Sadly they're not real, but I wish I knew them. I'm re-reading Hilary McKay's fabulous series and loving it all over again. There are five books, chronicling the everyday lives of a very eccentric family. Saffy's Angel starts the series off, and we meet Saffron Casson, her parents and siblings. Eldest sister Caddy has failed all her exams, is in love with her driving instructor and keeps far too many pet guinea pigs. Saffy is next in line, and is setting out to solve a family mystery. Then comes Indigo, the only boy, who spends lots of his time on the roof, trying to cure himself of his fear of heights. And lastly Rose, the baby of the family, whose artistic talents are satisfied by drawing on walls.
Hilary McKay's writing is distinctive in style - lots of dialogue telling the story rather than description. I also love the fact that even the minor characters are well drawn and rounded. As the series progresses we meet Sarah, who crashed into Saffy with her wheelchair and becomes her best friend, American Tom the talented guitarist with a family secret, dippy David who starts off as a bully and becomes a friend, and Caddy's series of boyfriends.
The books are funny without being slapstick, but the humour is always off-set by poignant moments - the reader can see that Rose misses her dad who lives a lot of the time in London, we know that Caddy is about to marry the wrong mad and we hope for a Happy Ending for everyone in the last book of the series. It would be great to have more in the series, but I have just discovered Rose's blog on the author's website!
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