Review: Not Working by Lisa Owens

Claire Flannery has had more than a few sleepless nights lately. Maybe she shouldn't have walked out of her job with no idea what to do next. Maybe she should think before she speaks -- and maybe then her mother would start returning her calls. Maybe she should be spending more time going to art galleries, or reading up on current affairs, and less time in her pyjamas, entering competitions on the internet. Then again, maybe the perfect solution to life's problems only arises when you stop looking for it . . .

Ikira's Review: 1 out of 5 stars


The write up on this book appeared to have massive potential. The snippets on the cover suggested this would be a five star read and having received it as a gift for my birthday, I couldn't wait to get started!

Sadly, I found it a very difficult read. The format in the first few chapters was broken and flitty at best. I could read only a couple of pages at a time and was entirely disconnected from it. I found it exceptionally hard work and it nearly made it to the DNF pile but I soldiered on, desperately wanting to engage with the characters and story. There was such a pull from the blurb that I hoped it would get better. It didn't.

Claire's character frustrated me immensely. She seemed selfish and irresponsible most of the time and down-right ridiculous at others. I initially thought she'd have a bright-spark moment and find her way, that she'd realise the wrongs she'd done, make apologies, find her way and have a happily ever after but alas I was wrong. I had soldiered through, taking weeks to read what should have taken days and the ending had me asking 'seriously?' actually out loud, to thin air. I did that comical thing you imagine other people doing, repeatedly turning the pages back and forth, checking for more, for where the story actually concluded.