3.5 ⭐

There's something about Unsworth that leaves me feeling nostalgic.
In this instance for the sibling relationship, the best friend at school.
Things aren't always peachy here, but at times she nails a moment, or a feeling and I'm right there with her.
A book that made me smile a lot.
At the good, and the bad.

as soon as I seen this book I KNEW I needed to read it, this book felt nostalgic, a breathe of fresh air. the humorous qualities throughout the book with the two sisters as they navigate their road trip fuelled with alcohol and memories, the first chapter drew me in and made me laugh out loud. the book definitely reminded me of old nostalgic tv shows and films.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING

The most irritating, unfunny, cliche-ridden characters and narrative that I've come across in a long time

Thankyou net valley & harper Collins for the arc as soon as I saw this book I knew I needed to read it, this book felt like nostalgia a breath of fresh air, the humours qualities and quotes throughout as the two sisters navigate their road trip fuelled with alcohol and memories, the first chapter drew me in and made me laugh out loud. This book definitely reminded me of old nostalgic tv programmes like skins etc. would definitely recommend if you want a good read that separates from typical genres

Slags by Emma Jayne Unsworth:

Sarah hires a camper van for her sister Juilette’s birthday. Juliette is a mother, married to a decent, yet dull bloke. Sarah limps from hook up to hook up. The great love of her life was her English teacher, Mr Keavney. As the sisters head to Scotland by Hymer, the story switches between this and what happened in the Summer of Sarah’s last year in school.

I’ve been a fan of Unsworth’s writing for a long time - Animals was adapted as a film and didn’t quite capture the wabisabi of the book. This is a genuine treat. It’s funny, Rabelasian and Wildean by turns. It’s dead on in the way sister relates to sister. And, by turns men and boys relate to women.

It’s also brilliant on the ascending boho that was late 90’s Manchester. She’s also brave enough to stitch a fictional thread to this, the boy band 4Princes. What happens to Sarah is a genuine shock (and not the one you’re thinking of). When the novel takes a dark, sharp turn she’s still in control of a book that is sweet, sour, touching and horrifying all at the same time.

It’s published by Harper Collins on May 8th May, 2025 and I thank them for a preview copy. #slags

Two sisters go on a road trip to Scotland and use the time to go over their lives. Told in two timelines, Sarah aged 15 and 41. Very funny in places and emotional. Look forward to listening to this on audiobook when it is released. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth. The cool cover grabbed my attention, and I was curious about the story. I admit, I was confused reading it. I wanted to love it because I think Emma's writing is very good. I just didn't make many connections with it.

Mixed feelings about this book on one hand I really enjoyed it I liked the underlaying messages about woman in society, I liked the duel timelines, I liked the Scottish landscape setting and I enjoyed the dark witty humour, I found the novel fairly well paced and the plot was good. However I found a lot of the plot lines under developed and a little bit confusing am still unsure why Sarah was so effected by the teacher saga, I found the characters at times very flat and stereotypical then at other times interesting and real. It was book that left me thinking, and I did find parts very tender and there was rawness that give the book an edge that allowed for the few flaws. I think the writer tries to shock sometimes with her writing but by being so extreme so of the plot and characters become lost among that. All in all a solid three stars