Up and In
Deborah Disney, 2014
HarperCollins
258 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781460704356
Summary
A laugh-out-loud debut that will delight fans of Liane Moriarty and Fiona Higgins, this is The Devil Wears Prada at the school gates!
Distinctly middle-class parents, Maria and Joe have committed every bit of available income to giving their daughters Kate and Sarah the best education possible, which to them means attending the most exclusive girls school in the state.
But when Kate befriends the spoilt and moody Mirabella, Maria must learn to play nicely with Mirabella's mother, Bea—the beguiling yet beastly queen of the toffee-nosed school mothers at Riverton.
A series of social blunders and intentional snubs make Maria determined to ensure Kate's rightful position both at school and on the Saturday morning netball team, but as Maria works hard to negotiate the social hierarchy, her previously contented life with Joe falls far from view.
With her mastery of dialogue and character, Australian author Deborah Disney skillfully balances keen and witty observations about daily life with the more serious issues of schoolyard bullying and social isolation.
You will laugh, you will nod along, and you will want to take the increasingly neurotic Maria aside and point out that in all her desperate, gaffe-filled attempts to fit in with the well-heeled, champagne-swilling mummies of Riverton, she might just be risking all that she holds dear. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—May 5, 1970
• Where—Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
• Education—B.A., L.L.B., University of Queensland
• Currently—lives in Brisbane, Queensland
Australian author, Deborah Disney, practised as a litigation lawyer prior to finding her true calling in the school pick-up line where she started typing a little story on the notes app on her iPhone one afternoon. That little story turned into a book, and before too long that book turned her into a published author with HarperCollins.
Deborah is Wife to a patient and understanding man, and Mum to two school-aged daughters and one Border Collie, all of whom take turns at being her favourite. The two things she values most in people are kindness and humour. And when they praise her work. Which she finds both kind and funny, as she can't imagine writing novels ever feeling anything like work.
Deborah's first novel, Up and In, hit the bestseller charts on both Amazon and iBooks in Australia and has also enjoyed international acclaim. Deborah is currently working on her second novel, which is about in-laws. (From the author.)
Follow Deborah on Facebook.
Book Reviews
My stand-out fiction read for 2015.
Rebecca Sparrow, author, Mammamia columnist and host of So What Are You Reading?
This story showcases a world where motherhood is a competitive sport ... highly recommended.
Chicklit Club (High Raters)
While the book is satirical and clearly a mummy-mafia-on-speed version of events, it has so many nuggets of truth that Up and In is destined to become the next must-read for any mum navigating schoolyard politics.
Kidspot Parenting Magazine
I am so excited that this is Deborah Disney's debut novel. It's accomplished, compelling and one of those novels that will tug at the heartstrings one minute and have you giggling the next. Warm, extremely well-written and a complete delight to read. If you're looking for a light, funny, yet insightful novel then congratulations—you've found it!
Bookaholic Holly
Discussion Questions
1. Is Maria essentially more self-absorbed, or more compassionate?
2. What motivates Maria's desire for Kate to be included in activities with, and accepted by, the daughters of the beas?
3. At what point, if any, can Maria truthfully say she doesn't care what Bea thinks of her?
4. Kate comments that Maria and Bea are alike. Do these two women have any similar attributes or flaws?
5. Are Maria’s observations about the beas always fair?
6. Which character is the least likeable?
7. What factors have contributed to Kate’s loss of confidence?
8. Is honesty or positivity more important when providing your child with feedback about their pursuits?
9. Would this story have played out similarly if the characters had been soccer mums (of boys) instead of netball mums?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)