Bought for a buck from Vinnies.

Carrying on with the stories of the inhabitants (and former inhabitants) of 44 Scotland St, The World According to Bertie is the 4th in the series, and the second that I've read. Pat no longer lives at number 44, but still works for Matthew and they are in a relationship that may or may not be going anywhere; Bruce has returned from London to outrage feminists and woo the beautiful ladies of Edinburgh; Domenica's friend Antonia has taken things too far by purchasing Bruce's old apartment and moving in to Scotland St; Bertie has a new baby brother but still has to contend with the many extra curricular activities insisted upon by his overbearing mother; etc, etc.

After reading the first in this series, I noted that the style is very easy to read and the story doesn't really dip below the surface of any of the characters, owing, I think, to the fact that it was originally written as a serial in a newspaper. This volume continues in the same vein, but I actually found it more and more difficult to read as the majority of the characters are thoroughly unlikeable and the shallowness of the writing style means that few of them have any redeeming characteristics at all.

I find it a little sad that this book would mainly have a female audience (I think!!), and yet the author seems to really quite dislike women. Irene, the only strong female character is universally disliked by the other characters, including her own husband, and she is not given any chance to be anything other than a raging stereotype. I was also very disappointed that public breast feeding and use of a baby carrier were lumped in together to add to her negative traits, as opposed to being portrayed in a positive light. Antonia and Domenica are 'friends', but they are both suspicious of each other, and there is nothing positive that comes out of their relationship. All of the children at Bertie's school are revolting, but Olive is the worst - even Miss Harmony, the much loved school teacher, resorts to violence towards Olive and loses her job as a result. Pat exists, but doesn't really do much. Julia, Bruce's latest fling, is vapid and manipulative.

I'm not sure if I'm being overcritical, or just missing the point, because the series seems to be quite popular, but I found that it just made me angry... but probably not angry enough not to read the other one that's on my shelf (#6 in the series)!

Released into the Little Street Library at the corner of Hillsden and Darlington Rd.

If you pick this up and read it, I would love it if you record an entry... even if you choose to keep the book!

Safe travels and happy reading!