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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
My best read this year. Like a cross between Elinor Oliphant / Rosie Project / Me Before You. Such good moments, characters were likeable and the narrative was fab. Adult themes tackled very well.
This book tells an extraordinary story about Alex who befriends Mr Peterson who is a lot older. Although the book deals with a lot of very serious topics such as euthanasia, science, epilepsy, etc. it stays fun to read (and more importantly not too heartbreaking/sad) due to the author's use of humour. Most importantly this humour does not make the scenes laughable or frivolous. All in all it was a lovely story where we got to see Alex grow up.
Felt a little bit like reading a documentary at times, but not in a bad way. There's just enough info that it never dips from interesting into boring, and is told just as you'd imagine an earnest and geeky young man such as Lex doing in real life.
A rare meteorite struck Alex Woods when he was ten years old, leaving scars and marking him for an extraordinary future. The son of a fortune teller, bookish, and an easy target for bullies, Alex hasn't had the easiest childhood.
But when he meets curmudgeonly widower Mr. Peterson, he finds an unlikely friend. Someone who teaches him that that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make it count.
So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the front seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he's fairly sure he's done the right thing ...
A fantastic book, I read it in one day and really enjoyed it! It's very nearly a 5-star. I loved every character, Alex's voice comes through beautifully and I really liked him. His mother seems a bit weird at first but I think she truly understands Alex and they have a good relationship. There are some wonderful quotes in the book and I'll definitely re-read it in the future because I think I read it too fast to appreciate just how good it is|
But when he meets curmudgeonly widower Mr. Peterson, he finds an unlikely friend. Someone who teaches him that that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make it count.
So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the front seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he's fairly sure he's done the right thing ...
A fantastic book, I read it in one day and really enjoyed it! It's very nearly a 5-star. I loved every character, Alex's voice comes through beautifully and I really liked him. His mother seems a bit weird at first but I think she truly understands Alex and they have a good relationship. There are some wonderful quotes in the book and I'll definitely re-read it in the future because I think I read it too fast to appreciate just how good it is|
Scientifically stimulating though quite boring it loses me in the beginning.
One of the few books I've read in awhile that held my attention till the end. Unique narrative voice. Many points where I laughed out loud and a few that made me cry. Recommend highly!
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Loved this book! Tragi-comical character-focused novels are my favorite- especially when they involve a healthy dose of Vonnegut. Now gladly following @ThingsAlexKnows on Twitter.