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melaniesreads's review
5.0
There are certain things I’ve come to expect from Mr Carver. A richly detailed exploration of society and all its glorious foibles, unusual narration, the shades of grey that sit between good and evil and above all of those a bloody good read that takes my brain and shoves it in a mincer.
How can a premise so bizarre make so much sense? In the mind of Will Carver anything is possible. The questions posed are so out there yet also seem so important. If you could only see in shades of black and white what colour would you miss the most? Would the grass be greyer on the other side? Strange for a book that makes you see everything more clearly. So many topics were covered I half expected the do penguins have knees question to appear.
I seem to have digressed but that is exactly what reading this book does. It takes one train of thought then goes off in random directions. One minute you are sitting on a train with a suicide bomber wondering if he is God the next you are looking up a book that a commuter is reading and purchasing it. Then before you know it you are even asked a question about that, art referencing art. Christ is Will Carver psychic now?
As the train switches tracks between each character you can’t help but ask yourself where the final destination will be and who will get there with you? Is life like this book, just one very strange journey and the passengers we meet on the way?
Maybe it’s time for you to board the Will Carver train and see for yourself the world inside his head!
How can a premise so bizarre make so much sense? In the mind of Will Carver anything is possible. The questions posed are so out there yet also seem so important. If you could only see in shades of black and white what colour would you miss the most? Would the grass be greyer on the other side? Strange for a book that makes you see everything more clearly. So many topics were covered I half expected the do penguins have knees question to appear.
I seem to have digressed but that is exactly what reading this book does. It takes one train of thought then goes off in random directions. One minute you are sitting on a train with a suicide bomber wondering if he is God the next you are looking up a book that a commuter is reading and purchasing it. Then before you know it you are even asked a question about that, art referencing art. Christ is Will Carver psychic now?
As the train switches tracks between each character you can’t help but ask yourself where the final destination will be and who will get there with you? Is life like this book, just one very strange journey and the passengers we meet on the way?
Maybe it’s time for you to board the Will Carver train and see for yourself the world inside his head!
chaptersofvicki's review
5.0
4.5 stars.
How on earth do I write a review for this book? Is this one of the most weirdest books I have ever read? Yes it definitely is. Did I enjoy it? Yes I most definitely did!
There are quite a few characters to get to grips with but I found I was easily able to follow each of their stories.
I think my favourite chapters were those with God/Narrator/Terrorist and all the questions asked within those chapters really made you think.
I have certainly never read anything like this before definitely recommend giving it a read.
This was my first read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading others.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Orenda Books for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.
How on earth do I write a review for this book? Is this one of the most weirdest books I have ever read? Yes it definitely is. Did I enjoy it? Yes I most definitely did!
There are quite a few characters to get to grips with but I found I was easily able to follow each of their stories.
I think my favourite chapters were those with God/Narrator/Terrorist and all the questions asked within those chapters really made you think.
I have certainly never read anything like this before definitely recommend giving it a read.
This was my first read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading others.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Orenda Books for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.
ljwrites85's review
4.0
I always find it so difficult to review Will Carver's books as there's so many layers to the story that it's like how do I put this into just a brief review? All I can say is; don't expect a straightforward story.
Two Dave live in a flat together. They think they are dying of a brain tumour and hate to go out of their flat. Vashti is a nurse who is beyond caring. Saul misses his beloved wife and tries to end his life but is rescued by two angels. A sportsman wakes up after a horrific injury only able to see in black and white. This is all set to the backdrop of an impending terrorist attack with the voice of someone who thinks they might be God or the narrator of the story or just a terrorist.
The story is told from multiple points of view, intertwining the stories of strangers together in surprising ways. What I love about this book is that I never once got a character confused for another, which sometimes happens to me when there are so many characters, each one flawed and unique.
As usual with Will Carver's books, there is social commentary running throughout with some powerful themes, like loneliness, grief and the feeling of being in purgatory or losing your reason for being. It may be, at times, a little tough to read, but well worth it.
The only thing missing from the strong a bit of the biting wit and sarcasm that I've come to expect with Will Carver's books, but of course that's just my opinion.
If you love a thriller with strong themes and realistic characters, I would highly recommend The Daves Next Door to you.
Two Dave live in a flat together. They think they are dying of a brain tumour and hate to go out of their flat. Vashti is a nurse who is beyond caring. Saul misses his beloved wife and tries to end his life but is rescued by two angels. A sportsman wakes up after a horrific injury only able to see in black and white. This is all set to the backdrop of an impending terrorist attack with the voice of someone who thinks they might be God or the narrator of the story or just a terrorist.
The story is told from multiple points of view, intertwining the stories of strangers together in surprising ways. What I love about this book is that I never once got a character confused for another, which sometimes happens to me when there are so many characters, each one flawed and unique.
As usual with Will Carver's books, there is social commentary running throughout with some powerful themes, like loneliness, grief and the feeling of being in purgatory or losing your reason for being. It may be, at times, a little tough to read, but well worth it.
The only thing missing from the strong a bit of the biting wit and sarcasm that I've come to expect with Will Carver's books, but of course that's just my opinion.
If you love a thriller with strong themes and realistic characters, I would highly recommend The Daves Next Door to you.
natalier3's review
5.0
After hearing so many good things about Will Carver, I was thrilled to get onto the blog tour for this book! Having not read any of Carver's previous books, I had no idea what to expect. Quite simply, even if I had expectations for this book, they would have been wildly incorrect! This is one of the most unusual books I have ever read.
The characters' lives are innocent enough, and I did feel a little like an observer in slow motion waiting for the big finale, seeing people go along with their daily lives nonethewiser. Helpless to stop the events in motion before your eyes.
The characters are many, and it took me some time to get them all clear in my mind. But once they were- wow. Several people's lives come together in the crescendo, but the build up that tells us their stories make us question every moral or opinion we had before. There are constant questions that shocked me with their brutality. There are no holds barred here, and some readers may not like it. But if you keep an open mind, this book will probably stay with you for a long time to come. Unusual, but quite incredible.
The characters' lives are innocent enough, and I did feel a little like an observer in slow motion waiting for the big finale, seeing people go along with their daily lives nonethewiser. Helpless to stop the events in motion before your eyes.
The characters are many, and it took me some time to get them all clear in my mind. But once they were- wow. Several people's lives come together in the crescendo, but the build up that tells us their stories make us question every moral or opinion we had before. There are constant questions that shocked me with their brutality. There are no holds barred here, and some readers may not like it. But if you keep an open mind, this book will probably stay with you for a long time to come. Unusual, but quite incredible.
bobbimarquez's review against another edition
5.0
I will just say it……Will Carver is Brilliant!
You could be forgiven for thinking this is simply 276 pages of conscious stream of thought…..but you would be wrong and probably need to go back to the start and read it again!
You could be forgiven for thinking this is simply 276 pages of conscious stream of thought…..but you would be wrong and probably need to go back to the start and read it again!
booklady72's review
3.5
What have I just read? This is going to be hard to review because I found this book to challenge me. It asked me questions, I answered them and it really got me thinking about things.
I’m not sure who was real in the story and who wasn’t but even after all that I found it to be an enjoyable read even if a little uncomfortable at times.
Thank you to TBC reviewers group for a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
I’m not sure who was real in the story and who wasn’t but even after all that I found it to be an enjoyable read even if a little uncomfortable at times.
Thank you to TBC reviewers group for a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
kathijo63's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
3.5
This book is very hard to review because it's so unique. I will just say that I enjoyed it!