This book made me cry at the end which is unexpected in a book that has this much humour. Although some of it was quite comical I kept wondering if I was supposed to be laughing when there was so much misery in the story. I was the same age as the main character in 1980 when the novel is set, and like Lizzie had a difficult time as I approached my twenties at the start of the Thatcher period. I thought the author captured seventies childhood well, ziggy stardust, jacobs cream crackers, alberto apple VO5 etc and also the way that Lizzie is at an age where she is both adult and a child - depending on whose looking. I could have done without some of the jokes though recommended if - like Lizzie - you want to laugh and cry at the same time "like a Rainbow".