A domestically competent father? NOPE but Liz does.
Husband who is a blind mole? Yes. If it’s not flashing with neon ... and even then ....
A blind mole who snores? Grrrr, YES
Hold a coven like drunken meetings with friends like Céline, Nadia, Fiona and Claire? Definitely
A neighbour as capable as the indomitable Mrs Bradley? Yes, that’s you Joanne.
Have in your head a retort you wish you could make but are much too polite? Yes but mine come pop into my head ten minutes too late
A child like Evie? Er no.
Competitive parenting? Witnessed it, can’t be bothered and I’m sure not into competing child naming, poor Oenone and Olivid, doubly so with a mother like Savannah.
It’s so well written and an absolute blast from start to finish. Highly recommended, no surprise there!!
With thanks to NetGalley and Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books
I have received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest unedited review.
October 6, 2021
That was funny. Laugh out loud, pee your pants funny! And totally irreverent, and spot on and I have pre-ordered it to torture my elder daughter with as she is about to have my first grandchild (insert evil laugh - it’s payback baby)!
This book is in the form of a diary of one year in the life of Liz, wife of Richard and mother of 7-8 year old Thomas and 5-6 year old Evie. Thomas is painfully easygoing and unambitious, content to be mediocre at many things. Evie is a hyper intelligent snarky budding sociopath (according to her mother). Richard is, well, Richard. Liz is best friends with Fiona whose son David is in Thomas’s class. They are also friends with Celine (she is French!) and Nadia. These four form ‘the coven’ (it’s a joke) and then there’s Claire who is desperate to become a mother herself (but why?)
I can’t think of a book that made me laugh more. Except maybe the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, but that was so long ago it doesn’t count. Lucy Mangan clearly ‘gets’ motherhood. I found myself nodding and agreeing with so many sentiments. It would be scary if I hadn’t survived it all and can now look forward to grandparenthood with a small amount of glee! Nothing is sacred as the author mercilessly picks at all the scabs that parenthood can dish up. If you’ve been there it’s hilarious, if not …. oops!
The characters, this book is all about the characters and they were just wonderful! So accurate. I’m still leaking empathy all over the place. And don’t think of this as a ‘chick-lit’. I curate my husband’s reading, basically anything that gets 4 or 5 stars goes on his list and this one is going on his list.
I have one small, no two small reservations which is the only reason this doesn’t get the full 5 stars. Firstly - if you don’t like big and/or obscure words and shudder at sentences that may be half a page or even longer with lots of complicated punctuation - you may not enjoy this book (I loved it). Secondly I did think it was a teeny bit long. It could have done with maybe 50 pages less although I don’t know how on earth you would achieve that as it is in diary form and you can’t just skip a month or something equally dramatic. Many, many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher and the author for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
4.5 stars.
This book is in the form of a diary of one year in the life of Liz, wife of Richard and mother of 7-8 year old Thomas and 5-6 year old Evie. Thomas is painfully easygoing and unambitious, content to be mediocre at many things. Evie is a hyper intelligent snarky budding sociopath (according to her mother). Richard is, well, Richard. Liz is best friends with Fiona whose son David is in Thomas’s class. They are also friends with Celine (she is French!) and Nadia. These four form ‘the coven’ (it’s a joke) and then there’s Claire who is desperate to become a mother herself (but why?)
I can’t think of a book that made me laugh more. Except maybe the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, but that was so long ago it doesn’t count. Lucy Mangan clearly ‘gets’ motherhood. I found myself nodding and agreeing with so many sentiments. It would be scary if I hadn’t survived it all and can now look forward to grandparenthood with a small amount of glee! Nothing is sacred as the author mercilessly picks at all the scabs that parenthood can dish up. If you’ve been there it’s hilarious, if not …. oops!
The characters, this book is all about the characters and they were just wonderful! So accurate. I’m still leaking empathy all over the place. And don’t think of this as a ‘chick-lit’. I curate my husband’s reading, basically anything that gets 4 or 5 stars goes on his list and this one is going on his list.
I have one small, no two small reservations which is the only reason this doesn’t get the full 5 stars. Firstly - if you don’t like big and/or obscure words and shudder at sentences that may be half a page or even longer with lots of complicated punctuation - you may not enjoy this book (I loved it). Secondly I did think it was a teeny bit long. It could have done with maybe 50 pages less although I don’t know how on earth you would achieve that as it is in diary form and you can’t just skip a month or something equally dramatic. Many, many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher and the author for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
4.5 stars.
January 12, 2022
I'm in no mood for "proper" reading but thought I should try an audiobook to take a break from my incessant playing of the same two albums.
This was another one of those lucky finds when Bianca saw a new audiobook addition to the library overdrive so she downloaded it without reading the blurb or reviews, in the hope that it will be good enough to take her away for a few hours from her musical obsession - (an endeavour strongly encouraged by the members of her family. :-)) Bianca will now stop referring to herself in the third person as she's not a sociopath. :-)
Are We Having Fun Yet managed to be extremely relatable but also so damn funny, there were times I laughed with tears. I cry easily, rage even easier, I don't think I'm easily amused. So, it's no surprise that if someone/something makes me laugh, I'll go ga-ga over the author/book.
The story is well known - a middle-class family with primary school-aged kids; busy lives; working mum dealing with a million work and domestic issues and dramas. The devil is in the details. This short novel had lots of good things going for it: a realistic depiction of a contemporary middle-class urban family, written with wit and a great dose of humour. The pacing was fast and the novel never lost steam.
Lucy Mangan is not only an excellent writer, but she's also a brilliant narrator.
I need more serendipitous finds like this.
This was another one of those lucky finds when Bianca saw a new audiobook addition to the library overdrive so she downloaded it without reading the blurb or reviews, in the hope that it will be good enough to take her away for a few hours from her musical obsession - (an endeavour strongly encouraged by the members of her family. :-)) Bianca will now stop referring to herself in the third person as she's not a sociopath. :-)
Are We Having Fun Yet managed to be extremely relatable but also so damn funny, there were times I laughed with tears. I cry easily, rage even easier, I don't think I'm easily amused. So, it's no surprise that if someone/something makes me laugh, I'll go ga-ga over the author/book.
The story is well known - a middle-class family with primary school-aged kids; busy lives; working mum dealing with a million work and domestic issues and dramas. The devil is in the details. This short novel had lots of good things going for it: a realistic depiction of a contemporary middle-class urban family, written with wit and a great dose of humour. The pacing was fast and the novel never lost steam.
Lucy Mangan is not only an excellent writer, but she's also a brilliant narrator.
I need more serendipitous finds like this.
November 2, 2021
I love Lucy Mangan's writing for The Guardian, so was quick to request her first work of fiction despite the subject matter. A sort of Bridget Jones' Diary for elder millenials, 'Are We Having Fun Yet?' charts a year in the life of a working mother to young children and wife to a useless husband who talks like something out of Regency Britain and is apparently a successful barrister yet is incapable of Googling "how to deal with threadworms". If that describes your situation, you'll laugh, cry and rage at this book, which is warmly and wittily written, with (other than the ridiculous husband) really well-drawn, engaging characters. If it doesn't? You'll find yourself struggling with the fact that there is LITERALLY NO PLOT. Everybody is pretty comfortable and extremely ordinary. It's... nice. But it doesn't feel like a novel.
Unlike other books I've read recently featuring an ensemble cast of Women Of My Age, Lucy has at least included a Glamorous, Jet-Setting and Completely Unrealistic Childfree Character for the Rest of Us, in the form of narrator Liz's younger sister - and, while it would have completely taken away from the point of the book, which is going to go down extremely well with its target audience, I really could have done with reading more from her. As it is, I got however many days of Liz complaining about her miserable existence, but with that underlying air of smugness about there being no better life that rubs non-parents up the wrong way. For example, there's a scene where Liz and all her mum pals check themselves into a hotel without children and husbands for the weekend, and dream about what it would be like to not have them. I actually read it... while checked into a hotel for a couple of days. It was even BETTER than the ladies described, because I didn't have to spend the whole time catching up on sleep. And yet, it's *my* choices that are strange and unusual?? *ME* that will never know love like it?? Okay, the second part is probably true but I already had it as a 100% worthy trade before I read this book and now I'm at at least 350%.
Maybe it's that all my favourite podcasts coincidentally ran deep-dives on the concept of "weaponised incompetence" just as I was starting this book. Maybe it's that I was raised by a working mother who was the breadwinner, and who treated PTAs and dress-up days and school disco volunteer drives and the urge to compete with the stay-at-home Savannahs who can afford their own cleaners of this world with the contempt that they deserve (admittedly I also did not grow up in an aspirational middle-class enclave and there were no stay-at-home Savannahs who could afford their own cleaners, HOW IS THIS A REAL PROBLEM). But it's okay to say no. To co-parents who sleep through breakfast duty when you BOTH have work to get to. To children who refuse to write their own Christmas cards. To rich bitch SAHMs who sneer at screen time and expect you to bake for the Christmas fayre. And, yes, even to reproducing. If that's the life you want to live.
If you DO have young children, please ignore this review and follow the five-star ones.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, I am truly sorry.
Unlike other books I've read recently featuring an ensemble cast of Women Of My Age, Lucy has at least included a Glamorous, Jet-Setting and Completely Unrealistic Childfree Character for the Rest of Us, in the form of narrator Liz's younger sister - and, while it would have completely taken away from the point of the book, which is going to go down extremely well with its target audience, I really could have done with reading more from her. As it is, I got however many days of Liz complaining about her miserable existence, but with that underlying air of smugness about there being no better life that rubs non-parents up the wrong way. For example, there's a scene where Liz and all her mum pals check themselves into a hotel without children and husbands for the weekend, and dream about what it would be like to not have them. I actually read it... while checked into a hotel for a couple of days. It was even BETTER than the ladies described, because I didn't have to spend the whole time catching up on sleep. And yet, it's *my* choices that are strange and unusual?? *ME* that will never know love like it?? Okay, the second part is probably true but I already had it as a 100% worthy trade before I read this book and now I'm at at least 350%.
Maybe it's that all my favourite podcasts coincidentally ran deep-dives on the concept of "weaponised incompetence" just as I was starting this book. Maybe it's that I was raised by a working mother who was the breadwinner, and who treated PTAs and dress-up days and school disco volunteer drives and the urge to compete with the stay-at-home Savannahs who can afford their own cleaners of this world with the contempt that they deserve (admittedly I also did not grow up in an aspirational middle-class enclave and there were no stay-at-home Savannahs who could afford their own cleaners, HOW IS THIS A REAL PROBLEM). But it's okay to say no. To co-parents who sleep through breakfast duty when you BOTH have work to get to. To children who refuse to write their own Christmas cards. To rich bitch SAHMs who sneer at screen time and expect you to bake for the Christmas fayre. And, yes, even to reproducing. If that's the life you want to live.
If you DO have young children, please ignore this review and follow the five-star ones.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, I am truly sorry.
January 10, 2022
⭐️ 2.5 ⭐️
Are We Having Fun Yet was an extremely mixed bag for me.
Written as daily diary entries spanning a year; it tells the story of Liz and her family. Once I realised that there’s absolutely no plot, I found it easier to read.
The book is well written, but at times I did find it disjointed and repetitive. The characters are well developed, particularly the children - I did laugh out loud at some of their conversations. Liz came across as quite whiny (and ungrateful); none of it resonated with me and I found it hard to have any sympathy for her, or the complaints about her privileged, middle class lifestyle.
I’ve read some rave reviews for this one, so I’m definitely in the minority - unfortunately not for me.
Many thanks to Tandem and the publisher for my copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Are We Having Fun Yet was an extremely mixed bag for me.
Written as daily diary entries spanning a year; it tells the story of Liz and her family. Once I realised that there’s absolutely no plot, I found it easier to read.
The book is well written, but at times I did find it disjointed and repetitive. The characters are well developed, particularly the children - I did laugh out loud at some of their conversations. Liz came across as quite whiny (and ungrateful); none of it resonated with me and I found it hard to have any sympathy for her, or the complaints about her privileged, middle class lifestyle.
I’ve read some rave reviews for this one, so I’m definitely in the minority - unfortunately not for me.
Many thanks to Tandem and the publisher for my copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 5, 2021
It's quite a while since a book has made me laugh out loud, but this did. It's also quite a while since my children were little but, judging from this diary of a young mum, not a lot has changed. Lucy Mangan's characters are wonderfully brought to life - I particularly liked the feisty Evie and her adamant refusal to dress up in costume (I would love to read about her as a teenager!) Nothing much happens, large quantities of prosecco are drunk, the relationships are all entirely credible and it's a really jolly read. Lucy Mangan's writing has a true comic touch and she is adept at spotting the humour in daily life. Great stuff!
March 10, 2022
OK!
It's exactly what I have to say about this one... Just an ok read.
I really liked the way that we see Liz (the main character) telling of her life: How it actually is to be married, having childrens (that aren't perfects) and having to work at the same time; how a mother and a wife struggle to mantain all in order (are "order" a thing?)
But I wished to have more, something more that aren't about these topics, or even drama and plot twists, cause have times that the read had became really boring.
➛ 3,5 stars
It's exactly what I have to say about this one... Just an ok read.
I really liked the way that we see Liz (the main character) telling of her life: How it actually is to be married, having childrens (that aren't perfects) and having to work at the same time; how a mother and a wife struggle to mantain all in order (are "order" a thing?)
But I wished to have more, something more that aren't about these topics, or even drama and plot twists, cause have times that the read had became really boring.
➛ 3,5 stars
December 22, 2021
It’s really about nothing I live: Liz talks about her two kids, husband, friends and family throughout the year. But it’s so funny! I really laughed out loud several times, which was a delicious surprise.
July 23, 2021
If anyone is looking to find out more about life as a mum of two, wife to one, whilst working alongside all of the kids/life/friends/house/admin/extended family/husband goings on, then this is the book for you!
Liz, 39 and married to Richard with a small son and daughter between them, keeps a diary for a year that is laugh out loud, winceable, true to life and engaging throughout. Liz is carefully navigating that life of wife and mother and daughter and friend and colleague and sister, all at the same time, in a scenario that will be very familiar to women in their 30s and 40s.
I sat and read this one hot summer’s day whilst my own son and daughter played in the garden so I have to admit to finding so much of Liz’s life to be completely relatable and entertaining. One not to miss.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.
Liz, 39 and married to Richard with a small son and daughter between them, keeps a diary for a year that is laugh out loud, winceable, true to life and engaging throughout. Liz is carefully navigating that life of wife and mother and daughter and friend and colleague and sister, all at the same time, in a scenario that will be very familiar to women in their 30s and 40s.
I sat and read this one hot summer’s day whilst my own son and daughter played in the garden so I have to admit to finding so much of Liz’s life to be completely relatable and entertaining. One not to miss.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.
August 7, 2022
I couldn’t work out how to rate this because it was really funny and I liked the main character, but literally nothing happens. There’s no central conflict or issue to resolve, it’s just a straight forward year in the life of a mother… I can’t help thinking something more interesting needed to happen too, or for one of the side characters to be more involved. I listened to the audio which is narrated by the author and I didn’t quite think it worked. I can’t work out if it’s 2.5 or 3. Hmm.
January 22, 2022
*5 stars* Reading this book reminded me of hanging out with one of my fave friends 💕
You know that friend who is observant, perceptive and brave enough to talk about what we’re all feeling, and talented in helping us find the funny side of life?
That sort of friend is a treasure, and so is this book. Let them warm your heart and make you laugh 💖🤣
You know that friend who is observant, perceptive and brave enough to talk about what we’re all feeling, and talented in helping us find the funny side of life?
That sort of friend is a treasure, and so is this book. Let them warm your heart and make you laugh 💖🤣
October 31, 2021
I haven’t read lots of chick-lit this year, but I’m glad I chose to try Mangan’s book. Light, fun and entertaining. As a mother it felt refreshing to read about all the small challenges a family faces in this modern age.
March 15, 2022
Inspired by The Diary of a Provincial Lady (a book that I loved), this is the fictional diary of a harassed wife and mother of two young children. It takes place over the course of a year and focuses on the juggling act that is family, parents, neighbours, school and work.
It's often very funny. You can pretty much open the book to any page and find something that will make you laugh or at least smile in recognition. But while a continuous stream of jokes works brilliantly in small doses, it gets tiresome over the course of a book. There is no plot, just a stream of life events.
I think the mistake that I made was to read this as I would read any other book, whereas it screams out to be the book on the side, the one that you read a bit at a time and then put down. Everytime I picked it up, I really enjoyed the first few pages and then started to get disillusioned by the fact that it wasn't going anywhere. The narrator seemed to get unreasonably irritated by her husband who sounded quite lovely to me, and the children felt older than they were meant to be (particularly 5 year old Evie).
This would have been hilarious as a weekly newspaper column, but as a novel it didn't quite work.
It's often very funny. You can pretty much open the book to any page and find something that will make you laugh or at least smile in recognition. But while a continuous stream of jokes works brilliantly in small doses, it gets tiresome over the course of a book. There is no plot, just a stream of life events.
I think the mistake that I made was to read this as I would read any other book, whereas it screams out to be the book on the side, the one that you read a bit at a time and then put down. Everytime I picked it up, I really enjoyed the first few pages and then started to get disillusioned by the fact that it wasn't going anywhere. The narrator seemed to get unreasonably irritated by her husband who sounded quite lovely to me, and the children felt older than they were meant to be (particularly 5 year old Evie).
This would have been hilarious as a weekly newspaper column, but as a novel it didn't quite work.
January 10, 2026
Perfect for fans of Motherland (the TV show). It’s perhaps a bit more mellow, but it’s a soothing, light, and funny (audio)book. If you liked Lucy Mangan’s bookish memoirs, you’ll find the tone quite similar, which is a nice bonus. I do tend, however, to enjoy almost any humorous fictional diary or memoir written by British women, from E. M. Delafield’s The Diary of a Provincial Lady onwards. Also, there’s no need to be a parent to enjoy this book.
February 14, 2022
Very funny, enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
January 13, 2022
This book is very well written, don't get me wrong – Lucy Mangan is an author that can spin something to read out of the most mundane activity. Some parts were even funny, but I found the rest to be 320 pages straight of complaining. Every time I put this down, I dreaded picking it back up again anticipating to read Liz whining about another facet of her life that she overanalyzed, but I kept going hoping that something would happen.
Nothing happens. She's just as miserable in the end as she was in the beginning. Sorry, no changes.
This book might not be for meant for me. There's an elder millennial sense of humor ringing throughout – scenes that linger for comedic effect felt like familiar jokes I've seen once or twice on Facebook already. If you're a harried mother that can't seem to catch a break like Liz, you might find catharsis here. Otherwise, this book will just bring you down - similar to how it feels hanging out with a friend who complains about their life the whole time and never asks you how you are.
Nothing happens. She's just as miserable in the end as she was in the beginning. Sorry, no changes.
This book might not be for meant for me. There's an elder millennial sense of humor ringing throughout – scenes that linger for comedic effect felt like familiar jokes I've seen once or twice on Facebook already. If you're a harried mother that can't seem to catch a break like Liz, you might find catharsis here. Otherwise, this book will just bring you down - similar to how it feels hanging out with a friend who complains about their life the whole time and never asks you how you are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
on-my-shelf
December 27, 2025Really could not relate to this book at all, didn't find it funny hence the 1 star review.
April 14, 2023
I'm not gonna lie. This book had me in absolute stitches. This is proper British humour at its finest: giving a strong side-eye to the wonders and horrors of being a parent. To the calamitous entities known as children. To just wanting to protect them in a bubble forever: but also wanting to drop them off on the side of the road within the very same breath.
This is the story of a harried mother just tryin to make it through her day to day with son (Thomas) and sociopathically-tendencied-daughter (Evie).
Their normal children generally play on the scrubby bit of grass in front of the playground fence, falling over each other like a mass of puppies in racing-green sweatshirts. Evie regards them with disdain, Thomas with envy and fear. He has inherited a double dose of physical ineptitude from his parents and knows he would be killed if he joined in.
Sometimes the help of fellow mother friends were in order--described, delightfully, as the coven.
Fiona, Céline and I head to Nadia’s house ... to drink and vent. As, I suspect, has been the main purpose of coven meetings throughout history. The only difference now is that we return home to husbands eager to tell us the heroic story of how they put the children to bed on their own instead of burning us at the stake.
And then of course, there is the husband.
The marital ‘we’ is one of the most cherished aspects of our life together. It’s the opposite of the royal ‘we’. The Queen’s means ‘I’. Richard’s means ‘You’. ‘You need to find out what’s wrong with the dishwasher’; ‘You need to keep this place tidier’; ‘You need to [insert any tedious, repetitive, unrewarding chore here].’ Me finds it wearing.
Listening to this on audiobook had me actually guffawing out loud. I would recommend this to anyone, even if you're childfree--it's just that funny. Bravo, Lucy Mangan, what a star you are!
This is the story of a harried mother just tryin to make it through her day to day with son (Thomas) and sociopathically-tendencied-daughter (Evie).
Their normal children generally play on the scrubby bit of grass in front of the playground fence, falling over each other like a mass of puppies in racing-green sweatshirts. Evie regards them with disdain, Thomas with envy and fear. He has inherited a double dose of physical ineptitude from his parents and knows he would be killed if he joined in.
Sometimes the help of fellow mother friends were in order--described, delightfully, as the coven.
Fiona, Céline and I head to Nadia’s house ... to drink and vent. As, I suspect, has been the main purpose of coven meetings throughout history. The only difference now is that we return home to husbands eager to tell us the heroic story of how they put the children to bed on their own instead of burning us at the stake.
And then of course, there is the husband.
The marital ‘we’ is one of the most cherished aspects of our life together. It’s the opposite of the royal ‘we’. The Queen’s means ‘I’. Richard’s means ‘You’. ‘You need to find out what’s wrong with the dishwasher’; ‘You need to keep this place tidier’; ‘You need to [insert any tedious, repetitive, unrewarding chore here].’ Me finds it wearing.
Listening to this on audiobook had me actually guffawing out loud. I would recommend this to anyone, even if you're childfree--it's just that funny. Bravo, Lucy Mangan, what a star you are!
September 30, 2022
I’ve read quite a few fictional ‘mummy diaries’ and this one was by far my favourite!
There are no big events here, no life-changing decisions or family disasters – no plot at all really! Just the daily dramas of ordinary life with children, friends, family and partner, told in a witty and very relatable way.
Some of the moments were interestingly realistic to me as a reader, with some bad decisions having painful consequences but others being ‘let slide’ in the name of family harmony. I’m sure we have all known someone who has forgiven their partner’s mistakes in order to keep the status quo, and yet we rarely see that in fiction, where erring partners must be jettisoned immediately (and often replaced with improved versions before the book ends).
I totally lived this year in Liz’s life right alongside her, and wasn’t ready to stop reading when it finished. In fact, I already owned Bookworm and have added everything else Lucy Mangan has written to my wish list now on the strength of those two – very different, equally excellent – reads. Plot or not, her style of writing really resonates with me and her stories thoroughly engage me.
There are no big events here, no life-changing decisions or family disasters – no plot at all really! Just the daily dramas of ordinary life with children, friends, family and partner, told in a witty and very relatable way.
Some of the moments were interestingly realistic to me as a reader, with some bad decisions having painful consequences but others being ‘let slide’ in the name of family harmony. I’m sure we have all known someone who has forgiven their partner’s mistakes in order to keep the status quo, and yet we rarely see that in fiction, where erring partners must be jettisoned immediately (and often replaced with improved versions before the book ends).
I totally lived this year in Liz’s life right alongside her, and wasn’t ready to stop reading when it finished. In fact, I already owned Bookworm and have added everything else Lucy Mangan has written to my wish list now on the strength of those two – very different, equally excellent – reads. Plot or not, her style of writing really resonates with me and her stories thoroughly engage me.
September 21, 2021
'Are We Having Fun Yet?' was exactly what I'd hoped it would be. Through the diary entries of mother Liz, the reader is given an insight into 21st century family-life. I quickly fell in love with Liz's husband Richard, who is a loving father, but has his head in the clouds. Adorable, introverted son Thomas, who has the biggest heart of them all. And little evil genius daughter Evie, who has the best lines, and the weirdest and funniest insights.
Lucy Mangan's writing style is wonderful. The book is witty, quick, relatable and laugh out loud funny. Seriously, it has been so long since a book had me laughing out loud on many, many occasions. I am not a mother myself, but found the book super relatable nonetheless. Lucy did an amazing job bringing this unique and hilarious family to life. I really hope we get a part two, I felt like I could continue reading this diary forever.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy Mangan's writing style is wonderful. The book is witty, quick, relatable and laugh out loud funny. Seriously, it has been so long since a book had me laughing out loud on many, many occasions. I am not a mother myself, but found the book super relatable nonetheless. Lucy did an amazing job bringing this unique and hilarious family to life. I really hope we get a part two, I felt like I could continue reading this diary forever.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2022
Very much in need of a light read, I started this book and read it in a day, assisted by a long train journey. The story of Liz and her husband Richard and 2 children; Thomas the sensitive 7 year old and Evie the robust 5 year old, told in diary form, over the course of a year. At times it feels relentless, just as looking after children can absolutely feel. Lots to relate for parents, how the simplest of tasks because almost herculean, when children are involved. I could relate less to the women moaning about their useless men, although this did get funnier as the book progressed. I also laughed out loud several times whilst reading this, so job done!
With thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2023
im mad i didnt enjoy this as much as i wanted to! i thought the dialogue was funny, the writing good, a nice main character who didnt drain my emotional bandwidth, and still i did not really enjoy this. figured out why pretty quickly: NOTHING HAPPENS!!! we spend a year with this woman and NOTHING HAPPENS. i kept waiting for a change or something subtle that would either happen in the life of the MC or that would subtly change her view on the world. no. nothing. im giving this three stars because i really enjoyed the way this was written but higher than that i just cant do because i was infuriated as i finished the book because OH MY GOD NOTHING HAPPENED
(thank u sophie for lending this to me tho sorry for my infuriating review KKDBDJDH)
(thank u sophie for lending this to me tho sorry for my infuriating review KKDBDJDH)
Read
January 2, 2022"The marital 'we' is one of the most cherished aspects of our life. It's the opposite of the royal 'we'. The Queen's means 'I'. Richard means 'You'. 'You need to find out what's wrong with the dishwasher'; 'You need to keep this place tidier'; 'You need to [insert any tedious, repetitive, unrewarding chore here].'
Me finds it wearing."
"She waves vaguely at me, her firstborn, who is but an indistinct non-grandchildshaped blur to her these days."
Stundvis väldigt rolig och on point, men hade kanske önskat ännu fler skratta högt-ställen, och liiite mindre negativitet. Själv är man ju då förstås en enda ray of sunshine :P.
Men riktigt lämplig chick lit-ish för typ mammor med små-/skolbarn!
Me finds it wearing."
"She waves vaguely at me, her firstborn, who is but an indistinct non-grandchildshaped blur to her these days."
Stundvis väldigt rolig och on point, men hade kanske önskat ännu fler skratta högt-ställen, och liiite mindre negativitet. Själv är man ju då förstås en enda ray of sunshine :P.
Men riktigt lämplig chick lit-ish för typ mammor med små-/skolbarn!
May 13, 2022
Some books don’t really need a review: you just open the book at random, read a paragraph or so, and apologize to the bookstore clerk for the howl of laughter that just escaped. Here’s Lucy Mangan’s Are We Having Fun Yet, dropping seven-year-olds off at school after Christmas holidays.
“Well,” says David resignedly, “Best be off then.” He trudges towards the maelstrom of running, screaming children, contempt for the whole set-up radiating almost invisible from him.
“He seems glad to be back,” I say.
“I literally had to drag him out of bed this morning,” says Fiona. “He kept shouting, “I’ve learned enough! I’ve learned enough!”
“Well,” says David resignedly, “Best be off then.” He trudges towards the maelstrom of running, screaming children, contempt for the whole set-up radiating almost invisible from him.
“He seems glad to be back,” I say.
“I literally had to drag him out of bed this morning,” says Fiona. “He kept shouting, “I’ve learned enough! I’ve learned enough!”
May 3, 2022
Goes between being very, very, funny then brutally, painfully, true about life with primary school aged children and a not-entirely-competent (though better than most) husband. Like Liz, I long to be left alone with a good book and a cup of tea, and no one asking me for anything. That would be the dream!
April 22, 2022
(listened to via audiobook). oh this was just so much fun to listen to, I found myself laughing out loud because it was so funny and I loved how the portrayal of parenting was so realistic. overall was just a fun read, won't stick with me but it was good!
October 6, 2023
This author obviously hates being a mum and a wife, the character just complains about her life the whole way through and nothing actually happens.
Took me so long to get through, definitely not a fan of this book, wanted to try a different genre and it didn't end well
Took me so long to get through, definitely not a fan of this book, wanted to try a different genre and it didn't end well
December 12, 2023
A bit of an unfair stat rating as I did enjoy this book and could relate to a lot in it. It made me chuckle (not laugh out load or shake in bed laughing as the blurb said) but I did find myself wondering where it was going.
Then at the end I realised it’s about life… and as another year comes to an end we have all grown up a bit more, like it or not. Thanks for the reflections.
Then at the end I realised it’s about life… and as another year comes to an end we have all grown up a bit more, like it or not. Thanks for the reflections.
August 15, 2025
Been quite a while since I really didn’t want a book to end. Hilariously funny and very relatable year long diary of a mum with two kids and a loving but typically undomesticated husband. Laugh out loud funny.
October 19, 2021
Funny.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews