Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today I am reviewing Dawn French’s The Twat Files.

The Twat Files was first published in October 2023 by Penguin and is 400 pages long.

Just a quick heads up here: I know many people don’t like the word ‘twat’ and think it vulgar, but in this instance, I recommend you read it as a term of endearment (which, for many British people, it is!). In fact, on the first page, Dawn explains why she uses and likes the word.

What It’s About
The Twat Files is a collection of anecdotes provided by the hilarious Ms French about all the times she considers herself to have been (in her own words) a twat.

Characters
Although Dawn tells stories about many people from her life, from her family and colleagues to the royals, the book’s primary focus is Dawn herself. In The Twat Files, she shows us that showbiz isn’t all glitter and sparkles, especially when you’re so good at creating awkward and cringeworthy situations.

Writing Style
The book is laid out in twenty-five chapters, each featuring a different anecdote, from the many times French feels she was somewhat of a fool, an idiot or a bit of a silly sausage.

The writing is wonderfully engaging and conversational; Dawn draws you in on each story in a way that feels like an embrace. Through her witty and honest retellings of these moments throughout her life and career, we’re invited to witness her cringing embarrassment as she lays everything bare, from her injuries related to daring stunts to her reluctance and refusal to film any more series of the sketch show French and Saunders, which she co-created with her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders.

One of the strengths of The Twat Files is French’s ability to convey the essence of her ‘twattiness’ with just a few paragraphs, as each of her stories is no longer than a few pages. These small snippets of Dawn’s life make for an enjoyable, easy read and allow for ‘snack reading’ (reading in short bursts). Her encounters with people like (the former/now King) Prince Charles and events like the local pony race she entered (with her elderly pony Shula) as a child are well-drawn and frankly compelling, and her use of language is brilliant. Her writing is rich in the informality of a friend whilst being hilarious, clever and sharp.

Final Thoughts
Overall, The Twat Files is a must-read for Dawn French fans or anyone looking for a good laugh and a break from the harsh, often razor edge of the world we seem to be living in as of late. French’s frankness, smarts and self-deprecating humour make this book both entertaining and insightful, and it is one that I intend to return to whenever I need a pick-me-up.

I should also point out, too, that this book is a companion to Dawn’s one-woman show ‘Dawn French is a Huge Twat’ and though a few of the stories are the same, most of them weren’t in the show, so if you have watched the show, which aired over Christmas 2023 on the BBC and are thinking you won’t get anything new from reading the book, you’d be wrong. There are plenty more stories here to make it well worth reading.

I am giving The Twat Files an 8/10.

Have you read The Twat Files or watched Dawn French is a Huge Twat? What did you think?

Thank you, as always, for reading my review. I do appreciate it.

Until next time,

George

© 2024 GLT

Categories: Book Reviews, Reading

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