Showing no signs of ever being constricted by genre, Kath Middleton has turned her attention to comedy with the novel Top Banana. And it feels a very natural fit!
This is the story of how confidence can be the greatest superpower of them all. Steve starts out as the very dictionary definition of ‘hapless’ – unlucky, unloved, unappreciated and unlikely to ever make something of his life. Until a terrifying/hilarious incident with a spider seems to bring about a transformation…
This is a gentle comedy which looks in detail at the many ways Steve’s life changes over a short space of time. For my tastes there is often far too much detail, which sometimes holds back the momentum of the story.
All the characters are well-observed and believable, which makes the humorous episodes work well. But these seem more sparse in the second half of the book as the focus shifts to how Steve adapts to his new lifestyle. Although everything is described with great authenticity, I would have enjoyed seeing the stakes raised higher for Steve than they actually are.
Top Banana will appeal to lovers of ‘cosy’ humour and those who like their stories grounded and realistic. I’m looking forward to Kath’s next comedy novel and hope it’s a little more fast-moving and outrageous!
Top Banana is available for the Kindle and in paperback on Amazon UK or Amazon US.