Lad Lit (Whatever Makes You Happy - William Sutcliffe)

Member Name: MALU

Product:	Whatever Makes You Happy - William Sutcliffe
Date:	25/09/09 (108 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good story, good characters, easy read

Disadvantages: none

Gillian, Helen and Carol have been friends since their sons played together as toddlers which was more than thirty years ago. The topic they discuss most often during their monthly meetings are their grown-up sons who seem to have forgotten them. The mothers don't know how they live, what they think and, above all, why there are no grandchildren.

When another Mother's Day comes and goes without even a card, they hatch a plan. They're going to descend on their sons unannounced and stay with them for a week during which they're going to find out what kind of men their boys have turned into. They won't be chucked out by their own flesh and blood, will they?

What the three mothers learn during the week is the content of the novel.

Carol has known for some time that her son Matt works for the lad mag BALLS! But up to now she's never had a look at it. When she does, she can't believe her eyes. He's become one of London's superficial IN types, spends his money on games and gadgets and beds underage, sleep-around clones of fashion models. He's a grown-up but hasn't grown up yet.

Helen has always been sure subconsciously that her son Paul is gay but she suffers that he's never come out to her. She discovers him in a gay commune and a secret about him that she never knew could exist at all.

Gillian has to drive to Edinburgh where her son Daniel has fled in order to get over his one and only love who he lost because he couldn't commit. Now he's depressed and ready to suffer for the rest of his life. His mother is not ready to see him wallowing in self-pity.

The mothers aren't under the delusion that they can change their sons in one week, however, they come up with some sly ideas which they stubbornly present to their sons, they hope they can plant seeds into their minds, so-to-speak, hoping they'll thrive when they've left.

Chick lit is written by women about women for women; Whatever Makes You Happy is written by a man about men for men, so do we have a specimen of lad lit here? Yes and no or rather yes, but not only. Firstly, the novel doesn't follow the typical pattern of chick lit novels, namely one woman, two men, which one is Mr Right? Secondly, it's nearly as much about the mothers as it is about the sons. Flashbacks inform us why the mothers react in the way they do or why they're able to give a specific advice. In the end the week has done something for the sons as well as for the mothers. And, surprise, surprise, one of them returns home as a grandmother, a real one, not a grandmother-to-be!

The three threads run parallel, they're not interwined, we read about Carol and Matt, then about Helen and Paul and then about Gillian and David. When we're through, the next round follows the protagonists in the same way. This isn't puzzling in any way, it's easy to follow the different stories and it isn't boring, either. The meeting of the three women at the beginning and a résumé at the end serve as a frame.

The book is easy to read, the language isn't complicated. Humorous incidents and emotional ones make for touching reading. What strikes me is how sensitively William Sutcliffe describes the characters, the mothers as well as their adult sons. They all come over as realistic people.

I don't remember why I ordered this book, the cover is boring and the title is also uninspiring. I'm glad I did, though, I like it very much and can only recommend the read - for young men who may find themselves in it and mothers with similar problems alike.

The author was new to me, from research on the net I've learnt that he's written some novels following the progress of his generation as they cope with the ordinary problems of everyday life. He was born in 1971 and has obviously watched and listened to his coevals attentively. He's married to the novelist Maggie O'Farrell. Whereas I couldn't read more than about thirty pages of one of her novels, I'm going to read also the other novels William Sutcliffe has written. He thanks his wife at the end of the book, but maybe he should teach her how to write readable novels.

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Bloomsbury
304 pages
RRP 10.99 GBP

Summary: Three mothers get to know their grown-up sons.