Sadie is caught off-guard by Norman’s announcements, but seeing him get excited about something, anything, makes it impossible for her to refuse to go along with his plan. Filled with fear and trepidation, she agrees to a road trip to Edinburgh, planned by her elderly but sharp friend Leonard. Reminiscent of the movie Little Miss Sunshine, the trio set out on an adventure with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Lightly yet movingly realised, The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is one of those rare novels that is both whimsically sweet and soberingly sad, testament to the way in which life is rarely straightforward or cut and dried, with the good and the bad mixing together often in what feels like an unholy and bewildering mess. Norman Foreman and his best friend Jax have a five-year plan. This cheese-loving comedy duo are going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to live out their dreams. Not all goes to plan when Jax dies and Norman decides to change the plan slightly and go to the Fringe with a tribute show for his mate. For a 12-year-old, this is a lot but to add more confusion to his travels, he is looking for his real father – which his mum has narrowed down to one of 4 interesting candidates she had hooked up with all those years ago. In the midst of the sadness of losing a friend, Norman and his mum Sadie and an old gentleman named Leonard, cross the paths of many new faces that form part of Norman’s new family as he makes his way to Edinburgh to give the performance of his life. A heartwarming story of sheer endurance and hope told from the perspectives of mother and son – tells tales of not only their lives but those that intertwine with theirs as they move through the world. – Suzie, WA, 4 Stars Thanks to Mira Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman for an honest review. The story, which centres on 12-year-old psoriasis-suffering Norman’s quest to find his birth father and secure and fulfill a slot at Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe, a road trip from his home in Penzance, Cornwall up through England and Wales into Scotland, is in many ways one of those giddily possible adventures of destinies oriented that make books in this genre such a sweet delight.

Norman Foreman - Wob The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman - Wob

There’s a good chance Norman’s father is one of four people. Now I know how that makes me sound, but it’s a fairly reasonable alternative to the other scenario, which is that he would quite possibly have been one of several more if circumstances had allowed.” Struggling to help her son deal with near insurmountable grief, which shut her quietly brave son to a shadow of his former self, and battling profound loss of her own – Jax had become almost a second son to her and his sudden departure from their lives creates a gaping chasm neither she nor Norman can even hope of filling, or so they think – Sadie, who doubts her ability as a mum on an almost minute-by-minute basis, seizes on the idea of a grand quest to find Norman’s dad and get him to the Fringe as a way of returning him to the boy she knows and loves. Iris and I were selling the first Tandy TRS-80s out of our shop before most people in Penzance even knew what a personal computer was.”It took me a bit of getting used to this writing style however once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that Norman, Sadie and Leonard took me on. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and a great read. I would definitely recommend this book! – Emily, VIC, 3 Stars Sadie always put up with very naughty Jax because he had a certain lightness about him and laughed a lot and made Norman laugh. The two boys were never bored. Now though? The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is the first novel by Australian author, Julietta Henderson. When they were ten, Norman Foreman and Jax Fenton made a Five Year Plan.

The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman (Hardback) - Waterstones The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman (Hardback) - Waterstones

Ok so I don’t usually write a review because I don’t think and question too much. I just read and either enjoy. Or not enjoy. But my friend Sam from bookclub insists that I must write a review and so this is for her. Really just so she will get off my case... except she won’t. Bahahahaha By the time you finish this book you absolutely fall in love with Norman Foreman, and most of the other characters. Let’s face it, it could have been dreadful: a twelve-year-old boy with psoriasis dreams of doing a comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe with his best friend (who is the funny one) but the best friend dies suddenly. His single mum and her very elderly friend decide to help him do a Fringe show anyway, and try to find out who his father is, to boot. It could be sloppy, sentimental, manipulative drivel and I’m not even sure why I tried it, to be honest – but I’m glad I did because it’s nothing of the kind. Part of what makes it so good is the narrative voices of both Norman and his mum, Sadie. Both are convincing, insightful in their own ways and amusing, too. Norman’s slightly naive but thoughtful and often funny take on things (like the grief of losing your best and only friend) is both powerful and very engaging, as is Sadie’s angst-ridden parental outlook. Julietta Henderson manages to avoid sentimentality to a great extent (I was especially impressed with the way she dealt with the book’s climax of The Show itself) and shows us two people dealing with real difficulties and growing, while avoiding the trite, hammered-home Life Lessons which so often pollute books like this. The search for Norman’s dad is well done, I think, although the ending does get pretty ridiculous and perhaps just spills over into schmaltz a little – but I could forgive that because much of the book is so good.I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It’s a very good, enjoyable read with some genuine content and I can recommend it.