A woman in her 40s has just had a baby and been left by her husband - so she decides to go back and retrace the steps that led her to this point, examining both her personal and cultural history. I'm sure this would be an enjoyable trip down memory lane for a slightly older audience, but it didn't quite work for me. I still enjoyed it, but missed many of the cultural references that might appeal to other readers. Still a heartfelt, nostalgic story about the complicated path to motherhood.

Great read! Looking forward to reading more by this author! I highly recommend this book and author to all! Loved the character of Phillipa.

This book was unique in that it had the main character, Philippa, in the hospital with her newborn daughter just after giving birth and knowing that the nurses are concerned for her baby. This makes Philippa want to tell her baby about her life, as she is in her 40s and had the baby later in life. I liked this premise of storytelling. I didn't know if I would, but I found this to be a great read!

Generation Game by Sophie Duffy is a highly recommended family drama. My review copy is a re-release of the novel originally published in 2011.

The novel opens in 2006 with Philippa Smith, who is in her forties, giving birth to her baby girl. Her husband has left her for someone more exciting and she is alone. She and her daughter are being kept in the hospital a bit longer. She is very concerned about her daughter, but, also deciding that there will be no secrets, she begins to tell her life story, starting from her birth in 1965. At this point the chapters alternate between her childhood and growing up, and her present concerns with her newborn.

Written from Philippa's first person point-of-view, we are introduced to her mother, Helena, and their life together. They leave London after her birth and move to Torquay. Helena is a single parent too, so their life isn't easy. Eventually they live in Bob's Sweet shop where Helena works - until she abandons Philippa to live with Bob. The chapters in the 1960s and on are all giving the names of British TV programs that relate in some way to Philippa's life during those years.

With incredible writing, that is at various times touching, funny, sweet, and sad, Duffy reminds us that family consists of those who care about you, whether you are related by blood or not. The chapters covering Philippa's childhood set in the 1960's and 70's are exceptional. Philippa is well developed as a character in her childhood and after that the time seemed to move a bit more quickly, but perhaps that was done purposefully in order to mirror time passing by faster as you get older. There are also a couple of surprising secrets Philippa reveals or is told at the end of the novel. The secrets do show why Philippa is telling her whole story, beginning to present day, as events happened and with no secrets.

It was engaging for me to recall where I was, my age, and what was happening during those years for me as Philippa discusses the news worthy events during her life. (As I was born before her it was no great stretch to do this unless the pop culture reference was distinctly British.)

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the Legend Times Group.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/06/generation-game.html
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Phillipa is in her 40s and has just had a baby. The book is Phillipa telling the baby her own life story, about all the decisions she's made and people who have influenced her along the way, to get to the point wehre she is now, with a potentially sick newborn and no real relationship or family. I really, really enjoyed this. I loved Phillipa's friends and family through the years, Lucas, Bob, Wink, even Helena. Finding out at the end why Helena behaved the way she did was a surprise and made me really like her so much more. This was a very good book, engaging, at times funny or sad, with a surprise at the end. One of the best books I've read this year. 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

I enjoyed this book., especially the trips down memory lane. (80s child here) love the title of the chapters and how they all worked together.
Phillipa at 40 and has a newborn baby of her own. She didn't have the best role models but as a new mother she is finding herself reminiscing on her life and the choices she made (I can completely related to that) She manages to find the good in almost all of her memories even though at the time, the experienced seemed completely awful.
Most of us all have messy lives and I'm glad Phillipa did also. It kept the book real and it kept her relatable.
This was not a book that was reaching to be dramatic and far fetched. This is one of the most real books I have read in a while.
Thank you Net Galley for the arc

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It hooked me from the beginning and the ending was hugely satisfying. I loved each of the characters, particularly the main character, Philippa. The storytelling was skillful and the story structure made for compelling reading. There were no slow parts for me. I would love to see this book made into a movie or even a miniseries. I was a bit sad when I reached the end of The Generation Game, because I'd become so fond of the quirky characters. I am eager to read more books by Sophie Duffy!