Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
The "tragicomedy" is a cornerstone to all literature and media, as the two forces often necessitate each other to create a palatable experience.
Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is an example of when this balance fails, as it tries to be too funny. In doing so, it deprives the poignant moments of their gravity throughout the book, leading to a jarring experience.
Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is an example of when this balance fails, as it tries to be too funny. In doing so, it deprives the poignant moments of their gravity throughout the book, leading to a jarring experience.
Now, having watched the film adaptation, I thought I was emotionally prepared for this book. SPOILER ALERT: I. Was. Not. Mike does such an incredible job describing his life and love with Kit. You can feel it in every page. Absolutely incredible, raw, and fucking real. Get the tissues and read this immediately!
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
So I'm not going to rate this book because it feels weird to rate an autobiography.
I will say that this book made me feel alot: parts of it were good but alot of it was bad.
I loved almost every aspect of Kit and Mike's relationship. They were fun and real and imperfect and sweet.
However ... I f#cking HATED that Kit cheated on Mike... REPEATEDLY.
Tbh... if I had know that there was cheating, I wouldn't have read this book. I hate cheating: it's the ultimate disrespect of a relationship for me. I, however, sucked it up because of a good friend of mine told me to trust her, and frankly I was too invested . So I sucked it up and kept reading.
And I'm glad I did.
The last part of the book was in a word: brutal.
When I first started listening to the audio, I didn't think I would cry. Listening to most of it was hard and sad but I didn't cry.
And then the last few chapters started... and I cried. ALOT.
I didn't cry for Kit, I cried for Mike. Kit was the one who left, but Mike was the one who got left behind. He had to live with the memory of a relationship, of a love story, and that for me is the saddest part of this book.
And that flash forward in the end? Heartbreaking.
I will say that this book made me feel alot: parts of it were good but alot of it was bad.
I loved almost every aspect of Kit and Mike's relationship. They were fun and real and imperfect and sweet.
However ... I f#cking HATED that Kit cheated on Mike... REPEATEDLY.
Tbh... if I had know that there was cheating, I wouldn't have read this book. I hate cheating: it's the ultimate disrespect of a relationship for me. I, however, sucked it up because of a good friend of mine told me to trust her, and frankly I was too invested . So I sucked it up and kept reading.
And I'm glad I did.
The last part of the book was in a word: brutal.
When I first started listening to the audio, I didn't think I would cry. Listening to most of it was hard and sad but I didn't cry.
And then the last few chapters started... and I cried. ALOT.
I didn't cry for Kit, I cried for Mike. Kit was the one who left, but Mike was the one who got left behind. He had to live with the memory of a relationship, of a love story, and that for me is the saddest part of this book.
And that flash forward in the end? Heartbreaking.
Heartwarming & Heartbreaking. Funny, sweet, sad, romantic... this book is everything you want it to be. I ugly cried & laughed. I only hope we all have a love like Mike & Kit's. To have someone love you that much by choice is an amazing gift.
This story was beautiful. I liked the pacing and progression. I liked the narrator and his partner. But some of the writing felt redundant and trite. Overall would recommend.
What a lovely true story of love and loss. You probably want the good Kleenex for this one, but it is a truly heartwarming story
As an occasionally obsessed TV fan, I've been familiar with Michael Ausiello's writing career for years. I avidly followed his "Ausiello Report" for scoops and spoilers on my favorite shows, enjoyed his fanboy goofiness and funny interludes, his Smurf obsessions, and his super witty writing style. When I saw that he had a book coming out this fall, I naturally assumed this might be a collection of his TV writing.
Spoiler alert: It's not.
Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is a personal, painful, inspiring, heart-warming, and heart-breaking love story -- Ausiello's up-close memoir of the loss of his husband Kit after a short and intense battle with a devastating form of cancer.
Michael and Kit spent 13 years of their lives together, but this isn't a sugar-coated fairy-tale version of perfect love and romance. Instead, it's a warts-and-all look at a real relationship, filled with ups and downs, anger, laughter, challenges, and almost-breakups. It's clear that Michael and Kit had an instant chemistry and loved each other deeply and passionately, but Ausiello doesn't shy away from describing the less euphoric points of their relationship as well, such as Kit's infidelities and Michael's drinking.
Kit goes from strong, healthy and vital to a cancer patient in practically the blink of an eye. It's wrenching to see Kit's discomfort as it grows into pain, to see Michael's helplessness at not being able to rescue the person he loves most in the world, and the growing realization that Kit is facing a death sentence, and quickly. And yet, there are moments of joy and beauty. Although they'd never considered marriage for themselves before, they practically turn the city upside down in a quest to get married before Kit starts chemo, and it's funny and sweet and lovely.
I can't say enough good things about this book, although I suppose I should warn readers that you'll need heaps of Kleenex at the ready. The book has a lot of humor, for a book about cancer, and Michael and Kit themselves are funny people. I loved reading about their romance, their pet names for one another, all the silly little things that make up a life, and cried myself into a messy puddle as Kit weakened and they prepared themselves for loss.
Michael and Kit clearly had something special, and I appreciate how much of himself Michael was willing to share in putting together this lovely tribute to the man he loved. It's practically a cliche to describe a book as a love letter to a person or place -- but it's just so apt in this case. Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is absolutely a love letter to Kit -- funny, sweet, and utterly romantic, and so very tragic.
I so admire Michael Ausiello's honesty and emotional openness in writing this book, and although I didn't previously know anything about him except his professional persona, I do feel invested now in wishing him a life of happiness. Kit was clearly an incredibly special person, and I'm happy to have gotten to know him through this book.
This review also posted at Bookshelf Fantasies. Review copy via NetGalley, with thanks to the publisher.
Spoiler alert: It's not.
Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is a personal, painful, inspiring, heart-warming, and heart-breaking love story -- Ausiello's up-close memoir of the loss of his husband Kit after a short and intense battle with a devastating form of cancer.
Michael and Kit spent 13 years of their lives together, but this isn't a sugar-coated fairy-tale version of perfect love and romance. Instead, it's a warts-and-all look at a real relationship, filled with ups and downs, anger, laughter, challenges, and almost-breakups. It's clear that Michael and Kit had an instant chemistry and loved each other deeply and passionately, but Ausiello doesn't shy away from describing the less euphoric points of their relationship as well, such as Kit's infidelities and Michael's drinking.
Kit goes from strong, healthy and vital to a cancer patient in practically the blink of an eye. It's wrenching to see Kit's discomfort as it grows into pain, to see Michael's helplessness at not being able to rescue the person he loves most in the world, and the growing realization that Kit is facing a death sentence, and quickly. And yet, there are moments of joy and beauty. Although they'd never considered marriage for themselves before, they practically turn the city upside down in a quest to get married before Kit starts chemo, and it's funny and sweet and lovely.
I can't say enough good things about this book, although I suppose I should warn readers that you'll need heaps of Kleenex at the ready. The book has a lot of humor, for a book about cancer, and Michael and Kit themselves are funny people. I loved reading about their romance, their pet names for one another, all the silly little things that make up a life, and cried myself into a messy puddle as Kit weakened and they prepared themselves for loss.
Michael and Kit clearly had something special, and I appreciate how much of himself Michael was willing to share in putting together this lovely tribute to the man he loved. It's practically a cliche to describe a book as a love letter to a person or place -- but it's just so apt in this case. Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is absolutely a love letter to Kit -- funny, sweet, and utterly romantic, and so very tragic.
I so admire Michael Ausiello's honesty and emotional openness in writing this book, and although I didn't previously know anything about him except his professional persona, I do feel invested now in wishing him a life of happiness. Kit was clearly an incredibly special person, and I'm happy to have gotten to know him through this book.
This review also posted at Bookshelf Fantasies. Review copy via NetGalley, with thanks to the publisher.
Beautiful. Tragic. Funny. And real. You know what you’re getting into, but you still can’t quite prepare for the roller coaster of emotions. I sobbed my heart out. It hits heavy in all the feels. You love the characters, their highs and lows and flaws and redeeming qualities. Their quirks that just remind you this book is nonfiction. But it’s written so beautifully. I just love this book with my whole heart.
4.5 stars. I’ve always liked Ausiello’s pop-culture writing, and he threads his clear love of Hollywood throughout his memoir about the heartbreaking loss of his partner of 13-1/2 years. What could be just tragedy porn and a sad, sad slog has moments of levity, self-deprivation, and hope.