Syal writes with such intimate depth and expression that you get a wonderful and vivid picture of life as a youngster in the Midlands at that time. It’s a difficult book, touching upon the difficult subject of immigration which is layered on top of the already troublesome time of growing up. It feels like Meena is too young for some of the things she goes through, but life comes at you fast, and it’s a great, moving, alarming and comforting story about family, friends and everything in between.