Jane is Trying (W&N Essentials)

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I think Isy Suttie handles all this really well in her latest novel, Jane is Trying - a warm and funny observation of one woman’s attempt to start over. It all felt a little bit like I've read it already - city girl leaves her life behind and goes back to the country bumpkins where she grew up.

This debut novel exudes all the offbeat humour and acute observation you might expect from the actress and comedian who first stole our hearts as Dobby in Peep Show. Well, Isy Suttie has pretty much emptied an entire quarry on poor Jane, the suddenly adrift late-thirtysomething at the heart of her debut novel. It's an easy read, with the first half definitely stronger than the second, but it lacks substance and a clear sense of self.Despite being a fan of Suttie's, including seeing her performing live and enjoying her previous book The Actual One, I wasn't sure about this at first. I also wish that more time was spent on identifying the point of the story because, in its current form, there's a lot going on with a lot of waffling towards the middle. Some of Jane's musings are so relatable you'll catch yourself laughing out loud, slightly alarmed by the accuracy .

I was already a huge fan of Isy Suttie and can confirm I'm now at the raging, crying, teenager-obsessed-with-Harry-Styles level. Then one day, after taking the courageous first step to get back on antidepressants, she finds out she's pregnant. Jane is a strong character who puts up with less and less bullshit as the story progresses and was admirable and likeable as a protagonist. That’s a tribute to my friend who once genuinely convinced me that it was pronounced “The Ma-goose”. I wish more time was spent on developing the characters so that they didn't feel like one-dimensional, aggravating stereotypes.

Seemingly every other line was the setup to a witticism or joke, and I didn't share the author's sense of humour at all.

I also enjoyed the ending, and how it didn't exactly follow the predictable ending I was expecting, but instead felt like Jane making some 'happy compromises', which felt like quite a wholesome ending. The plot is an uncomplicated tale of how she runs home to mum and dad, away from a cheating partner in London, who wants her back.

I listened to the audiobook -- with Isy Suttie doing the narration -- and her voice just fits perfectly with the humour. The first chapter was a set piece about a poetry reading which was a bit lazy as a satire, and in the first 50 pages I was still waiting to understand what the point of this novel was, seemingly a slow reveal about an affair but with wry observations tacked onto most sentences and nothing that made me want to read on despite a lack of plot. With fertility problems, OCD that she refuses to acknowledge, a smidge of trauma and a cheating boyfriend, Jane has found herself in a life she doesn’t understand. I bought this book because the reviews were amazing, comedians such as Aisling Bea and Sarah Pascoe loved it! It's clear from the very detailed acknowledgements at the back that the author has worked hard to make it as authentic as possible by consulting people with more knowledge about specific elements.