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kirsty's review
4.0
Whimsical and fun, this is the story of a family of girls who make up stories about famous people. These people take on life of their own, so when the girls meet one of these famous people it knocks them for six: can he live up to their stories, what happens when fact gets in the way of fiction and can they conceal their stories from him? Charming.
marilyn1904's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lola425's review
4.0
This book was so funny and quirky. This is the story of a family (all women) who invent relationships with real-life people and integrate them into their own family narrative who then have to deal with the fallout when they actually meet one of these people in real life. This book is filled with memorable characters: three sisters (one of whom you will surely relate to), a mother who plays along, an exasperated governess, and a cantankerous judge and his society wife, and a cast of imaginary friends that will leave you laughing.
littlebitofe's review
2.0
Won this book through First Reads at GoodReads!
Very odd book. I liked the crazy imaginations of the three girls and their mother, but found it hard to follow at times. It wasn't awful, but I certainly did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
Very odd book. I liked the crazy imaginations of the three girls and their mother, but found it hard to follow at times. It wasn't awful, but I certainly did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
neen_mai's review
2.0
Sorry, Ms Ferguson, I am not your fan. This particular book was quite complicated for me. Almost everything flew over my head -- the story, the humour, the characters, the dialogues (especially those in French), etc, etc.
It was a traumatised experience.
It was a traumatised experience.
thenovelbook's review against another edition
1.0
Expected this to be a quirky read, but instead it was downright weird.
the_red_velvet_armchair's review
4.0
So hilarious and clever! For the imaginative reader, girls 13+ and adults. A strange spiritualist sub-plot. I've never read anything like Ferguson!
mishale1's review
3.0
A pretty even mix of sweet and strange.
This is a story about a very offbeat but close knit family.
I think when most people are kids they make up stories about people, maybe some are imaginary and some are real people you see in passing and imagine the lives of. I did this as a little kid sometimes, but not as an adult.
So, that's something you're either going to find charming or odd about these characters.
They are all creative types, oldest sister Deidre is a writer and middle sister Katrine is an actress. They are both in their twenties. They, along with their mother, tell little stories to the youngest, eleven year old Sheil.
Many of their stories are about "Toddy". They kind of see him as a bit of a celebrity. He features in their stories a lot, including fictional phone calls every night.
But one day Deidre actually meets "Toddy". What began as an almost fictionalized character in her life is now a very real man.
When "Toddy" meets the rest of the family, it could unravel their little storybook world or if could enrich it.
This is a story about a very offbeat but close knit family.
I think when most people are kids they make up stories about people, maybe some are imaginary and some are real people you see in passing and imagine the lives of. I did this as a little kid sometimes, but not as an adult.
So, that's something you're either going to find charming or odd about these characters.
They are all creative types, oldest sister Deidre is a writer and middle sister Katrine is an actress. They are both in their twenties. They, along with their mother, tell little stories to the youngest, eleven year old Sheil.
Many of their stories are about "Toddy". They kind of see him as a bit of a celebrity. He features in their stories a lot, including fictional phone calls every night.
But one day Deidre actually meets "Toddy". What began as an almost fictionalized character in her life is now a very real man.
When "Toddy" meets the rest of the family, it could unravel their little storybook world or if could enrich it.
simplyparticular's review against another edition
1.0
A book that was probably charming to it's early 20th century British audience, but the slang and social mores are nearly impossible for this 21st century American to navigate. Cute title that caught my gift giver's attention, but doesn't appear to have anything to do with the book.