Scan barcode
A review by faysieh
Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance by Frances Maynard
5.0
I loved this down to earth, funny, quirky and uplifting novel about Maggsie, an ex criminal, trying to start again and learn how to live life the right way. She is dyslexic, cannot read or write and finds it very hard to control her anger. She is living in supported housing and has a job at Scanda, a Danish design company in London which runs a scheme to help women like Maggsie.
The book is narrated by Maggsie throughout and we learn a lot about life through her experiences, how hard it is to do the right thing when you can't read and write, and how the pain of having to give up her baby for adoption at the age of 15 has left a gaping hole in her heart.
You see, Maggsie doesn't believe she is any good because everyone in her life has told her just that. Small, ginger and alcoholic, Maggsie has mostly only been able to survive in prison rather than navigate the outside world. Her saviour inside is a fellow prison inmate Edna who helps to teach Maggsie to read with copies of a magazine Woman's Weekly. This proves to be the turning point in Maggsie's difficult life,
The characters are bold and likeable, from the girls in the supported housing, Big Shirl, Kasia, Juicy Lucy and cat mad Trudie to probation officer Ruby and Primrose in Scanda's kitchen. But the most important character in this book besides Maggise herself is TJ, a Polish man trying to learn English and send money home for his wife and two children. He works four jobs, including a position in Scanda's kitchens alongside Primrose and Maggsie. He gets Maggsie to teach him what his English classes can't, that is how to understand and use English slang. In return he teaches Maggsie all about London and most importantly how to do the right thing.
Not everything goes smoothly, there is a young man to rescue from electrocution in a lift on her first day, Audrey the cat who needs convincing to come out from under the shed and more seriously ex prisoner Louise who almost ruins Maggsie's hard fought battle to stay on the right side of the law.
It is wonderful how easily the reader can see the challenges Maggsie faces but isn't left feel downhearted. This book is all about how, no matter what we have done, we all deserve a second chance. Funny and uplifting, I loved this novel.
The book is narrated by Maggsie throughout and we learn a lot about life through her experiences, how hard it is to do the right thing when you can't read and write, and how the pain of having to give up her baby for adoption at the age of 15 has left a gaping hole in her heart.
You see, Maggsie doesn't believe she is any good because everyone in her life has told her just that. Small, ginger and alcoholic, Maggsie has mostly only been able to survive in prison rather than navigate the outside world. Her saviour inside is a fellow prison inmate Edna who helps to teach Maggsie to read with copies of a magazine Woman's Weekly. This proves to be the turning point in Maggsie's difficult life,
The characters are bold and likeable, from the girls in the supported housing, Big Shirl, Kasia, Juicy Lucy and cat mad Trudie to probation officer Ruby and Primrose in Scanda's kitchen. But the most important character in this book besides Maggise herself is TJ, a Polish man trying to learn English and send money home for his wife and two children. He works four jobs, including a position in Scanda's kitchens alongside Primrose and Maggsie. He gets Maggsie to teach him what his English classes can't, that is how to understand and use English slang. In return he teaches Maggsie all about London and most importantly how to do the right thing.
Not everything goes smoothly, there is a young man to rescue from electrocution in a lift on her first day, Audrey the cat who needs convincing to come out from under the shed and more seriously ex prisoner Louise who almost ruins Maggsie's hard fought battle to stay on the right side of the law.
It is wonderful how easily the reader can see the challenges Maggsie faces but isn't left feel downhearted. This book is all about how, no matter what we have done, we all deserve a second chance. Funny and uplifting, I loved this novel.