niamhreviews's reviews
582 reviews

I picked this book up and put it down again so many times over the last few months, but as with Robinson's other essay collections, this was well worth waiting. Best enjoyed with an excellent glass of wine, you can't help but laugh. Also - the essay about what it's like dating a British person is 100% accurate and hilarious.

T/W: Eating disorders, mental health issues, casual homophobia/transphobia

It feels like it took me forever to get through this book and I suppose it sort of did. There's simultaneously so much crammed in and never enough actual things happening. I did appreciate learning about all the different culinary histories around the UK - and that the journey started in my neck of the woods.

This book definitely grew on me as I read it, but I got through it feeling kind of...dumb? Like I was missing something. It's the same issue I have with poetry. I don't seem to deal well with abstract concepts. Nevertheless, I loved the creativity of this book's structure, the script-style layout that definitely won't agree with everyone. My two worlds were crossing over. It was incredibly heartfelt and emotional in some moments, then funny and dry in the next. To balance such opposing emotions is a real skill. I think this one will stay with me for a while.

Was the week before the Jubilee the right time to read this? Definitely. A reminder that, as the UK faces one of its most significant cost of living crises complete with a liar of a PM who partied at home while people were saying goodbye to their dying loved ones over Zoom, the celebration of an old lady in a crown should make us consider the usefulness of the monarchy in our society. Though certainly not impartial, this book isn't especially vitriolic to any members of the royal family (with the exception to Prince Andrew) but critical. Minutely researched and occasionally influenced by Baker's time as an MP, it's a fascinating, real-life look at the royal family beyond the pomp and circumstance that clouds, often, shitty behaviour.

Very academic - it reminded me of university and writing my dissertation. And whilst it's clearly showing its age (it's last update was in the late 2000s), it's still a fascinating exploration of The Simpsons as a cultural behemoth.

I think my expectations were a bit high here, but it was nevertheless a fun romantic comedy that took a very different look at a very familiar genre. Got very frustrated by the banality of the dialogue sometimes (there was way, way too much small talk for my liking), but otherwise - Bridget Jones, watch your back. Yinka's ready to take your crown.