Sue Townsend

Advantages: It will brighten up your day without a doubt. You'll never look at the Queen mum in the same way again. You can just imagine her in her council bungalow, savings 50ps for the gas meter.
Disadvantages: The poor ending. It actually seems as if Townsend had ran out of time at the end and just think of something at the last minute.

...First of all, I love Sue Townsend. She has the sharpest wit I have ever came accross, and has had the world in stiches for over 25 years. The Queen and I is a fab example of her clever and observational work, but with one fatal let down. Not trying to give the ending away, when I was at school my English teacher forever told me not to end a good story in the way Townsend did in this book. Now I can understand why he said that. But the rest of the plot is blinding - who would of thought to base a book on something most other people would find boring. To cut a longish story short, a new political party sweeps to power after TV makers brainwashed the country into voting for the anti-monachy party. The Queen is thrown out the 1st day in power, with the brainwashed public screaming for joy. The goverment immediatly make public transport... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Easy-peasy to read, makes you laugh out loud on buses and other public places!
Disadvantages: Bath water goes cold if you read it in the bath, the book ends!

...As a child of 7 onwards i was an avid reader, still am, but the books you would find on my bookshelf were the odd beano and dandy, enid blyton, mr. meddles muddles and a very well thumbed copy of The secret diary of Adrian mole aged 13 3/4. It was the book you read when you were off school with tonsilitis or if you feigned a tummy ache cos it was a maths test. In those days if you were off school you were up in your room...all day...to come out only for toilet breaks or to release the cat so Sue Townsends book was a relief to say the least! Sue Townsend really does write the books well, she is a grown woman writing about a teenage boy, god, she really did do well if you think about it, she had to deal with writing about his puberty, it's hard enough understanding going through it as a girl but to imagine being a boy really... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: see op
Disadvantages: see op

...In the hard-fought battle to be the most famous woman from Leicester, I would say it is a straight fight between Adrian Mole creator Sue Townsend and diet and fitness guru Rosemary Conley. (Engelbert Humperdinck's wife and Gary Lineker's mum are a poor joint third). The fairest way to settle the issue once and for all is for the two women to have a scrap in Leicester's Town Hall Square, an occasion that I would gladly pay to witness. My money would be on Rosemary's dieted hips and thighs winning the day. Sue Townsend is definitely the better writer of the two. Ghost Children is one of her lesser known books, and does not feature Adrian Mole in any shape or form. The Adrian Mole books are funny reads edged with sadness. In Ghost Children there are still funny moments, but the tone is more serious. The book tells the story... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful