Everyone hates the perfect family; so everyone should love the aptly-named Battles. Mo is a child psychologist, who doesn't understand her own children: Dora nearly 18 can't wait to escape to university, and then there's brother Peter, who has an Oscar Wilde fixation. Dad is just, well, dad. Dawn French's debut novel is the story of a modern family all living in their own separate bubbles and lurching towards meltdown Meet Mo Battle, about to turn 50 and mum to two helpless, hormonal teenagers. There's 17-year-old daughter Dora who blames Mo for, like, everything and Peter who believes he's quite simply as darling and marvellous as his hero Oscar Wilde. Somewhere, keeping quiet, is Dad... who's just, well... Dad. However, Mo is having a crisis.
