Lucy Talk - Softcover

Walker, Fiona

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0340771313 ISBN 13: 9780340771310

Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks, 2001

Synopsis

'This morning, a lime-green plastic ghoul fell out of my Honey Puffs cereal packet and I had the most brilliant idea. A Halloween party at Burr Cottage - theme, Come As Your Favourite Creep

"Greg won't need to dress up, then," said Jane.

Jane is understandably jealous of darling Greg, who is a gentleman among boyfriends.'

Meet Lucy Gordon, the sweet, scatty, irresistible heroine of Fiona Walker's delicious new novel. Lucy lives in a Berkshire village with her two friends, Jane and Bella, and works in the marketing department of Widgetex Computers. Her boss - Slave Driver - is a constant bane; her family are lovable eccentrics; her boyfriend, the dishy but fickle Greg, takes shameless advantage of her (Lucy is too good hearted to notice). Throughout two action-packed, fun-filled, disaster-strewn years, Lucy charts an erratic course among this motley crew to her very own happy ending.

About this title

Review:

The chorus of praise for earlier books by Fiona Walker has been enthusiastic: her five previous international best-sellers have had critics and readers tingling with pleasure at the brilliant one-liners, whimsical plotting and larger-than-life characters. Of course, this kind of acclaim sets up certain expectations, but Lucy Talk is likely to do just as much for Walker's reputation as the much-acclaimed Between Males. The publishers promote her as the "voice of young, media-aware women", and the format of this book (it's told entirely in e-mails and letters) is absolutely right for her tale.

Lucy Gordon, Walker's wacky, beguiling heroine is dealing with a demanding boss (known as Slave Driver), her two critical friends (Jane and Bella) and her family of likeable eccentrics. While everyone tries to draw her attention to the fact that her attractive but fickle boyfriend Greg is taking advantage of her, Lucy's sunny nature blinds her to things that are obvious to everyone else. However, various professional and personal difficulties pitch her into a series of disasters and her equilibrium finally starts to get shaken. Will Walker grant her a happy ending?

This is delightful stuff, and while the e-mail novel is no longer such an innovative concept (perhaps it was when Walker started this), it's still brought off very cleverly here. Plus Walker's skill at finding some middle way between the way people really speak and the more witty discourse of the novel is brilliantly deployed:

He cooked me dinner--yes! This is a first. Admittedly it was only a boil-in-the-bag curry while we were watching a video, but I think it's a positive development in the relationship. I now have two jumpers, a toothbrush, a jar of moisturiser and a pair of jogging trainers in permanent residence at his flat. Am planning to sneak more items in without his noticing over next few weeks in the hope that it will subliminally trigger a sense of security and commitment in him. He's off to a stag party tonight, but I'm popping round first to help him on with his caveman outfit...

--Barry Forshaw

Review:

Scatty and very funny. This is a hilarious book which will appeal to anyone who regularly misjudges their love life. Great holiday reading. (Woman's Way, Dublin)

Full of wisecracks and one-liners . . . the touching ending will leave you feeling a little warm inside, even if it is still pouring outside (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

Walker's more inventive than many of her rivals . . . quick wit, sharp tongue and characters you don't want to strangle (The Mirror)

this bubbly offering . . . is the perfect millennium novel (Nuneaton Evening Telegraph)

Likely to do just as much for Fiona Walker's reputation as the much-acclaimed Between Males . . . wacky, beguiling heroine . . . delightful stuff . . . brought off very cleverly here' (Amazon UK)

frothy and fun with a rattling good plot (Oxford Mail)

A fluffy, light and original read to pass on to your mates when you're finished (B Magazine)

All great fun. (Books Magazine)

About this edition

• Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0340771313
• ISBN 13: 9780340771310
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 432