On the HahaFiction shelf
The Party Crasher
Effie wants one thing from her family’s farewell party: the Russian dolls she left in the house. Getting them means sneaking past her estranged father and his girlfriend, with an ex-boyfriend among the guests. Once inside Greenoaks, she hears conversations her relatives never meant her to hear.
From the author’s blurb
“The Talbots are having one last party at their family home. But Effie hasn’t been invited”Read the full description at Sophie Kinsella, official book synopsis
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What makes it funny?
Effie’s devotion to family traditions can survive direct physical evidence that they won’t work. In the opening, she tries to secure a heavy angel to a small Christmas tree. When it tips upside down and exposes its underwear, her sister suggests adding a festive message to the pants.
The comedy at work
Effie keeps trying to preserve the family she remembers, even when an ornament or a room full of relatives makes that difficult. Her attempts to avoid the party give her a particularly awkward vantage point on it: hidden close enough to overhear what people say.
Try this if…
Family arguments, embarrassing mishaps and a renewed romance share the space here. The affectionate tone suits a reader who wants the relatives to find their way back to each other, even while they’re making a mess.
Good to know
Divorce and estrangement shape the family conflict. Clinical anxiety also has a place in the story.
A few distinguishing details
- Retrieving childhood dolls during a family farewell party
- Family secrets overheard from hiding
More funny family comedy
Sources & further reading
- Publishers Weekly review
Review
- Author introduction and sample
Author commentary
- Publisher ebook edition
Publisher
- Publisher and excerpt
Publisher
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