All of the reviews on the cover dwell on how hilarious this books is - I completely missed the humour. A great premise not particularly well executed. Thin characters and -a highly unlikely combination of events. Meh.

I enjoyed this novel about a working-class Mormon family in Lancashire tremendously. It takes place during a single day (a Friday, per the title), during which the younger son, Gary, is returning home after two years as a missionary in Utah. The day's events and backstory are narrated by the various family members (their gospels?) - Gary himself; mum Pauline, who has a mysterious illness and had been hugely invested in the honour of having a son who's a missionary; dad Martin, anxious about finances and seeking solace in his dog and a fellow dog-lover; older son Julian, who seems a bit creepy; and teenage daughter Jeannie, grappling with a secret of her own and the weight of her religious upbringing.

The events as they unfold are perhaps not all that realistic, but it's wonderfully and compassionately told, properly funny-sad and kind to its protagonists. Interesting as well to learn some more about the LDS church, of which I knew little: not an uncritical view at all, but again a compassionate one.

I absolutely adored this book. The quiet, steady craftfulness of the writing as it details a family in everyday chaos, the collision of self-delusion and lies alongside religious faith (or lack of) and the way that the multiple perspectives weaved the story and the characters closer together rather than casting them apart and interrupting the narrative. The people and the details feel so real and you can sense the weight of their issues on each of their shoulders. The voices differ clearly, but almost unnoticably, linking them together as family members, part of the same household and religious movement, willingly or otherwise.

I read The Accidental by Ali Smith last year and it reminded me strongly of that, but more personal and interconnected, grittier and more relatable and realistic, with each character’s perspective corroborating or contradicting another’s self-image.

A four star rating doesn’t feel enough for this book, but it didn’t quite have the awe factor of my five-star rated books. A solid 4.5, one of the most original novels I’ve ever read and something I’ll definitely come back to.

Great beginning; the ending is a bit over the top; all in all a very enjoyable read.