Looking for La La by Ellie Campbell

I was initially drawn to Looking for La La by the front cover, which is spectacular. The book begins, however, with a sort of dedication to mothers and I have to confess that, as a non-mother, my heart sank. I needn’t have worried though as this hilarious romp is not likely to feature on the Mumsnet reading list. From the opening page, I loved the dysfunctional heroine Cathy and her merry band of pals.

This is a story essentially about women and the intense relationships, both the friendship and the rivalry that we enjoy with each other. As I was reading and nodding along with Cathy I realised that, for most of us, our skills at managing relationships don’t really move on from our school days. We carry the same needs and insecurities and it’s this that makes us human and likeable. The main strength of this book is that the characters are believable and real, even the villains are pretty lovable. It’s a warm, engaging tale with barrel loads of humour. There are lots of laugh out loud moments following Cathy as she crashes through her life.

There is a mystery, serving as the backdrop for Cathy’s adventures, which is both intriguing and farcical as it draws in every character, causing Cathy to re-evaluate everything she thinks she knows about herself and the world around her. I don’t think it matters whether you are a mother, wife or even a woman, there is something in this book for everyone and the humour is the glue that holds it all together. I’m not sure what chick-lit is but, if this is it, then I love it!