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mckayla_haesch's review against another edition
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Funny, joyful, touching, and emotional? This book has it all. The human experience is very vast, but at the end of the day we all will cease to exist; what will your legacy be? What do you want your funeral to look like? Who will show up? I loved how Richard spoke on the theme of letting go of a past love to move forward in the present life. This story follows our main characters journey in that letting go process, and the very real ups and downs of holding on to something that isn’t meant for you. This is a slower paced book, but I promise it is totally worth it to stick through until the end. You may laugh, you may cringe, you may shed a tear, and you may be thrown back into past memories that you have carried with you. Experience it all right alongside our main character, and see what happens when it all falls into place at his own hand.
larrytheladybug's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hatto's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
nlbohr22's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gmckenna's review
3.0
It was…very slow to start. Some parts of the book were intriguing and made me want to keep reading. But also, so much of the book felt so relatable that you really felt for the MC.
shannon_petty's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jansbookcorner's review
3.0
Average read for me. Overall on the sad side but a light enough read to keep it from being depressing.
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Does make me think of Eleanor (Oliphant), warm and moving male-centred drama.
I was very impressed with this. It is one of those stories that you know straight away you'll be swept up by, carried along in a tide of emotion and familiar elements, but with a protagonist you desperately want to 'come good'.
When I say 'familiar elements' - some are decidedly uncommon. Andrew works for the council, entering the houses of the recently deceased in search of contact details for next of kin, attending funerals on their behalf when none are found. Seeing his own future in the homes of these lonely and isolated people, he hides the truth of his life from colleagues.
Also not conventionally, Andrew has kept up a facade for years at work, his colleagues all convinced he has a wife and two children. Until a new worker is put under his wing and he finds himself wishing he was 'unattached'.
Andrew lives in an online world outside of work, an all-encompassing one that may seem slightly bizarre to most, but in reality is his hobby, his obsession and his passion, just as everyone possesses. His model railway world, chat room, friends, is well-built into a realistic framework of conversations and brings a lot of warmth to his character. It also shows that trainspotting-types are just as tech-savvy (and potentially cool) as anyone else!
The story takes us through some morally grey and questionable areas - attraction between two people at work both 'attached', the long-term lies and deception Andrew has constructed and maintained. But the good humour and warmth of the story as Andrew and Peggy becomes friends and deal with both professional and personal issues together can't help but be relished. He's not a bad person, though he has made some poor decisions.
Just loved reading this, and have recommended it to others. Just the right sort of book for a bit of a lift, and it is very easy to picture it making a success on the screen as well, there are some lovely characters in the office staff (including a Come Dine with Me nightmare scenario) and the trainspotting friends who get a good moment or two in the spotlight.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.
I was very impressed with this. It is one of those stories that you know straight away you'll be swept up by, carried along in a tide of emotion and familiar elements, but with a protagonist you desperately want to 'come good'.
When I say 'familiar elements' - some are decidedly uncommon. Andrew works for the council, entering the houses of the recently deceased in search of contact details for next of kin, attending funerals on their behalf when none are found. Seeing his own future in the homes of these lonely and isolated people, he hides the truth of his life from colleagues.
Also not conventionally, Andrew has kept up a facade for years at work, his colleagues all convinced he has a wife and two children. Until a new worker is put under his wing and he finds himself wishing he was 'unattached'.
Andrew lives in an online world outside of work, an all-encompassing one that may seem slightly bizarre to most, but in reality is his hobby, his obsession and his passion, just as everyone possesses. His model railway world, chat room, friends, is well-built into a realistic framework of conversations and brings a lot of warmth to his character. It also shows that trainspotting-types are just as tech-savvy (and potentially cool) as anyone else!
The story takes us through some morally grey and questionable areas - attraction between two people at work both 'attached', the long-term lies and deception Andrew has constructed and maintained. But the good humour and warmth of the story as Andrew and Peggy becomes friends and deal with both professional and personal issues together can't help but be relished. He's not a bad person, though he has made some poor decisions.
Just loved reading this, and have recommended it to others. Just the right sort of book for a bit of a lift, and it is very easy to picture it making a success on the screen as well, there are some lovely characters in the office staff (including a Come Dine with Me nightmare scenario) and the trainspotting friends who get a good moment or two in the spotlight.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.
ibisette's review
2.0
such a bland book. It started out with an interesting perspective, with Andrew's quite special job. So I kept reading hoping there would be more to it. I wish I had not taken the courage to finish it. Not worth it.