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Our Precious Lulu
The final straw in the ongoing rivalry between Geraldine and her stepsister comes when Lulu gloatingly gets herself pregnant, much to the silent horror of Geraldine who’s been trying to do the same for five years. Anne Fine’s spiky, funny and utterly readable novel of revenge mercilessly dissects family life.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Anne Fine
397 books297 followersThough readers often find themselves inadvertently laughing aloud as they read Anne Fine's novels, as she herself admits, "a lot of my work, even for fairly young readers, raises serious social issues. Growing up is a long and confusing business. I try to show that the battle through the chaos is worthwhile and can, at times, be seen as very funny." In 1994, this unique combination of humour and realism inspired the hit movie MRS. DOUBTFIRE, based on Anne's novel MADAME DOUBTFIRE and starring the late comedic genius Robin Williams.
Anne is best known in her home country, England, as a writer principally for children, but over the years she has also written eight novels for adult readers. Seven of these she describes as black - or sour - comedies, and the first, THE KILLJOY, simply as "dead black". These novels have proved great favourites with reading groups, causing readers to squirm with mingled horror and delight as she peels away the layers in all too familiar family relationships, exposing the tangled threads and conflicts beneath. (It's perhaps not surprising that Anne has openly expressed astonishment at the fact that murder in the domestic setting is not even more common.)
Anne has written more than sixty books for children and young people. Amongst numerous other awards, she is twice winner of both the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's book award, and the Whitbread Award. Twice chosen as Children's Author of the Year in the British Book Awards, Anne Fine was also the first novelist to be honoured as Children's Laureate in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Anne became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Her work has been translated into forty five languages.
Anne Fine lives in the north of England and has two grown up daughters.
Anne is best known in her home country, England, as a writer principally for children, but over the years she has also written eight novels for adult readers. Seven of these she describes as black - or sour - comedies, and the first, THE KILLJOY, simply as "dead black". These novels have proved great favourites with reading groups, causing readers to squirm with mingled horror and delight as she peels away the layers in all too familiar family relationships, exposing the tangled threads and conflicts beneath. (It's perhaps not surprising that Anne has openly expressed astonishment at the fact that murder in the domestic setting is not even more common.)
Anne has written more than sixty books for children and young people. Amongst numerous other awards, she is twice winner of both the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's book award, and the Whitbread Award. Twice chosen as Children's Author of the Year in the British Book Awards, Anne Fine was also the first novelist to be honoured as Children's Laureate in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Anne became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Her work has been translated into forty five languages.
Anne Fine lives in the north of England and has two grown up daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 7, 2018
One and a half stars.
Geraldine has more than a few issues with her family. It’s not enough that her stepsister Lulu seems to delight in finding ways to make Geraldine’s life miserable, but her mother tends to side with Lulu. It doesn’t seem a bit fair that her life has been ruled by this vindictive person. It doesn’t help that, now grown up Lulu is long legged and beautiful and relies on Geraldine and her husband Robert just putting up with her nonsense. But even Robert, supportive as he is of his wife, does not realise how much this accepting attitude of Geraldine’s has cost her. Could that be about to change?
I struggled from the outset with this book and kept waiting for something to happen. Perhaps that was the fault of the quote from The Independent on the cover which says, ’A sharp sense of danger always crackles in the background.’ I kept reading, waiting for it and waiting. It never came. The characters were all annoying and I found them all one dimensional. Geraldine was unbelievably put upon and just put up with it, Lulu was an absolute cow and the mother was just unbelievable. As for Harvey, he was another unbelievable character and yet we were supposed to believe more than one woman wanted his affection. Please!
Any book was possibly going to suffer in comparison to my previous read, but I suspect the problem was not so much with me as with the thin plot and one dimensional characters. I found it a largely depressing read. As for the end, it did nothing to make having read this book a worthwhile experience.
Geraldine has more than a few issues with her family. It’s not enough that her stepsister Lulu seems to delight in finding ways to make Geraldine’s life miserable, but her mother tends to side with Lulu. It doesn’t seem a bit fair that her life has been ruled by this vindictive person. It doesn’t help that, now grown up Lulu is long legged and beautiful and relies on Geraldine and her husband Robert just putting up with her nonsense. But even Robert, supportive as he is of his wife, does not realise how much this accepting attitude of Geraldine’s has cost her. Could that be about to change?
I struggled from the outset with this book and kept waiting for something to happen. Perhaps that was the fault of the quote from The Independent on the cover which says, ’A sharp sense of danger always crackles in the background.’ I kept reading, waiting for it and waiting. It never came. The characters were all annoying and I found them all one dimensional. Geraldine was unbelievably put upon and just put up with it, Lulu was an absolute cow and the mother was just unbelievable. As for Harvey, he was another unbelievable character and yet we were supposed to believe more than one woman wanted his affection. Please!
Any book was possibly going to suffer in comparison to my previous read, but I suspect the problem was not so much with me as with the thin plot and one dimensional characters. I found it a largely depressing read. As for the end, it did nothing to make having read this book a worthwhile experience.
August 31, 2016
Artfully unartful and deliciously poisonous prose. This is a story of tiny deeds and unpleasant familial relationships bloated into epic proportions by years of resentment. I loved the mundane intrigue and the internal monologues, as well as the brilliantly observed, Ayckbourn-esque dialogue.
April 29, 2024
This is an intensely character-driven book, in which not much happens, but family relationships and dynamics are almost forensically examined. The titular Lulu is stepsister and foil to the protagonist, Geraldine, and Lulu's artful cruelty runs throughout both the narrative and the backstory.
I did have the sense that there might be more of a twist in this story, or something unexpected under the surface (perhaps involving Robert, Geraldine's husband) ... but there wasn't. It was still an engaging read and a fascinating character-study in several respects.
I did have the sense that there might be more of a twist in this story, or something unexpected under the surface (perhaps involving Robert, Geraldine's husband) ... but there wasn't. It was still an engaging read and a fascinating character-study in several respects.
September 7, 2020
great read. Serious look at family situation where one person commands all the attention to the detriment of everyone else and still manages to feel aggrieved.
November 20, 2024
I really didn’t enjoy this novel . The characters were all unpleasant and really it felt like a recount of a toxic sad family .
February 13, 2017
My first Hard Cover Anne Fine!!! I love Anne Fine, I'm a huge fan of her work, and her books are so hard to get a hold of. I remember I reread The book of the Banshee so much it was barely held together with sticky tape after 6 months.
But anyway, my first Anne Fine book for adults. Well what can I say, what a story. I mean I couldn't put it down. it was a short read and I always love the way Anne Fine writes its so neat and one word follows the other an before you know it your half way through the book and its only been an hour.
So Our precious Lulu is about a lady called Geraldine who has a stepsister who is so self centered and spiteful basically a pill to be around. Geraldine is married to Robert a decent guy who really loves her and just wants her to leave her family behind. by family I mean mother Jane. Jane was married to Lulu's father Jed for a bit but then they divorced and then Jed was killed in a car accident and so Jane good naturedly adopted Lulu.
But her whole life Lulu was once of those people who expected everyone else to kiss the ground they walked on. She was a typical skinny air head all up themselves and deliberately snide to everyone else. She was especially cruel to Geraldine, always teasing her about her weight and Robert and not being fancy enough.
The book opens with what Geraldine describes as the last string, she an Robert had unsuccessfully been trying to have kids for about 5 years and suddenly Lulu announces in a mean way that she is expecting with her boyfriend who is married with twins. Geraldine and Robert hatch a plan to not let Lulu see how much she affects them in an effort to make Lulu crack and leave Geraldine alone.
Geraldine starts to feel more and more that her mother deliberately takes Lulu's side and indulges her spoiled needs because Jane doesn't really like her own daughter. As the story progresses we see Lulu loose her composure more and more but the real story is the unraveling of the mother daughter relationship of Geraldine and Jane.
Just like in the book of the Banshee this story starts out with a hopeless situation, a family tension drama where family members are actually at a sort of war with each other. I really like how relationships and duty and sense of justice is explored in this book. I mean we've all been there especially with families regarding favoritism and one sided ness but the way Anne Fine writes its like that's me feeling resentful and righteous and angry at my parents for always chucking me under the bus for some other more favored kid. And just like Geraldine I questioned if they even liked me.
It was a simple story and I wasn't really expecting any plot twist so when it unfolded just as you would expect it too I wasn't very disappointed or let down. I liked it, a wholesome book about standing up for yourself and taking the high road.
I will always keep looking for Anne Fine books.
But anyway, my first Anne Fine book for adults. Well what can I say, what a story. I mean I couldn't put it down. it was a short read and I always love the way Anne Fine writes its so neat and one word follows the other an before you know it your half way through the book and its only been an hour.
So Our precious Lulu is about a lady called Geraldine who has a stepsister who is so self centered and spiteful basically a pill to be around. Geraldine is married to Robert a decent guy who really loves her and just wants her to leave her family behind. by family I mean mother Jane. Jane was married to Lulu's father Jed for a bit but then they divorced and then Jed was killed in a car accident and so Jane good naturedly adopted Lulu.
But her whole life Lulu was once of those people who expected everyone else to kiss the ground they walked on. She was a typical skinny air head all up themselves and deliberately snide to everyone else. She was especially cruel to Geraldine, always teasing her about her weight and Robert and not being fancy enough.
The book opens with what Geraldine describes as the last string, she an Robert had unsuccessfully been trying to have kids for about 5 years and suddenly Lulu announces in a mean way that she is expecting with her boyfriend who is married with twins. Geraldine and Robert hatch a plan to not let Lulu see how much she affects them in an effort to make Lulu crack and leave Geraldine alone.
Geraldine starts to feel more and more that her mother deliberately takes Lulu's side and indulges her spoiled needs because Jane doesn't really like her own daughter. As the story progresses we see Lulu loose her composure more and more but the real story is the unraveling of the mother daughter relationship of Geraldine and Jane.
Just like in the book of the Banshee this story starts out with a hopeless situation, a family tension drama where family members are actually at a sort of war with each other. I really like how relationships and duty and sense of justice is explored in this book. I mean we've all been there especially with families regarding favoritism and one sided ness but the way Anne Fine writes its like that's me feeling resentful and righteous and angry at my parents for always chucking me under the bus for some other more favored kid. And just like Geraldine I questioned if they even liked me.
It was a simple story and I wasn't really expecting any plot twist so when it unfolded just as you would expect it too I wasn't very disappointed or let down. I liked it, a wholesome book about standing up for yourself and taking the high road.
I will always keep looking for Anne Fine books.
February 4, 2011
It was a bit too ordinary for me. The kind and smart female character is lucky to have such a smart and loving husband. However the story about unhappy family (not with husband, more with the mother and a stepsister) does not really interest me. The dialogue and way of narrating are good, but probably the idea just bores me, an annoying stepsister and a mother who always sides her. Very annoying and nothing new.
When finally the main characters chose to solve the problem, the ending was way too short and there was no such happy story about what happens after all problems are gone.
I was flipping the page and shocked when there was nothing more written. It was that bad, the ending.
Maybe this book just wants to show how a person should bring herself up to fight the unjustness she got, but I would love to see a bit more fantasy, happy ending, fairy tale, whatever it is that usually makes a story become happy. So maybe this book is too realistic and boring.
When finally the main characters chose to solve the problem, the ending was way too short and there was no such happy story about what happens after all problems are gone.
I was flipping the page and shocked when there was nothing more written. It was that bad, the ending.
Maybe this book just wants to show how a person should bring herself up to fight the unjustness she got, but I would love to see a bit more fantasy, happy ending, fairy tale, whatever it is that usually makes a story become happy. So maybe this book is too realistic and boring.
July 3, 2012
I enjoyed this from the start although I was concerned it was going to turn into a "good characters are too dumb so get wool pulled over their eyes" type of wince. I was wrong and the dynamic between Geraldine (the good) and Lulu (the bad step sister) gets more interesting. The mother is a strange addition to the mix and her role in the raising of the girls and the relationship they have developed is fascinating. The humour seems to get sharper as the book develops - or maybe I was just enjoying it more.
I will hunt out more books as I love the way she writes.
I will hunt out more books as I love the way she writes.
May 21, 2014
This book is not a profoundly, impressionable book. Yet it does successfully capture the difficulties of every day life for the average not pretty studious girl and the pain of constant comparison to those who are deemed more beautiful. Both Lulu and her sister are vindictive and with agendas to destroy each others respective talents. This is an alright book, good with a cuppa and a good to read along other books since the plot is really simple to follow. The second time I read it it didn't add anything to my experience nor enhance my enjoyment of the book.
April 10, 2010
I did enjoy it but wish that I'd have read it before eading raking the ashes and after the ending to that one I was expecting some unpleasantness. I would advise anyone to read this one first! That said it was a pleasant read. Some of the dialogue felt clumpy to me however and that stopped it being a 4 star. Oh and I hated the cat!
August 10, 2010
I enjoyed this book. Anne Fine writes in a very no-nonsense manner but manages to create some compelling characters. I did find myself questioning whether Lulu really deserved everything- wasn't her unhappy family life partly to blame for her needy and shocking behaviour?
Easy to read, great plot and believable characters.
Easy to read, great plot and believable characters.
June 12, 2014
This book was a hard slog to get through. I shelved it for weeks because I found it draining. The relationships between mother, sisters and partners I found so draining to read their whining. Unfortunately the book begins how it ends.....depressing! All I have to say is I'm so glad my family is not like this. Communicate people!!
June 28, 2016
I really liked the characters in this novel. lulu was delightfully manipulative and I sympathised with Geraldine. Harvey was a very comical character, his life getting more and more complicated, and I found the descriptions of his boring chat about roads very funny and believable. The book as a whole was clever and funny, though the family relationships were also quite sad.
Read
March 22, 2016I read this because I enjoyed quite a few of Anne Fine's books when I was younger, but this one was so dull that I assumed it must be by a different Anne Fine. Quite surprised to find out it's the same one.
October 9, 2009
A happy ending, well, happier than her other adult books :-)
Loved it really loved it. And though Tilly from 'Raking the Ashes' is still a personal favourite, Geraldine comes very close.
Loved it really loved it. And though Tilly from 'Raking the Ashes' is still a personal favourite, Geraldine comes very close.
November 15, 2009
Fine has a golden ear for the mundane nastiness of human interaction. utterly addicting for a book with so little actual incident.
January 14, 2011
Another excellent story from Anne Fine. Extremely good characterisation and Geraldine's husband Robert was a joy.
August 18, 2012
It was ok but nothing special. Not inspired me to read any more of Anne Fine's adult fiction.
October 8, 2012
Only just started it but I'm hooked!
July 28, 2014
Took a long time to get anywhere, but I enjoyed the ending.
June 4, 2015
I found this book a chore to finish! Amazing how such a small plot line managed to fill a book!
January 17, 2017
Easy to read and mildly amusing but not massively engaging. Robert, the husband, was almost too good to be true and was expecting more of a final blow up. Bit thin.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews