Just a Little Disco on an Open Top Bus

by Candy Guard

Welcome to the world of Edie Dudman, girl in a rut, circa 1985. Edie's life would be great if it weren't for the fact that everything always goes a bit wrong. She's the girl whose tights go twisty at the crotch. She's the girl whose mum has bits of crisp permanently glued to her teeth, whose boyfriend is a two-timing bastard and whose rabbit, Flopsie, is always swiping at her nastily with its paw. Still, at least she has a perfect ex-best friend to highlight her flaws even more intensely and a mean old one-legged neighbour to make her life hell. Throw in a dull job selling cream horns at Crustie's the Bakery and appreciate that it's a miracle Edie ever drags herself out of bed in the morning. But Edie needs a sharp kick up the backside - and maybe a sprinkling of good fortune and a Bach Flower Remedy or two - to make it off the Estate and into the Big Wide World.

359 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2006

Reviews

[Bookishly Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best holiday read ever! No its no pride and prejudice, but it is sooooo funny! and lovely little illustrations inside the book too!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just a little disco on top of an open bus is the type of story you read when you need to cleanse your mind.

I started reading this after binging horror movies and reading spicy books.

This isn't either of those genres.

I don't actually know what the story is besides Edie being an indecisive rude early twenty something woman.

There is nothing likeable about Edie.

With having such a character who doesn't know if she's coming or going, it meant reading a story that didn't know if it was coming or going.

Like I said, it's a story you read when you need to find something simple in order to cleanse your palette.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded like a promising read but unfortunately the main character was not all that endearing - at times she was no better than a lazy no-hoper and I, personally, felt I wanted to give her a slap and tell her to get a grip. Nevertheless there are some funny and poignant moments which make you continue reading and it is an easy going read - I read it over a wet weekend indoors. I think if you are a fan of chick-lit (which I am not mad for) then you will like it better than I did.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This title & cover really caught my eye & I thought it would be good fun - & in 1982 I was 20 as well, should be made for me right? Wrong! Sadly I was left unimpressed with Edie, her on-off boyfriend Steve & the other crazies in her life. It tried too hard to be funny...&, in my opinion, mostly failed.

[Zara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy book to read but didn't really go anywhere

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Part the way through Chapter 4, I gave up on this book.

[Holly York · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up a third of the way through, found the main character anything but endearing. Nice book cover

[Silvania Rusdianto · Rating 4 out of 5]

i don't fit with imagination of the story, tbh :"

[Juliet Rudman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because I found it in my house, I think my friend had been given it for free by a charity shop that was desperately trying to get rid of some of there less popular books (they also got The Game and a leaflet about pasta from 1986... got to love Poverty Aid). I tend to read paperback books in the shower as it takes a lot of time to wash my hair and I get bored easily.

Anyway, I have given it a 3 because it does what it sets out to, its a book thats easy to read. In comparison to some other books I've rated as a 3 I think its probably higher than it deserves. Its very much the novelistic equivilent of watching a film like 17 Again or Two Night Stand.

The book is about a rather pathetic 21 year old living in the 1980s and trying to decide what to do with her life. Its a bit off putting if you recognise part of yourself in her, but its vaguely funny and it passes the time.

[Lyndal Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird book for me to read as I am only 16 and living in 2015 whereas Edie is in her 20s and living in the 1980s. Someone you would think I wouldn't be able to relate to even a little bit and I managed to find things about her that I realize that I am or do. I can't say that our love lives match up but personality wise I think we're alike. About the book itself I think it's nicely written, chapters are short and sweet. It's quite a mature read, i'm surprised I got through it let alone relate to the main character.

[Adlynnz · Rating 1 out of 5]

maybe it's because i'm over 20. or maybe it's because i don't live in the uk. maybe it's because i was at a borders sale and had only half an hour to grab as many nice-looking books as i could. i'm trying to stick to my policy of "must finish reading before starting a new one" but i can't seem to go past a page every night. i'll bravely read on as i put this up on sale and hopefully someone gets it in the meantime.

[Karschtl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edie has a really weird life and lifestyle. One I couldn't really relate to, maybe I'm from a different country and were born a bit later. So maybe this is a better read for someone British, who was in her Twenties in the early 80s.
Nevertheless it was an ok book.

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this one in a bargain bin and was in the mood for a mindless read -- but this one fit the description a little too well. I couldn't bring myself to spend even another hour to finish it.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up when I was in Dublin because I loved reading local authors and it was a good read in the chick lit category.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing novel that had me laughing out loud at times. Kept my attention well and was enjoyable to read.

[Isis Gmd · Rating 1 out of 5]

J'ai pas tout compris parce que je l'ai lu en anglais, mais bon elle m'a énervée a faire que se plaindre et a sortir avec la version blanche de Bob Marley la!