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A review by portybelle
The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson
5.0
The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman appealed to me because it’s about a young boy trying to make his dreams come true and perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and I live in Edinburgh. Edinburgh was a very quiet place last summer without the festivals and the tourists, though it’s looking like there will be a pared back version this year. And if Norman Foreman was appearing, I’d be in that queue to see him!
Norman’s dream to appear at the Festival wasn’t just his dream. He was the straight man in a comedy double act with his friend Jax – ‘the Rolls-Bloody-Royce of best friends’. Tragically Jax died before they turned twelve and Norman and his mother Sadie decide that they will get to the festival anyway to pay tribute to Jax. With the help of Sadie’s work colleague, the aged but resourceful Leonard, they set off on a road trip from Penzance to Edinburgh with the aim of Norman taking part in a few open-mic nights as practice on the way. Oh and the slightly trickier task of tracking down his dad…
I absolutely loved this book and the characters of Sadie and Norman. Even Jax, although he has died by the beginning of the book, is a huge presence throughout and I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for this lovable rogue. The love which Sadie has for her son just shines through even though she is so insecure about her abilities as a mum. To Norman of course, she is simply the best mum in the world. This is a story told with so much heart, warmth and humour that you just can’t help but want Norman to achieve his dream however unlikely that may seem. The characters the trio of Sadie, Norman and Leonard meet on their pilgrimage all added to the story in their own ways and all helped Sadie and Norman in some way.
The author has written about grief and the shock of losing someone suddenly and unexpectedly in a very perceptive way. Although Sadie and Norman are both grieving, their determination to honour Jax’s memory pushed them on to do more than they probably thought they could. Through their sadness, there were chinks of light and the love they had for each other was so touching. This is a wonderfully joyous read about finding courage and friends in unexpected places. I don’t think anyone who reads it could fail to be both moved and uplifted by Norman’s story. He is simply unforgettable.
If this book was a Fringe show, I’d be awarding it five shiny stars. In fact, I’d give it more if I could. I simply adored every page of the book, every mile on the road with Norman, Sadie, Leonard and all their friends. This is definitely on my Top Reads list for this year!
Norman’s dream to appear at the Festival wasn’t just his dream. He was the straight man in a comedy double act with his friend Jax – ‘the Rolls-Bloody-Royce of best friends’. Tragically Jax died before they turned twelve and Norman and his mother Sadie decide that they will get to the festival anyway to pay tribute to Jax. With the help of Sadie’s work colleague, the aged but resourceful Leonard, they set off on a road trip from Penzance to Edinburgh with the aim of Norman taking part in a few open-mic nights as practice on the way. Oh and the slightly trickier task of tracking down his dad…
I absolutely loved this book and the characters of Sadie and Norman. Even Jax, although he has died by the beginning of the book, is a huge presence throughout and I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for this lovable rogue. The love which Sadie has for her son just shines through even though she is so insecure about her abilities as a mum. To Norman of course, she is simply the best mum in the world. This is a story told with so much heart, warmth and humour that you just can’t help but want Norman to achieve his dream however unlikely that may seem. The characters the trio of Sadie, Norman and Leonard meet on their pilgrimage all added to the story in their own ways and all helped Sadie and Norman in some way.
The author has written about grief and the shock of losing someone suddenly and unexpectedly in a very perceptive way. Although Sadie and Norman are both grieving, their determination to honour Jax’s memory pushed them on to do more than they probably thought they could. Through their sadness, there were chinks of light and the love they had for each other was so touching. This is a wonderfully joyous read about finding courage and friends in unexpected places. I don’t think anyone who reads it could fail to be both moved and uplifted by Norman’s story. He is simply unforgettable.
If this book was a Fringe show, I’d be awarding it five shiny stars. In fact, I’d give it more if I could. I simply adored every page of the book, every mile on the road with Norman, Sadie, Leonard and all their friends. This is definitely on my Top Reads list for this year!