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Lisa Owens

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Not Working Paperback – 15 Jun. 2017

by Lisa Owens (Author)

3.4 767 ratings

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'Lisa Owens is a comedy genius' Emma Jane Unsworth, author of Animals
'Laugh-out-loud funny' Observer
'Insanely funny but also moving and true' Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall
'A deadpan comic debut for the procrastination generation' Guardian

Now and again we all lie awake wondering what on earth we're doing with our lives . . . don't we?

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 . . .

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Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Picador
Publication date

15 Jun. 2017
Reading age

18 years and up
Dimensions

13.1 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm
ISBN-10

9781509806560
ISBN-13

978-1509806560
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Product description

Review

Lisa Owens is a comedy genius and a seriously skilful and beautiful writer. Not Working is so clever and original, pithy and poignant, capturing the voice of a bright, lost generation -- Emma Jane Unsworth, author of ANIMALS

I love Not Working. As close to the tenderness and funniness and uniqueness of real life as books get -- David Whitehouse, author of Mobile Library

Not Working is absolutely brilliant. Insanely funny but also moving and true. Lisa Owens is one of those writers on whom nothing is lost -- Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall

Pin-sharp, utterly addictive ― Vogue

A deadpan comic debut for the procrastination generation ― Guardian

Full of crackling, voice-of-a-generation observations ― Glamour

Sharp and funny . . . exquisitely nails the sensation of being the only one in a group of friends who can't work out what life is supposed to be about ― Stylist

Sharp, incisive and laugh-out-loud funny ― Observer

Piercingly observant and funny ― Express

Agenda-setting . . . Combining the honesty of Bridget Jones with the bang-on social observation of early Sex and the City, this nails it -- Sam Baker ― The Pool

Get ready to LOL at Not Working, the dazzling debut from Lisa Owens ― Look

Quick-witted and sharp-tongued, lovable and flawed, Claire is a super narrator that readers will easily connect with . . . at once universal and unique ― Irish Times

Hilarious . . . captures modern life with such pinpoint accuracy that it echoes the Bridget Jones's Diary phenomenon . . . funny, perceptive and entertaining ― Daily Express

Imagine the diaries of Adrian Mole as written by the lovechild of Bridget Jones and Dorothy Parker . . . So good, so funny, so of its time ― Red

Warm-hearted, clever . . . rich in humour and piercing insight ― Metro

Hugely enjoyable ― Mail on Sunday

A gem ― Irish Times

I don’t tend to laugh out loud at books; this is still one of only a handful of novels that have forced an audible cackle from me. ― The Guardian

From the Back Cover

'Warmth and wit leaps off the pages . . . filled with blisteringly acute observations' Observer

Now and again we all lie awake wondering what on earth we're doing with our lives . . . don't we?

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 . . .

'Imagine the diaries of Adrian Mole as written by the lovechild of Bridget Jones and Dorothy Parker . . . So good, so funny, so of its time' Red
'Quick-witted and sharp-tongued, lovable and flawed, Claire is a super narrator that readers will easily connect with . . . at once universal and unique' Irish Times
'I'm days away from knocking on strangers' doors now that friends and colleagues will no longer listen to me recommend it . . . Not Working is brilliant' Stylist

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1509806563
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador; Main Market edition (15 Jun. 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781509806560
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509806560
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.1 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 101,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 539 in Parodies (Books)
- 2,577 in Women's Literary Fiction (Books)
- 3,562 in Psychological Fiction (Books)

Customer reviews:
3.4 767 ratings

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Lisa Owens

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Customer reviews

3.4 out of 5

767 global ratings

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Amazon Customer

Probably the most pointless novel I've ever read...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 July 2017

Verified Purchase

I don't normally leave reviews but, I felt I had to. ***SPOILER WARNING***
The book is slow and ponderous from the get go, but I did get into it towards the end, hoping for some kind of satisfying outcome! It didn't happen. Claire is an extremely unlikable character, so, therefore, it's hard to want to follow her life or know anything about her really...
I was hoping that maybe her boyfriend would leave her or she'd get diagnosed with depression or something, just to make the ending seem worth it, but no, it ends abruptly and quickly and all that you've just read seems meaningless...
One of my main reasons for persevering with it was to see if she did actually get a job and what it would be since her 'quest' was so intense and laborious...or maybe there may have been some deeper meaning to it....none of which happened. She just 'got a job' and everything was wonderful and we didn't even find out what job it was...
I could relate to it the fact that I have been in the same situation very recently, regarding my career...
Other than that, it's just a long stream of unlikable characters and pointless bits of a unlikeable, self obessed woman's life. It's time I won't get back.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

The Bookish Reader

Great debut, looking forwards to more!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 December 2016

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Claire is hilarious, she has a wonderful boyfriend (trainee brain surgeon) and a group of close friends. She has fun, loves her family, but is kind of lost. So, Claire decides to resign from her boring job and 'find herself'. This novel is told through a series of long and short observations by Claire of her life. Ranging from one-liners which I want to steal for my social media feeds to longer conversations and narrations of what's happening right now. If anything can go wrong for Claire it does, in a Bridget Jones-esque manner.

"Not the first time I've jumped at that dustball in the corner mistaking it for a spider or worse; pretty confident it won't be the last."

I loved the realism of the narration, it didn't feel forced or over-exaggerated for effect, Claire felt like a normal girl who I might be friends with. I warmed to her throughout her quest to find what she wanted to do with her life.

Growing up I thought adults had it made, they could do what they liked, buy what they liked and knew everything. Little did I know most people are making it up as they go along. That perfectly dressed co-worker doesn't have her s*** more together than the rest of us, she just spends inordinately more time deciding on what to wear and probably needs more sleep because of it.

A very real portrayal of relationships, pre-mid-life-crisis-crisis yet very uplifting and funny at the same time. Great debut novel from Lisa Owens.

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@georgiana.hello

this was an amazing read. I believe that if you are someone ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 April 2018

Verified Purchase

this was an amazing read. I believe that if you are someone wanting to quit your job to follow that passion which you are not entirely sure what it is as you actually want time to discover it, it is a great read to see how it feels to actually do that insane thing you are thinking to do. to quit your job having no idea what you want to be or become but believe of yourself that not working in a miserable job, will give you the freedom to actually pursue your dreams or vocation even though you have no clue what that is. You might think you need time to discover your passions and dreams and vocation. But this book will prove to you you are wrong. Do not quit your job. Read this book first!

2 people found this helpful

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Kader Daffe

Lovely prose, Tiresome content. And not enough whales!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 December 2017

Verified Purchase

I found 'Not Working' to be a very conflicting read. Whilst I found Lisa Owens' prose and writing style to be an absolute joy, both free-flowing and engaging, I found that some of the content and character development was severely lacking. The subject matter of the Modern British rat-race, mountain out of a molehill, anxiety-ridden, Bridget Jones-esque minefield being navigated by the (a bit too obviously flawed) heroine felt almost unbearably cliched and slightly tired. Invariably one would hope to either warm to or distance themself from the main protagonist in any novel but I found myself sadly apathetic throughout even up until the lame, fizzling conclusion (If indeed anything was concluded from a plot perspective). Some of the description used by Owens had a pleasant familiarity, but this was fleeting and in my opinion underused.
The saving grace of this novel was Lisa Owens' fast-paced, bitesize, engaging prose. Her short paragraphs, in which she leapt from one situation, conversation or anecdote to the next, served the purpose of reflecting the scatty, distracted workings of the main character's mind but also caused the reader to charge onwards through the novel, devouring one arguement with her boyfriend after the next complaint about her Starbucks barista. Sadly, in my case, this was normally in anticipation of the next scenario being more entertaining than the last or in search of something substantial or meaningful. Owens did bring elements of humour to this novel and more than once I found myself smiling moronically to myself on the crowded train. Some aspects of this were quite endearing, such as the cringeworthy punning between the main protagonist and her long suffering partner.
In conclusion, Owens has adopted a lovely writing style in this novel and it is worth pointing out that as a debut some elements of this book are very well accomplished. I would also concede that the subject matter may appeal to some more than others and subjectively I can readily admit that whether her boss is sleeping with her other boss or if her friends boyfriend thinks shes annoying is not the most relatable content for me. However the signs of a good book are that a situation, subject matter and character that you have never encountered should have the ability to entrance and enthrall. I would paraphrase one of Owens' passages in this novel by referring to most people's limited knowledge or interest in whaling the first time they picked up Moby Dick, despite the classic's ultimately deeper meaning. So perhaps the biggest coompliment I can pay Owens and 'Not Working' is that subject matter is attainable by all, whereas an attractive writing style is not; in that regard I would certainly pick up Lisa Owens next book, hopefully it's not really about Whales though.

3 people found this helpful

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OliviaL

Could have used more chapters

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2020

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book all they way till the end but it left with a lot of stuff brushed over or unresolved and I felt dissatisfied. I would say the book is good, with a nice tone of voice and has a great way of reflecting real life but the character is a bit flakey. She died some cringed things but when she should stand her ground she lets others walk all over her. I was really excited for this book as I had a similar experience, but thought it could have used a few more chapters.

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Nat

Satisfaite

Reviewed in France on 28 February 2018

Verified Purchase

On m'avait recommandé ce livre et j'ai été heureuse de pouvoir l'acheter d'occasion car c'est le style de livre que l'on fait passer après l'avoir lu.
La description qui se trouvait en ligne lors de ma commande était tout à fait juste. Je suis satisfaite de mon achat.

One person found this helpful

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Sara Fernandez

Not that brilliant

Reviewed in Spain on 25 January 2017

Verified Purchase

Funny, but not brilliant. I liked the characters, but I guess I was expecting more. I would not recommend it.

Chris

Macht das Leben ohne Arbeit Sinn?

Reviewed in Germany on 6 May 2016

Verified Purchase

Angeblich ist dieser Roman mit "Bridget Jones" vergleichbar - vergesst es: das ist nur ein Marketing-Gag!
Der Roman ist... Ja - was ist er eigentlich? Eine junge Frau, die allem Anschein nach weder in der Schule noch auf der Universität eine Vorstellung entwickelt hat, was (beruflich) einmal aus ihr werden soll, schlittert nach der Uni in den erstbesten Job, der sich bietet, und ist unglücklich. Schließlich kündigt sie, um sich auf die Suche nach... ja - was eigentlich zu machen?
Sie hat offensichtlich keine Interessen, keine Hobbies und erst recht keine Leidenschaft für irgendwelche Themen oder Tätigkeiten. Sie fährt mit der Tube durch London, um sich mit Freunden in Cafés auf einen Kaffee zu treffen, in Pubs auf einen Wein, privat auf einen Wein... Sie trinkt recht viel! Abgesehen von dem Ausfüllen neckischer Internet-tests à la "Welcher Job eignet sich für mich?" unternimmt sie keine Anstrengungen, einen neuen Job - oder gar ihren Traumjob - zu finden... keine Bewerbungen, keine Bewerbungsgespräche... Sie surft im Internet, sie hat keine Lust, die Wohnung aufzuräumen oder zu putzen - wie sie es früher schon getan hat...
Glücklicherweise hat sie einen ganz tollen Lebenspartner, der für alles Verständnis hat (obwohl sie kaum eine Gelegenheit auslässt, ihn vor den Kopf zu stoßen, zu beleidigen...).
Das Buch endet damit, dass sie wieder arbeitet... (Wie sie den Job gefunden hat & was es nun für ein Job ist, bleibt unklar...)
(Vielleicht habe ich den Epilog auch missverstanden: vielleicht räumt sie das nur...)
Also: Wenn eine junge Frau nicht arbeitet, verliert sie den Boden unter den Füßen; sobald sie wieder ihren 9-5-Job hat, ist alles wieder im Lot...
???????

4 people found this helpful

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Jan Baker

Two Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 29 August 2016

Verified Purchase

Bit disappointing.

btxx

so ziehen die tage ins land...

Reviewed in Germany on 8 August 2017

Verified Purchase

und es wird ein job gesucht oder lieber doch nicht -
es liest sich ganz nett und langweilig würde ich es nicht nennen, ein bisschen öde, wie manchmal vertrödelte tage sind, mit ganz netten kleinen beobachtungen aus der u-bahn, aber den im klappentext besungenen witz, den habe ich in keinem satz gefunden. ich fand es null witzig. auch nicht amüsant oder zum grinsen oder leicht die mundwinkel hochziehen - überhaupt nicht witzig das buch. ich wollte aber ein witziges und nicht eines zum so lesen wie die apothekerzeitung, weil gerade nichts anderes da ist. und ja, für einen roman ist es mir zu öde. also nur ein stern.

2 people found this helpful

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