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amym84's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Nearly every day Andrew is faced with sorting through the personal belongings of people who have died alone hoping to find a next of kin or just someone to remember the person who has passed. Happening more frequently, Andrew is the sole person attending the funerals. His colleagues would be worried except Andrew has a loving wife and two kids (a boy and a girl) at home to balance the happy and the sad.
Except, that's not entirely true. Andrew doesn't have a family, but after telling his boss at his hiring interview all about his family, Andrew has kept up the ruse fearing he's lose his job otherwise, and also not wanting to admit to the fact that he's lonely. Now it's getting so out of control Andrew can barely tell where the lies end and the truth begins.
Then, Andrew meets Peggy - a new hire in the office. As Andrew trains Peggy the two connect almost immediately and start forming a lovely friendship that has the potential to blossom into something more. Now Andrew is faced with coming clean about his made up family. But will Peggy, or anyone, still look at him the same once they learn his secret? The problem with coming clean is that Andrew will finally have to start living his life, that means moving on from a past that he has tried really hard to keep from dealing with.
I have to say that I was surprised with the depth of the exploration of life and death and the ways in which the loss of someone can change your life. I felt like I was prepared for the surface level, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that Andrew is facing something deeper than initially presented. I don't want to talk about it too much because I felt like seeing the pieces fit together is all part of the journey - both Andrew's and the reader's - and I enjoyed going in a little unprepared.
But, while the Richard Roper presents a deft hand at the topic of life and death, I just felt like the story as a whole dragged a bit too much. While I sympathized with Andrew, there were a few times I felt like we were going around and around in a circle in regards to him moving forward. Which is a shame because if you're someone else who feels the same and decided to give up early you'd miss the satisfying ending to Andrew's story. So, all I can say is if we are like me and felt a lull in the drive of the story, don't give up because it's worth it.
Truly, it's the relationship between Peggy and Andrew that really makes the story pop. They have such a great chemistry. While Andrew's personal development (around which the whole story is centered) at times dragged, I enjoyed the slow development of Andrew and Peggy's feelings for one another. As Andrew says throughout it's complicated and Mr. Roper certainly presents all the complications that come with being a responsible adult and then some for Peggy and Andrew. But seeing them, together and individually, work through their complications only makes their connection with one another brighter.
I feel like Richard Roper took a subject that could have easily been too morose and gave us hope and light, and a bit of laughter.
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Nearly every day Andrew is faced with sorting through the personal belongings of people who have died alone hoping to find a next of kin or just someone to remember the person who has passed. Happening more frequently, Andrew is the sole person attending the funerals. His colleagues would be worried except Andrew has a loving wife and two kids (a boy and a girl) at home to balance the happy and the sad.
Except, that's not entirely true. Andrew doesn't have a family, but after telling his boss at his hiring interview all about his family, Andrew has kept up the ruse fearing he's lose his job otherwise, and also not wanting to admit to the fact that he's lonely. Now it's getting so out of control Andrew can barely tell where the lies end and the truth begins.
Then, Andrew meets Peggy - a new hire in the office. As Andrew trains Peggy the two connect almost immediately and start forming a lovely friendship that has the potential to blossom into something more. Now Andrew is faced with coming clean about his made up family. But will Peggy, or anyone, still look at him the same once they learn his secret? The problem with coming clean is that Andrew will finally have to start living his life, that means moving on from a past that he has tried really hard to keep from dealing with.
I have to say that I was surprised with the depth of the exploration of life and death and the ways in which the loss of someone can change your life. I felt like I was prepared for the surface level, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that Andrew is facing something deeper than initially presented. I don't want to talk about it too much because I felt like seeing the pieces fit together is all part of the journey - both Andrew's and the reader's - and I enjoyed going in a little unprepared.
But, while the Richard Roper presents a deft hand at the topic of life and death, I just felt like the story as a whole dragged a bit too much. While I sympathized with Andrew, there were a few times I felt like we were going around and around in a circle in regards to him moving forward. Which is a shame because if you're someone else who feels the same and decided to give up early you'd miss the satisfying ending to Andrew's story. So, all I can say is if we are like me and felt a lull in the drive of the story, don't give up because it's worth it.
Truly, it's the relationship between Peggy and Andrew that really makes the story pop. They have such a great chemistry. While Andrew's personal development (around which the whole story is centered) at times dragged, I enjoyed the slow development of Andrew and Peggy's feelings for one another. As Andrew says throughout it's complicated and Mr. Roper certainly presents all the complications that come with being a responsible adult and then some for Peggy and Andrew. But seeing them, together and individually, work through their complications only makes their connection with one another brighter.
I feel like Richard Roper took a subject that could have easily been too morose and gave us hope and light, and a bit of laughter.
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
pazley's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jmbibliolater's review against another edition
2.0
Special thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC copy. ARC was given in exchange for an honest review.
This has got to be one of the strangest, uniquely set book that I have read in a long time. I do not recall ever reading a book where the majority of the it is set around an agency like this one.. It is both ludicrously morbid and spectacularly brilliant in one. Why? Because Andrew, the main character, has a job working for a government agency that requires him to sift through a dead person's belongings to find any sort of next of kin. Since most of the dead are of the lonely sort, there is normally none and Andrew will then arrange the funeral. Although it is not part of his job description, Andrew often attends the funeral so the person is not entirely alone which is actually kinda sweet.
Andrew is also a lonely sort due to his past until he meets Peggy. Peggy makes his realize his loneliness and Andrew begins to see he needs to live his life instead of going through it with implicit numbness. I really enjoy being able to watch characters personally grow like Andrew does.
With all this said, I don't know what to make of this novel. Although, the story itself is unique and humorous at times, it is extremely sad. Depressingly sad. And to top it all off, there were one too many times where I became extremely bored reading and ended up skimming most. I am a reader that needs / wants more entertainment and this severely lacked it.
This has got to be one of the strangest, uniquely set book that I have read in a long time. I do not recall ever reading a book where the majority of the it is set around an agency like this one.. It is both ludicrously morbid and spectacularly brilliant in one. Why? Because Andrew, the main character, has a job working for a government agency that requires him to sift through a dead person's belongings to find any sort of next of kin. Since most of the dead are of the lonely sort, there is normally none and Andrew will then arrange the funeral. Although it is not part of his job description, Andrew often attends the funeral so the person is not entirely alone which is actually kinda sweet.
Andrew is also a lonely sort due to his past until he meets Peggy. Peggy makes his realize his loneliness and Andrew begins to see he needs to live his life instead of going through it with implicit numbness. I really enjoy being able to watch characters personally grow like Andrew does.
With all this said, I don't know what to make of this novel. Although, the story itself is unique and humorous at times, it is extremely sad. Depressingly sad. And to top it all off, there were one too many times where I became extremely bored reading and ended up skimming most. I am a reader that needs / wants more entertainment and this severely lacked it.
doon_up's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A worthwhile read on the snowball effects of holding on too tight. It dealt with how people connect and those who have lost connection. The British language was on full display
tawnarita's review against another edition
3.0
I mean I should have known from the title but this was super depressing.
gabizago's review against another edition
5.0
I kind of like this book - and how the title relates both to the main character and his job at the department helping to make funeral arrangements for people that died with no relatives. The story is interesting and you can somehow relate to the character and his struggles.
m_kuryla's review against another edition
4.0
at first, i didn’t know how i was going to feel about it. it seemed somewhat boring at first and it just wasn’t picking up. then, as you learn more about andrew and his life, it’s more intriguing than anything. how someone can live like that. alone and pushing people away. although i understand why he has the tendency to do that considering the death that has followed him throughout his life. it was just be very hard and lonely.
peggy was an interesting aspect. she was definitely the one to push him along to move on with his life and to be able to be happy again. i’m glad they don’t necessarily end up together at the end because that’s not the point of why she was introduced. she’s supposed to help him with getting to the future and the possibilities that may unfold for him if he stops living in the past.
the lie that he told his coworkers and boss was about how he had a wife and two kids. we later find out that his supposed wife was a real person who he dated, but tragically died on the way to the store. the lie was just a fantasy of his. a story about what if. i believe it was apart of his grieving process that he got stuck in and never was able to get out. then he became too ashamed that he had been lying for so long that he couldn’t tell the people he worked with the truth until peggy came along.
the only part i wasn’t too fond of was the fact that it was set in London or somewhere in England or UK because they had phrases and words that Americans don’t use on a day to day basis so i did find myself looking words up to figure out what they mean. the slang and certain terms i could figure out just by using context clues but it was unnaturally as i read because i was reading with an american accent instead of a british one, which made the slang sound weird.
also the ending. i’m not sure why cameron had to report andrew. unless it was about the blackmailing? but the lie andrew told shouldn’t have been report in my opinion. it was a lie about his personal life that did not affect his work at all. he still came to work everyday and did his job. he could’ve been reporting the blackmail but even then, why did andrew lose his job over it?
overall, i enjoyed the storyline. it was a decent read besides the language used somewhat. would recommend.
peggy was an interesting aspect. she was definitely the one to push him along to move on with his life and to be able to be happy again. i’m glad they don’t necessarily end up together at the end because that’s not the point of why she was introduced. she’s supposed to help him with getting to the future and the possibilities that may unfold for him if he stops living in the past.
the lie that he told his coworkers and boss was about how he had a wife and two kids. we later find out that his supposed wife was a real person who he dated, but tragically died on the way to the store. the lie was just a fantasy of his. a story about what if. i believe it was apart of his grieving process that he got stuck in and never was able to get out. then he became too ashamed that he had been lying for so long that he couldn’t tell the people he worked with the truth until peggy came along.
the only part i wasn’t too fond of was the fact that it was set in London or somewhere in England or UK because they had phrases and words that Americans don’t use on a day to day basis so i did find myself looking words up to figure out what they mean. the slang and certain terms i could figure out just by using context clues but it was unnaturally as i read because i was reading with an american accent instead of a british one, which made the slang sound weird.
also the ending. i’m not sure why cameron had to report andrew. unless it was about the blackmailing? but the lie andrew told shouldn’t have been report in my opinion. it was a lie about his personal life that did not affect his work at all. he still came to work everyday and did his job. he could’ve been reporting the blackmail but even then, why did andrew lose his job over it?
overall, i enjoyed the storyline. it was a decent read besides the language used somewhat. would recommend.
em_of_the_wild's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt