Julia Lawrinson, known for her books for young adult and middle grade readers, has written about her own life before – albeit in a highly fictionalised way. Longtime readers of Lawrinson’s work will recognise elements of her new memoir, How to Avoid a Happy Life, released this May through Fremantle Press. And though the book itself is a bright, sunny colour, the events detailed in the book portray a decidedly more dark series of events. The book might as well have been called A Series of Unfortunate Events, except that title was already taken.
Drawing on her background as a performer in an all-girl comedy troupe, Lawrinson somehow imbues the story of all of the worst things that have ever happened to her, and to members of her family, with a sense of humour and hope. This fearless memoir, which details everything from domestic abuse to mental illness, to the death of a friend at the hands of a Japanese serial killer, is a testament to the resilience of its writers’ spirit.
While it may feel a little relentless at times, the reader is left at the end of the experience with the impression that Lawrinson is looking forward to bigger and better things for her life. The joy she derives from her friendships, from her daughter, and the profound sense of self that carries throughout the memoir are palpable.
How to Avoid a Happy Life is structured thematically, with section titles such as ‘Find out why your husband is urinating on the kitchen floor of an evening’ and ‘Marry your ex-girlfriend’s brother’, so at times the book does loop back on itself. Helpfully, there is a family tree at the beginning of the book, helping you keep track of Lawrinson’s extended family – she refers to her parents and grandparents by their first names. While I did find this a little disorienting at first, being confused about who was who and where we were in time didn’t cause too much of an issue. Lawrinson is skilled at evoking people’s characters quickly, and it was easy to picture the places where these anecdotes from her life were set. If I had moments of confusion, I soon slipped back into the flow of the narrative.
The structure of the book, with its thematic sections, also meant that it was easy to let the book rest for a while when the content got too relentless, and I could re-orient myself in the next section without having to backtrack.
This is a different sort of memoir, and one whose author will wholly endear herself to you, if you let her.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
How to Avoid a Happy Life by Julia Lawrinson is out now from Fremantle Press. Get yourself a copy from your local bookstore HERE.
