Making It Up As I Go Along: British Book Awards Author of the Year 2022

I so loved this book . Funny , thought provoking just one of those books you will want your friends to read

I loved the books Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, they got me through a couple of hospitalisations and recoveries. Very funny and well written. This one was funny but not in the same league as the other two. I thought there were too many travel stories and not enough tales of life in general. Still a good read. Marian is a superb author and a very funny lady by all accounts.

Nice book.

I haven’t read any Marian Keyes books for a while and I’d forgotten what a funny, clever, observant writer she is. The book is a collection of personal stories, some that have been published in various magazines or newspapers and quite a lot that haven’t been published before. A memoir of sorts and a real mix of hilarious anecdotes, overseas travel, various experiences and other stories that are quite poignant and insightful and give us glimpses into the author’s life. The book made me laugh out loud and giggle quite a lot at times which all helped to ease the strain of the house sale/move I’m going through at the moment. Hard to find a favourite funny bit to quote, there are so many. Marian Keyes is painfully honest and self-effacing throughout with each different tale. There are parts of the book that are reflective and insightful and as if the author has, dare I use the phrase, ‘been on a journey’. Quote ‘I find it difficult to ever be truly at peace, there’s always something that feels like a shark relentlessly on the prowl..’ We hear of her struggle with alcohol in her early years and also that she takes ‘anti-mad’ tablets every day for depression and has suffered a nervous breakdown. There is an underlying sadness at times that gave me a bit of a lump in my throat and some of the stories involve a search for some sort of peace of mind by trying out various alternative therapies and ‘interests’, some with extremely funny, near catastrophic effects. I quite like a bit of ‘beach-house banjo’ too (read the book to find out :-) I love the way Marian Keyes sometimes alters the spelling of words, ‘fabaliss’ and ‘sangwidge’ to name a few that she Irishizes (pedants, I know there is no such word). I grew up on Merseyside, had Irish grandparents, friends from Irish families and we all Irishized and Scouseified a lot of words ourselves, much to the disgust of the Irish nuns in our Convent school who wanted us all to speak proper English. The book is quite a lengthy one, really jam-packed with stories and good value but I was sad when it ended and could have just carried on reading more and more… Happily I’ve since discovered a few books from the author that I haven’t yet read.

Marian Keyes is one of my favourite irish authors. This book was an insight into her life, in a funny way. Definitely recommended for light reading

Loved this book. Made me laugh out loud several times. I loved the way it was written and it gave a real insight into Marian Keyes as a person. She seems like a right character (in a good way) and I love the way she makes light of the fact that she has had depression and addictions but without belittling the illnesses. It also shows that depression can be beaten or at least managed even though that isn't the main crux of the book it is mentioned on various occasions. I think it is am important message that its nothing to be ashamed of. She is an inspiration.

Highly relatable stories of womenhood. Very funny and interesting read. Definitely RECOMMEND!! Perfect for holiday or any reading opportunity! GOOD VALUE. Easy to dip in & out of or enjoy in one go... Definitely RECOMMEND!!

I read it all in an Irish accent (in my head obvs.) and genuinely laughed out loud throughout. I've been a huge fan of Marian, having read all of her books since she started writing (some more than once) and this is another gem to add to the collection. She has a great bunch of characters in her family and friends to write about and I would recommend this to anyone who wants a proper belly laugh of a read!