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bookishbarnowl's review
5.0
I've been a fan of Alan Davies for some time. I enjoy a bit of Jonathan Creek and have seen his stand up. I even got to meet him after a show and he was very pleasant.
I didn't expect to read a book that was so heartbreaking. Whilst his humour and wit shines through, he had a utterly tragic childhood. His mum died when he was 6; his dad was a paedophile, abusing him and he struggled to fit in anywhere.
I rarely cry at books but one chapter had me absolutely sobbing. I just wanted to scoop up and hug the wee boy he had once been.
In spite of the bleak story, this book still offers hope and will no doubt provide support to victims of abuse and encourage them to speak out. It is never too late to do so.
I didn't expect to read a book that was so heartbreaking. Whilst his humour and wit shines through, he had a utterly tragic childhood. His mum died when he was 6; his dad was a paedophile, abusing him and he struggled to fit in anywhere.
I rarely cry at books but one chapter had me absolutely sobbing. I just wanted to scoop up and hug the wee boy he had once been.
In spite of the bleak story, this book still offers hope and will no doubt provide support to victims of abuse and encourage them to speak out. It is never too late to do so.
emily_lane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I have a tendency to pick up memiors because I enjoy them, without scoping out the blurb so all I knew when downloading this was it was the funny, charming, clever Alan Davis.
This was a very hard listen, well written, with moments of whimsy amongst the traumatic recollections. It encompasses why you should always, always listen to victims.
Would recommend anyone who's a fan of a memior, who has space to listen to hard topics, or anyone who enjoys Davis' comedy.
This was a very hard listen, well written, with moments of whimsy amongst the traumatic recollections. It encompasses why you should always, always listen to victims.
Would recommend anyone who's a fan of a memior, who has space to listen to hard topics, or anyone who enjoys Davis' comedy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
Moderate: Bullying
greybeard49's review
4.0
Tempted to award 5 stars because the message behind this book is conveyed so effectively by Alan Davies. But reading it was so harrowing. The theme throughout highlights the damage and havoc that abuse can cause, particularly when that victim is young and the perpetrator is supposedly his or her protector.
I have been a fan Davies for some time and really appreciate the quality and spontaneity of his humour. He comes across as a 'great guy', sympathetic and balanced in the approach that he takes. The revelations here are startling and he has to be commended for dealing with the burden he has had to carry from his early years. The book I assume is one tool he uses to help this process.
Grim, funny and has definite impact - you will be moved.
I have been a fan Davies for some time and really appreciate the quality and spontaneity of his humour. He comes across as a 'great guy', sympathetic and balanced in the approach that he takes. The revelations here are startling and he has to be commended for dealing with the burden he has had to carry from his early years. The book I assume is one tool he uses to help this process.
Grim, funny and has definite impact - you will be moved.
fionagerman's review against another edition
5.0
Was not what I was expecting and so I was pleasantly surprised. I think the writing was quite excellent and really drew you into his thoughts and experiences and how that impacted his life today. Not a standard straightforward memoir but written in a way that tells a compelling story.
ellenmc07's review
4.0
What a powerful read. Some parts were so difficult to read but, the strength and dedication of the author to honestly tell his story is awe-inspiring. Recognizing the past and it's impact throughout life is everyone's individual journey. Davies is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand the journey of resilience.
yeah_nahnia's review
5.0
4.5 stars.
An incredibly heavy read, despite the sprinkle of sardonic humour every so often. The only issue I had with the book is that it jumps around in time too much, making it hard to keep track of what's happening at what time.
I highly recommend this one, if you have the time to sit down and process the content (I only had this one for two weeks, so I had to read it a little quicker than I would have liked to).
An incredibly heavy read, despite the sprinkle of sardonic humour every so often. The only issue I had with the book is that it jumps around in time too much, making it hard to keep track of what's happening at what time.
I highly recommend this one, if you have the time to sit down and process the content (I only had this one for two weeks, so I had to read it a little quicker than I would have liked to).
carolineroche's review
5.0
I wasn’t expecting what I read here. However, this is a powerful and raw story of Alan’s life. Alan was abused both sexually and emotionally by his controlling and angry father, and any attempts he made to tell people about it were always ignored and brushed off. A compelling read.