ciska's review
4.0
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review*
I have waited a long time to review this. The reason mostly that I am having a hard time to write down my exact thoughts. There were parts of the book I did not like, that made me angry. Other parts almost made me cry. It was like an emotional rollercoaster and I cannot really explain why.
Obviously Ivo is in a very difficult situation in his life. It is clear he is still angry about things but there is also a lot he is missing. He is asking himself what he could have done different which is a lot
Despite all the emotions this is not a difficult or heavy read. If you need a good cry that has to be over after 270 pages this is a great read.
I have waited a long time to review this. The reason mostly that I am having a hard time to write down my exact thoughts. There were parts of the book I did not like, that made me angry. Other parts almost made me cry. It was like an emotional rollercoaster and I cannot really explain why.
Obviously Ivo is in a very difficult situation in his life. It is clear he is still angry about things but there is also a lot he is missing. He is asking himself what he could have done different which is a lot
Despite all the emotions this is not a difficult or heavy read. If you need a good cry that has to be over after 270 pages this is a great read.
ktipsy's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. Yes, I get he is dying. Is that enough? We will all die. Take that out of it and it's about a middle aged loser who has some regrets about his former girlfriend.
None of the main characters progresses beyond being two dimensional. None of the relationships are expanded upon. There is a build up to finding out someone dies. It all just seems like there should be more
None of the main characters progresses beyond being two dimensional. None of the relationships are expanded upon. There is a build up to finding out someone dies. It all just seems like there should be more
_lianalopez's review against another edition
3.0
A good lesson in forgiveness and when faced with certain death, it brings to the surface any unresolved issues and the choices you make to bring peace at the very end.
Got confusing in some parts (maybe I wasn't paying full attention) but I understood the overall message. Very sad story but enjoyable to read
Got confusing in some parts (maybe I wasn't paying full attention) but I understood the overall message. Very sad story but enjoyable to read
shelleyrae's review
3.0
The A to Z of You and Me by James Hannah is a story of love, loss, truth, redemption, of life and death.
As forty year old Ivo lays in his hospice bed awaiting the end, his nurse suggests he play a simple game to distract himself. For each letter of the alphabet, he is to name a part of his body and recall a positive memory relating to it. A is for Adam's apple, and anus and ankle, B is for blood, C is for chesticles... and slowly Ivo's lifetime of achievements, regrets and failures is revealed.
"‘You find suddenly you’ve done all these terrible things for - for no reason, almost. Things that didn’t seem terrible at the time, you know? And not for a long time. But you find that - you know, your whole world’s changed because of them. Lots of people’s worlds. You’ve made your mark, whether you like it or not.’”
With each letter, Hannah unravels fragments of Ivo's past as he reminisces about family, friends and the love of his life, Mia. For Ivo the memories are often uncomfortable, there are parts of his life he doesn't want to think about, but a precious few make him smile.
"You’re everywhere. The memories of you, the shape of you. All the parts of my body seem to come together and remember you.”
Despite Ivo's encroaching fate, The A to Z of You and Me is not as bleak or as sentimental as may be expected. Hannah's portrayal of Ivo is raw and honest, but also compassionate. Darker moments are lightened by the humour and kindness of Ivo's nurse, Sheila, and the regular reminder that life, even in the midst of death, goes on.
The unique structure of the novel is appealing and works well, merging the past with the present. The pacing is good and the details of Ivo's life are teased out slowly to provide ongoing interest.
The A to Z of You and Me is an emotional and poignant story, a well written novel from a promising debut author.
emcnal's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
This book makes me want to cryyyyy omg. I wish I had a bit deeper of a connection to the characters while reading, but that’s the only reason I rated this a bit lower!
This book makes me want to cryyyyy omg. I wish I had a bit deeper of a connection to the characters while reading, but that’s the only reason I rated this a bit lower!
mag353s's review against another edition
2.0
slow read, restarted 3x because it just didn't grab my attention.
kitandkat's review against another edition
2.0
The writing was too sparse for me to really get a feel for a lot of the characters and become engaged with their story. I also thought the ending fell flat - like it was trying too hard to be edgy.
greywolf1081's review against another edition
4.0
A very great book. I couldn't put it down! The only thing is that when the main character talks about 'you', you don't find out who that is until later on.
keeceefd's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25