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zoefruitcake's review against another edition
4.0
A really touching tale of love, loss, guilt, consequences, and death. I knew nothing about it before and having lost my mother last year I may have avoided this story set in a hospice but actually, it was helpful rather than upsetting. I was particularly taken with the description of someone being a 'fun suck hole' which reminded me of my ex-husband who I used to call a 'fun vampire' as he could suck the fun out of anything. I imagine I will think of this often
blairfrank's review against another edition
1.0
**Won this book in a giveaway.**
The hype is better than the product. The description was fairly interesting. The story was fairly disappointing. I only had 326 pages to read and it took me 4 months to complete. I kept hoping something would get better, but it never did. I would only pick this book to read in between deciding what I wanted to read next. The storyline isn't awful, but I don't see what the rest of the reviewers are raving about. I will not be recommending this book to anyone because I don't want to waste their time.
The hype is better than the product. The description was fairly interesting. The story was fairly disappointing. I only had 326 pages to read and it took me 4 months to complete. I kept hoping something would get better, but it never did. I would only pick this book to read in between deciding what I wanted to read next. The storyline isn't awful, but I don't see what the rest of the reviewers are raving about. I will not be recommending this book to anyone because I don't want to waste their time.
kerinl's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book. I'd rate it a 4.5. My only complaint is that it ended too abruptly. I would have liked a little more closure.
vzoerink's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
yiddish_anarchist's review against another edition
5.0
I read this on a trip
My review is biased, among other things, by the fact that I read this on a cross-country trip without my partner.
I was devastated, but in a good way, like only a good novel can do.
My review is biased, among other things, by the fact that I read this on a cross-country trip without my partner.
I was devastated, but in a good way, like only a good novel can do.
amotisse's review against another edition
3.0
It was initially the title and cover that caught my attention, then the concept of the A-Z which is quite similar to some creative writing prompts I’ve used.
Definitely quirky and plenty of errors in the protagonists story though the tone, for me, was more tragic than comedic.
Interesting and clever how the story unravels. I seriously disliked some of the characters, which basically means they are well written.
Sad, moving and insightful.
Definitely quirky and plenty of errors in the protagonists story though the tone, for me, was more tragic than comedic.
Interesting and clever how the story unravels. I seriously disliked some of the characters, which basically means they are well written.
Sad, moving and insightful.
nerdbrarian's review against another edition
5.0
If I could give this book more than five stars I would. There are not very many books in this world that can legitimately make me cry. This is one of them.
Ivo has been interred at St. Leonard's - a hospital where everyone knows you only leave feet-first in a box. He has been prompted by Nurse Sheila - a wonderful representative of the best of the profession as I have ever read - to keep his mind busy and sharp by playing the A to Z game. For every letter of the alphabet, Ivo must think of a body part and relate a memory from his life for each one. In this way author James Hannah takes you on a journey through a maze of Ivo's highs and lows, his mistakes and joys. Little by little, with each body part, you meet Ivo's sister Laura, his best mates Kelvin and Mal and his ex-girlfriend. This is a beautiful and creative way to gain insight into a character. And as you finally learn the heart-breaking path that brought Ivo to this hospital bead, you become completely invested in the character, crying when even he can't (T is for Tear Ducts, even when you can't force them to make tears).
James Hannah tells a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal, the process of dying, and - ultimately - forgiveness.
Ivo has been interred at St. Leonard's - a hospital where everyone knows you only leave feet-first in a box. He has been prompted by Nurse Sheila - a wonderful representative of the best of the profession as I have ever read - to keep his mind busy and sharp by playing the A to Z game. For every letter of the alphabet, Ivo must think of a body part and relate a memory from his life for each one. In this way author James Hannah takes you on a journey through a maze of Ivo's highs and lows, his mistakes and joys. Little by little, with each body part, you meet Ivo's sister Laura, his best mates Kelvin and Mal and his ex-girlfriend. This is a beautiful and creative way to gain insight into a character. And as you finally learn the heart-breaking path that brought Ivo to this hospital bead, you become completely invested in the character, crying when even he can't (T is for Tear Ducts, even when you can't force them to make tears).
James Hannah tells a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal, the process of dying, and - ultimately - forgiveness.
jo_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Ivo is in a hospice. He is a young man, he does not belong in this place you would think. Sadly for Ivo he knows this and he is as he lies in his bed, thinking over the life he has led so far and what trouble there has been and what love he has had and subsequently lost.
We don't know why Ivo is in a hospice. We know very little about him and there seems to be no or few visitors. He is isolated. He blames people. He does not want to face the guilt of his past. His only contact is with Sheila the nurse with a sense of humour and wanting to give Ivo and everyone a sense of purpose even if they are coming towards the end of their lives.
Sheila uses the A to Z game. Name a body part and tell a story about it relating to your past. Ivo takes up this challenge somewhat reluctantly but anything to stop his mind becoming too anxious. And as you start to think yourself as parts of a body, we learn about Ivo.
As this recollection continues through the book, we start to get a picture of the man who is lying in this bed. How he came to be there? What went on before him? What effect he had on others around him?
This is ultimately a sad book, but there is something rather refreshing about it. It's style is different as we go through the alphabet piecing together the story. The structure is strong as the story unravels in front of us. At times I felt like I was intruding on something so precious, so beautiful and desperately sad that I did want to cry. At others I felt I was sharing in the 'gallows' humour that made me chuckle, as one memory triggered another.
As Ivo finds peace with the emotions and actions that have affected his life? Will the ultimate action mean he can now return to his one yearning - his only true love?
It has such a gentleness about it, that you want to hold onto its memories, you somehow treat the book and the story with some sort of reverence not afforded to other novels. It is not a book to pick up if you want some light reading but that does not make in a turn a difficult read. You need to be in a gentle place to read this and get the most out of it. A debut novel with a difference, it is going to make people talk.
We don't know why Ivo is in a hospice. We know very little about him and there seems to be no or few visitors. He is isolated. He blames people. He does not want to face the guilt of his past. His only contact is with Sheila the nurse with a sense of humour and wanting to give Ivo and everyone a sense of purpose even if they are coming towards the end of their lives.
Sheila uses the A to Z game. Name a body part and tell a story about it relating to your past. Ivo takes up this challenge somewhat reluctantly but anything to stop his mind becoming too anxious. And as you start to think yourself as parts of a body, we learn about Ivo.
As this recollection continues through the book, we start to get a picture of the man who is lying in this bed. How he came to be there? What went on before him? What effect he had on others around him?
This is ultimately a sad book, but there is something rather refreshing about it. It's style is different as we go through the alphabet piecing together the story. The structure is strong as the story unravels in front of us. At times I felt like I was intruding on something so precious, so beautiful and desperately sad that I did want to cry. At others I felt I was sharing in the 'gallows' humour that made me chuckle, as one memory triggered another.
As Ivo finds peace with the emotions and actions that have affected his life? Will the ultimate action mean he can now return to his one yearning - his only true love?
It has such a gentleness about it, that you want to hold onto its memories, you somehow treat the book and the story with some sort of reverence not afforded to other novels. It is not a book to pick up if you want some light reading but that does not make in a turn a difficult read. You need to be in a gentle place to read this and get the most out of it. A debut novel with a difference, it is going to make people talk.
katesmash's review against another edition
4.0
Full Disclosure: I received this book through NetGalley, to read and review, before publication. However the book was published before I finished reading it.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Ups and downs. Highs and lows. Just like real life. Ivo is a 40 year old diabetic who hasn't made the best choices in life. You know early on in the book that something significant happened to/with his girlfriend, but you don't know until the end what that something was. It kept me engaged in the book all the way through.
The style of writing of this book, little mini stories of the past based on the game Ivo is playing at the suggestion of his nurse, the A-Z game, mixed in with "present day" Ivo's story, is unique and one I really enjoyed.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Ups and downs. Highs and lows. Just like real life. Ivo is a 40 year old diabetic who hasn't made the best choices in life. You know early on in the book that something significant happened to/with his girlfriend, but you don't know until the end what that something was. It kept me engaged in the book all the way through.
The style of writing of this book, little mini stories of the past based on the game Ivo is playing at the suggestion of his nurse, the A-Z game, mixed in with "present day" Ivo's story, is unique and one I really enjoyed.