klb72's review
4.0
I saw this author at the Melbourne Writers Festival and so glad that I did. He's a spanish author and this is his first book translated into English. As he inscribed in my copy, this book is about family and happiness. Anton is a grumpy guy who decides that he's had enough, he's going to be an optimist. To help him on his way his brother lends him some self help books, which he pretty quickly dismisses as rubbish, and his sister lends him some classic texts, which seem pretty miserable themselves.
The format of the book is essentially a diary peppered with the fictionalised character's book reviews, meanderings, quotes, and Skype conversations with his mother. The plot line involves his dysfunctional family, the news that he's going to be a dad, and finding the mother in question.
I loved it. His grumpiness at the world in general is certainly relatable, as is his desire to be optimistic. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is overall it wasn't a complete page turner for me, although there were certainly parts where I was reading on the bus and sorry that I had reached my stop.
The format of the book is essentially a diary peppered with the fictionalised character's book reviews, meanderings, quotes, and Skype conversations with his mother. The plot line involves his dysfunctional family, the news that he's going to be a dad, and finding the mother in question.
I loved it. His grumpiness at the world in general is certainly relatable, as is his desire to be optimistic. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is overall it wasn't a complete page turner for me, although there were certainly parts where I was reading on the bus and sorry that I had reached my stop.
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