The Talk of Pram Town by Joanna Nadin

The story of the Earnshaw/Holiday family. 

The story follows the three generations of the Earnshaw family. 

Jean, grandmother/mother. Extremely snobby, very prim. estranged from daughter ...

Connie, daughter/mother. Connie dies right at the beginning of the book but the story of her growing up is told in flashbacks. Pushing against her boring mother, trying to escape until she finally runs away after finding out that she is pregnant with...

Sadie, daughter/granddaughter. Adored by her mother, Connie, forced to go and live with her grandparents when she dies. Determined to find out who her father is.

There's a lot of emotion in this book but, strangely, very little of it is grief. It's sort of there, underlying, but this isn't a book about dealing with death. It's about dealing with relationships and expectations and disappointment. A lot of disappointment. But then coming to terms with difficult truths and realities and regrets. 

But it's funny. I mean, not laugh a minute and not all the way through but Sadie is adorable and innocent and comes out with some unintentional laugh out loud moments. Looking up rude words in the dictionary, for example. And her friend Nirmal adds a comical touch and her nemesis, Olive Watkins, whose utter vileness and percieved superiority is very entertaining. You even find yourself laughing at some of Jean's discomfort with Sadie's sheer northernness and lack of filter. Not all the time, not at all, but enough to give the book a lighthearted warmth.

Also special mention to the Grandad who totally loveable throughout. I just want to hug him and say thank you!

The ending is on show with neon lights and arrows (think Beetlejuice's grave) from early on but that's not a bad thing. You can't wait to get to it. I was mildly disappointed at ... (spoiler-ish coming - I'll put it at the end)....*

It's one of those character driven books that you totally fall in love with and wish you could stay the family as a fly on the wall forever.

*.... the lack of confrontation. Quite frankly I wanted public reveal and widespread shaming but you never really get that satisfaction.