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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
Not enough stars for this book. Better the 2nd time around.
Beautifully written. Interesting ideas explored and in a seemingly effortless way. The character of Alex Woods was flesh and blood. I connected.
Beautifully written and thought provoking. It's been a long time since a read a book that surprised me as much as this one did. I laughed and got a little teary-eyed but it was worth it. Woods is one of the best characters I have ever read
Thanks to Goodreads giveaways for my copy of The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence. This book is the perfect example of young adult fiction done well. I love it when young adult novels handle heavy topics with such thought and care. I think young adults are aware of all of the issues of the world, but they might not know what to think about them or how to face them. It's stories like this that give them a jumping off place to start exploring what their opinions on life, friendships, illness, war, religion, etc. will be. Alex is a smart kid, growing up in a quirky world with a single mom and he starts his story from the day he was struck by a meteorite and tells the story of all the people said event put into his life. He is a really great character and his relationship with Mr. Peterson was funny and endearing all at the same time. I loved this story.
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I wanted more of the Kurt Vonnegut stuff (I wish the focus had been on the book club and meetings) and less of Alex's boring descriptions of everything (which, I know, is part of his character, but they just dragged on and on). Love the relationships and how far Alex would go for his friend. Also love that he read, in addition to Vonnegut, Catch-22, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and A Prayer for Owen Meany--some of my very favorites.
For ideas/themes this is a 5, but because of its execution and the fact that some of it felt like a chore, I can't say "it was amazing."
This book reminded me of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Man Called Ove, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.
For ideas/themes this is a 5, but because of its execution and the fact that some of it felt like a chore, I can't say "it was amazing."
This book reminded me of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Man Called Ove, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.
emotional
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Initially I had this book pegged at 3 out of 5. It seemed a bit far fetched that a freak accident with a meteor could put an 11 year old boy onto the path of becoming a media sensation, geek freak, epileptic and all round weirdly over intelligent teenager. Oh, what's more with a mum who ran a business as a fortune teller. No wonder he was bottom of the pops at his local school. In addition, for about half of the book we are in plot development mode, with not a great deal happening, and unusually for me, I really did consider giving up and moving onto one of the many other books beckoning me to pick up.
But not long after half way, the book took a decidedly surprising and most interesting turn. The subject of assisted suicide is a political hot potato in our Western society with increasing numbers of people living with terminal illness. The burden, stress, and suffering this places onto the person with the illness and onto those who care for and love that person are impossible to quantify. Tie into this religious beliefs, the sanctity of life, the sanity of the ill person, the culpability of those doing the assisting, and we have a major ethical and moral dilemma on our hands. After all we don't let our animals suffer unnecessarily, so why should we let our loved ones.
The person in this novel who wishes to die is not our young protagonist Alex Woods, 17 at the time of his narration of the story, but an older man, Mr Issac Peterson. Mr Peterson is probably in his 60s, American, an ex-Vietnam vet with a damaged leg, who lives alone since his wife died a few years before from cancer. A most unlikely and special friendship develops between these two when Alex, in his early teens, meets up with Mr Peterson while trying to escape from a group of school bullies. Under Mr Peterson's guidance and friendship, Alex quickly finds his teenage world rapidly improving, he learns to deal with the bullies from school, and develops ways to keep his epilepsy under control. Things are on the up.
Then Mr Peterson is diagnosed with a debilitating illness with no prospect of a cure. After considerable research and soul searching, Mr Peterson decides assisted suicide is the only option, and the only place this is legal is in Switzerland. There is no doubt in Alex's mind, and in the mind of Mr Peterson that they are doing the right thing. And so the wheels are put in motion to enable Mr Peterson to die with dignity and self worth.
The second half of this book dives right into this fraught subject in a very open minded way. The author is obviously in favour of assisted suicide, but he sends his message without being inflammatory or judgmental of those not in favour. By using a teenage boy - idealistic, highly intelligent, having had his own share of pain - as his vehicle he has probably found the easiest path to convey his feelings on the matter.
I greatly enjoyed reading the last third of this book. This is not a subject people feel very comfortable talking about, but I found it handled in a very touching and meaningful way. And it has certainly got me thinking more about how we care for and treat people close to us who are terminally ill. Upgraded to 4 out of 5!
But not long after half way, the book took a decidedly surprising and most interesting turn. The subject of assisted suicide is a political hot potato in our Western society with increasing numbers of people living with terminal illness. The burden, stress, and suffering this places onto the person with the illness and onto those who care for and love that person are impossible to quantify. Tie into this religious beliefs, the sanctity of life, the sanity of the ill person, the culpability of those doing the assisting, and we have a major ethical and moral dilemma on our hands. After all we don't let our animals suffer unnecessarily, so why should we let our loved ones.
The person in this novel who wishes to die is not our young protagonist Alex Woods, 17 at the time of his narration of the story, but an older man, Mr Issac Peterson. Mr Peterson is probably in his 60s, American, an ex-Vietnam vet with a damaged leg, who lives alone since his wife died a few years before from cancer. A most unlikely and special friendship develops between these two when Alex, in his early teens, meets up with Mr Peterson while trying to escape from a group of school bullies. Under Mr Peterson's guidance and friendship, Alex quickly finds his teenage world rapidly improving, he learns to deal with the bullies from school, and develops ways to keep his epilepsy under control. Things are on the up.
Then Mr Peterson is diagnosed with a debilitating illness with no prospect of a cure. After considerable research and soul searching, Mr Peterson decides assisted suicide is the only option, and the only place this is legal is in Switzerland. There is no doubt in Alex's mind, and in the mind of Mr Peterson that they are doing the right thing. And so the wheels are put in motion to enable Mr Peterson to die with dignity and self worth.
The second half of this book dives right into this fraught subject in a very open minded way. The author is obviously in favour of assisted suicide, but he sends his message without being inflammatory or judgmental of those not in favour. By using a teenage boy - idealistic, highly intelligent, having had his own share of pain - as his vehicle he has probably found the easiest path to convey his feelings on the matter.
I greatly enjoyed reading the last third of this book. This is not a subject people feel very comfortable talking about, but I found it handled in a very touching and meaningful way. And it has certainly got me thinking more about how we care for and treat people close to us who are terminally ill. Upgraded to 4 out of 5!
Definitely 3.5 stars.
This is such a hard book to review because I actually can't say what was wrong with it. It's a good story, it's well characterised, the prose are tight and engaging, and it's suitably poignant and heart-warming.
I just didn't fully gel with it emotionally. I think I might have an aversion to teenage boys as narrators. It all feels a bit Adrian Mole. Perhaps it's because I work with teenage boys and experience how annoying they are on a daily basis.
I hate to disparage this book though, so I won't. Objectively it really is a good read.
This is such a hard book to review because I actually can't say what was wrong with it. It's a good story, it's well characterised, the prose are tight and engaging, and it's suitably poignant and heart-warming.
I just didn't fully gel with it emotionally. I think I might have an aversion to teenage boys as narrators. It all feels a bit Adrian Mole. Perhaps it's because I work with teenage boys and experience how annoying they are on a daily basis.
I hate to disparage this book though, so I won't. Objectively it really is a good read.