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A review by spookysoto
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen
4.0
This is a weird book, I had it in my TBR because of a goodreads's recommendation but I have 1000+ books in it and I forgot it until Yesterday that I saw that a trailer for the movie came out (I didn't watch it then), and I went and read the synopsis and got this urge to read it, and so I did. I read this in two days, that's very rare for me, I'm not a fast reader and I usually read more than one book at a time, so this means I was really invested in the story, I just couldn't stop reading it.
I knew nothing about this book, only the small synopsis it has here in goodreads and I think this is the best way to experience it, going in blind. Basically it's the story of Louis Drax, a nine year old boy who is accident prone, an outcast and highly intelligent. On his ninth birthday he has another accident and is now in a coma, that's all I'm going to say.
The book is narrated from Louis and The doctor's point of view. I liked more the doctor's POV because I found Louis's voice and thoughts too weird and a bit creepy. The book has some twists and turns, that aren't too obvious and I think they're well done although I guessed them all, but that didn't detract me from enjoying it.
I liked the writing style, the dual perspectives, the fantastical elements and the pace of the book. It kept me intrigued all the way through.
I saw the movie trailer, there are some changes (the doctor is way younger) and some other weird things, but overall it looks like a good adaptation, we'll see.
I recommend it if you're looking for something different and a bit strange.
Louis ends the narrative by telling of the pleasure in being taken care of. Gustave, who, it is revealed, is actually the deceased Pierre, tells Louis to awaken from his coma.
Update: I saw the movie and, although the doctor is way younger, I liked it. I think it’s well adapted.
I knew nothing about this book, only the small synopsis it has here in goodreads and I think this is the best way to experience it, going in blind. Basically it's the story of Louis Drax, a nine year old boy who is accident prone, an outcast and highly intelligent. On his ninth birthday he has another accident and is now in a coma, that's all I'm going to say.
The book is narrated from Louis and The doctor's point of view. I liked more the doctor's POV because I found Louis's voice and thoughts too weird and a bit creepy. The book has some twists and turns, that aren't too obvious and I think they're well done although I guessed them all, but that didn't detract me from enjoying it.
I liked the writing style, the dual perspectives, the fantastical elements and the pace of the book. It kept me intrigued all the way through.
I saw the movie trailer, there are some changes (the doctor is way younger) and some other weird things, but overall it looks like a good adaptation, we'll see.
I recommend it if you're looking for something different and a bit strange.
Spoiler
Dannachet begins to suspect that Natalie was responsible for Louis’ injury when her story to the police is different and when Louis’ grandmother indicates that she was never raped. In an experiment, trying to get Louis to use the doctor as a channel again, Dannachet tells the real story of what happened at the picnic near the ravine. Pierre had found that Louis was taking Natalie’s birth control pills to ward off the possibility of becoming a rapist and Pierre threatened to take Louis away, which led the boy to deliberately walk off the cliff in order to let his mother be heroic. Louis tells this story through the doctor and then dies; he is revived, but still remains comatose.Louis ends the narrative by telling of the pleasure in being taken care of. Gustave, who, it is revealed, is actually the deceased Pierre, tells Louis to awaken from his coma.
Update: I saw the movie and, although the doctor is way younger, I liked it. I think it’s well adapted.