Lola’s Secret by Monica McInerny, Penguin, $29.95.
Lola Quinlan’s 12-year-old great grand-daughter approvingly likens her to Lady Gaga; kitted out with panache in pink tights and leopard-print dress.
Family saga author Monica McInerney’s 84-year-old creation also loves the internet and slips in smiley emoticons on emails like they are going out of fashion.
Lola’s secret — a Christmas bash which backfires — spells out more life, love and laughter where best-selling The Alphabet Sisters left off.
McInerney’s cast of a thousand chatty voices are etched effortlessly and resonantly by the end of chapter two and have been described as “comfort reading” and “warm buttered toast”.
True, except McInerney’s painted protagonist is no pushover and there are no honey-dripped endings either.
This slice of life is crusty and tough, full of grains of truth: it is never too late to live, but you are never too old to learn.
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