The Trouble With Goats and Sheep (may be spoilers)

[KurriKurri]

I wanted to like this, and it started quite well, but I got increasingly irritated as it went along and it ended up being a real slog to finish.
Too many '70's' references (I was there - we didn't live off Angel Delight !)
Too many things hinted at but never fully explored. I found the whole finding God thing quite tiresome.

Anyone love it ? I thought it was a bit too try hard, but it's a first novel and I do think the author might be worth another try, I didn't hate it, just finished it and felt general dissatisfied.

I did love Tilly.

[user1467923589]

I kind of liked it, it kept me guessing. A sound debut I thought, but I agree that there was room to explore some of the threads further, maybe a sequel? The God element was a bit contrived , it didn't need it.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

I bought it because it sounded great, but I really struggled to get into it and it's languishing unfinished and feels like something else that 'needs' doing rather than something enjoyable.

Disappointing as it's a great title with great potential.

[Autumnleaves105]

I enjoyed the audio book of this although I did feel that it could have had a bit more to it. It seems there was a lot of build up and then the consequences were left open when the wife (can't remember her name) returned. But it was interesting to see how the 'oddball' got the blame for the streets mistakes and it was the girls that kind of brought it all together.

[histinyhandsarefrozen]

I enjoyed it and galloped through the last section.

It's a simply written book, not deep, but has a lot of charm.

I liked the seventies references at first but then, yes, felt they were slightly shoe-horned in. It's hard to get the balance right on that.

[Ulysses]

I thought it got better rather than worse. The 70s references were laid on a bit too thick for me to begin with. I did struggle with remember who was was as there are a lot of characters with similar names, but was satisfied with how it tied up.

[ChipsForSupper]

I thought this was a bit twee at first, especially with, as someone else said, all the Angel Delight and crocheted blankets, but after a while the characters and the mysterious disappearance hooked me in. I liked the exploration of the nature of shame - how it's so very personal and unique to each individual and how the smallest lapses of integrity can lead to enormously shameful consequences.

Rather than the matchbox cars and halfpennies, I found the circumstances of the 1970s, rather than the products, more nostalgic and interesting. For example the fact that, in the absence of TV/internet/computer games etc, a community could gather round an interesting image on a drainpipe and play card games in deckchairs or the way children were looked out for or told off by the whole community rather than just their parents.

And I did like the humour - understated and just shy of being whimsical. In particular, I thought the arrival of the family at no 14 and the other characters' reactions to that was very funny!