Do thirty-something men need their mothers more than ever?

I found Sutcliffe’s novel very easy to read, skipping through it in a day. I particularly enjoyed the way Matt, the features editor of a lad’s magazine, was depicted. The scenes where his mother gate-crashes a launch party he’s at, bosses him around in his warehouse flat, sets him up with a girl are funny, if a little stereotypical: she’s definitely a version of Hyacinth Bouquet, and his your average laddish shirker, superficial and always eyeing the main chance. I was never fully convinced by the story of Paul’s mother visiting him and finding out he’s gay, but has a child with two lesbians. Mind you, the most emotional scene in the book is the one where the grandmother insists upon seeing her grandchild: this scene genuinely made me think about the implications of sperm donation.

Overall, a diverting read, but there are flaws in the book.

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