Man at the Helm

Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe Summary: From the writer of the hugely acclaimed Love, Nina comes a sharply funny debut novel about a gloriously eccentric family. Soon after her parents' separation, nine-year-old Lizzie Vogel moves with her siblings and newly single mother to a tiny village in the English countryside, where the new neighbors are horrified by their unorthodox ways and fatherless household. Lizzie's theatrical mother only invites more gossip by spending her days drinking whiskey, popping pills, and writing plays. The one way to fit in, the children decide, will be to find themselves a new man at the helm. The first novel from a remarkably gifted writer with a voice all her own, MAN AT THE HELM is a hilarious and occasionally heart-breaking portrait of childhood in an unconventional family. Angie's Comments: Lizzie is an interesting narrator who can sound like an adult at times, but is ultimately a child who wants the best for her mother. The mother has a lot of issues, and it is fascinating to see the mother through Lizzie’s eyes. The book is funny, but once you step back from it, you realize that there were many dysfunctional issues with Lizzie’s family, especially the mother and father. I wanted for the mother to get some sense and I wanted to hug Lizzie, but Lizzie would have thought that I was being odd and making too much of a big deal. Recommended for readers who like literary fiction.    Request this item