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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Simple yet profound. A perfect read for me at this point in my life. I can relate to Casey on many levels as my relationship with my dad has been limited and sporadic. It deeply resonates for me on that level. Despite my relationship with my dad, how would I react if i knew he was dying? Better yet, how would he react? I'd like to think he would react in the same way Silver did in this book. I love Troppers style of writing. Very realistic. I love his sarcasm in his writing. A fun read.
I love his books. Finished this one over two days and laughed out loud a few times. His protagonists are always infuriating but lovable.
This was a really good story, fast read. I read 80% of it one night after dinner and finished it the next night. My biggest complaint is the ending. It felt like the author took the easy way out, in my opinion.
I can't decide if the conclusion of this book is rage inducing or a perfect fit for the story. Was pleasantly surprised by this one!
Actually just a shade below 4 stars. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It is the second Jonathan Tropper book I have read, so I was familiar with his style. But this book has more heart and less snark than 'This Is Where I Leave You'. Perhaps it is because the lead character, Drew Silver, a one-hit wonder on the rock scene, is both so hapless and helplessly honest that he is appealing.
Silver's life is in a slow decline. It has been a decade since his marriage to long-suffering Denise collapsed, and he is barely involved in the life of his daughter Casey. He is living in an apartment building filled with other lost, divorced men. He survives on the royalties from his one hit and supplements his income by selling his sperm to a sperm bank once a week. But when Casey drops back into his life and tells him that she is pregnant, Silver has to take an interest. Unfortunately, this also coincides with his physical collapse from a failing aorta. When offered the chance for heart surgery, Silver declines on the grounds that his life is not worth living. This sets up the rest of the story--can Silver's friends and family convince him to change his mind. Some funny set pieces punctuate the story.
This story is made for the movies, and it was optioned but never made. During our book discussion, we had some fun deciding who should play the main characters. But unlike many similar comedies, there is a lot of introspection about life, marriage, parenting, and love. Should Silver be allowed to die on his own terms, or does he owe his family something by living? The themes of forgiveness, reconciliation and the ability to change play a large part in the story.
I found similarities to Nick Hornby's books, particularly 'Juliet, Naked'. And if you saw the Meryl Streep film 'Ricki and the Flash', you'll see some similarities.
I want to add a note about the writing that is hard to put a finger on. It was easy to read, but not simplistic. The writing flowed. Sometimes you come across books that seem to resist the reader, that make you wonder if it has to be that hard to read a book. This book was not like that. I found it a relief to let the pages fly by.
Silver's life is in a slow decline. It has been a decade since his marriage to long-suffering Denise collapsed, and he is barely involved in the life of his daughter Casey. He is living in an apartment building filled with other lost, divorced men. He survives on the royalties from his one hit and supplements his income by selling his sperm to a sperm bank once a week. But when Casey drops back into his life and tells him that she is pregnant, Silver has to take an interest. Unfortunately, this also coincides with his physical collapse from a failing aorta. When offered the chance for heart surgery, Silver declines on the grounds that his life is not worth living. This sets up the rest of the story--can Silver's friends and family convince him to change his mind. Some funny set pieces punctuate the story.
This story is made for the movies, and it was optioned but never made. During our book discussion, we had some fun deciding who should play the main characters. But unlike many similar comedies, there is a lot of introspection about life, marriage, parenting, and love. Should Silver be allowed to die on his own terms, or does he owe his family something by living? The themes of forgiveness, reconciliation and the ability to change play a large part in the story.
I found similarities to Nick Hornby's books, particularly 'Juliet, Naked'. And if you saw the Meryl Streep film 'Ricki and the Flash', you'll see some similarities.
I want to add a note about the writing that is hard to put a finger on. It was easy to read, but not simplistic. The writing flowed. Sometimes you come across books that seem to resist the reader, that make you wonder if it has to be that hard to read a book. This book was not like that. I found it a relief to let the pages fly by.
Jonathan Tropper writes at the intersection of hilarity and heartbreak, and it is such a pleasure to read. Four and a half stars.
I was very excited to read this as I really like all of Jonathan Tropper's other books. One Last Thing Before I Go, did not disappoint. So good! Now all I can do is impatiently wait his next one.
Another great book by Jonathan Tropper. His characters are flawed yet relatable and his storytelling in great. Highly recommended.