amymo73's review against another edition
4.0
So a girl walks into a book store in Saratoga Springs. She's on vacation. It's the first day of her vacation, actually, and she has three books packed in her suitcase. But it's a bookstore. And if she spends more than five minutes in there, she will buy something. And this was one of the two books she bought.
SPOILER ALERT: That girl was me.
The title certainly caught my attention as did the premise. This guy finds out he has 100 days left to live. What does he do with those last 100 days? Ok real spoiler alert: a trip IS involved but this is not a "hey let's do everything on my bucket list" kind of last 100 days. This is a 100 days that at times is ordinary, but shows so powerfully that we too often take the ordinary for granted.
The main character is flawed and real and I felt the other characters in the book were also flawed and real, although not as flushed out as our narrator. Which makes sense since we see the world through his eyes. At the end I was crying. Yes it was sad, but it also touched my heart, touched a part of me that is always there. The part of me who loves and longs for the people who have passed before me. The part of me who wonders if I'm doing enough to show the people I love here and now that I love them. The part of me who wonders if I'm truly living my best life, even when I get sucked into banal reality shows.
All I can do is all I can do. And the book has certainly inspired me to savor the days. To take care of myself but not take myself too seriously. To laugh and live and love and not take the whole thing so seriously.
This is the book I officially used to kick off my summer reading challenge. Which is to say, read as much as I can this summer.
If you need a bit of perspective, or a good read, or a good cry, pick up this book as soon as you can.
SPOILER ALERT: That girl was me.
The title certainly caught my attention as did the premise. This guy finds out he has 100 days left to live. What does he do with those last 100 days? Ok real spoiler alert: a trip IS involved but this is not a "hey let's do everything on my bucket list" kind of last 100 days. This is a 100 days that at times is ordinary, but shows so powerfully that we too often take the ordinary for granted.
The main character is flawed and real and I felt the other characters in the book were also flawed and real, although not as flushed out as our narrator. Which makes sense since we see the world through his eyes. At the end I was crying. Yes it was sad, but it also touched my heart, touched a part of me that is always there. The part of me who loves and longs for the people who have passed before me. The part of me who wonders if I'm doing enough to show the people I love here and now that I love them. The part of me who wonders if I'm truly living my best life, even when I get sucked into banal reality shows.
All I can do is all I can do. And the book has certainly inspired me to savor the days. To take care of myself but not take myself too seriously. To laugh and live and love and not take the whole thing so seriously.
This is the book I officially used to kick off my summer reading challenge. Which is to say, read as much as I can this summer.
If you need a bit of perspective, or a good read, or a good cry, pick up this book as soon as you can.
thomcat's review against another edition
4.0
A good December read, this book is about the death of the protagonist. Part philosopher, part realist, mostly an average guy who likes a warm donut. This was a best seller in Italy and the translation is fine, even poetic at times. It is also a pretty quick read.
The author does a great job describing places (and pastries), and the reader really gets to know the main character, along with his family, friends, and even the team he coaches in water polo. I especially liked the chitchat shop.
While this is very much the main character's story, some of his friends come across as caricatures. Some of the days are a bit repetitive. All that aside, it is a hard story to put down, and I enjoyed reading it. December is a good time to ponder death and life.
The author does a great job describing places (and pastries), and the reader really gets to know the main character, along with his family, friends, and even the team he coaches in water polo. I especially liked the chitchat shop.
While this is very much the main character's story, some of his friends come across as caricatures. Some of the days are a bit repetitive. All that aside, it is a hard story to put down, and I enjoyed reading it. December is a good time to ponder death and life.
jgoins's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me cry at work. I work at a library, where they totally understand reading on the desk when you don't have anything else to do, thank goodness!
It's not like I didn't understand from the beginning that it was going to be a sad ending. You know from early on that Lucio won't be making it out of this book alive. Knowing that makes every passage count just a little bit more, though, which I imagine is the point of the story in the first place. Make every moment count, especially with your loved ones.
I really enjoyed the format of this book. It is written like diary entries of a count-down of the narrator's days left alive. He's a funny narrator, which helps lighten the mood. There's a couple spots where he asks his reader to write on the blank pages which I loved so much it made me want to buy the book so I could deface my own copy. Live a little!
It's not like I didn't understand from the beginning that it was going to be a sad ending. You know from early on that Lucio won't be making it out of this book alive. Knowing that makes every passage count just a little bit more, though, which I imagine is the point of the story in the first place. Make every moment count, especially with your loved ones.
I really enjoyed the format of this book. It is written like diary entries of a count-down of the narrator's days left alive. He's a funny narrator, which helps lighten the mood. There's a couple spots where he asks his reader to write on the blank pages which I loved so much it made me want to buy the book so I could deface my own copy. Live a little!
terangbulan's review against another edition
3.0
People who leave can't tell what's best for the people who are left behind
This is a story about a 40-year-old something man, Lucio, who found out that he has cancer. I know you're probably thinking, "oh great. Another sappy story leading to someone's death..". But no, in fact the story begins how messed up his relationship with family is. His mission? To enjoy his last 100 days and get his family back. Donuts, chitchat shop, water polo, mistress at the gym, the three musketeers and Italian landmarks, [a:Fausto Brizzi|7386968|Fausto Brizzi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1406662782p2/7386968.jpg] definitely brought me on an adventure through this book!
What I Liked:
Usually with this kind of story, the main character will be...'perfect', like how good they are and how they deserve to live much longer. But, Lucio is just an ordinary man who makes major mistakes and only share his experience with few friends and close family. I like how the author told Lucio's backstory with historical reference! Damn, Leonardo Da Vinci really invented all that? Hmm..must do further research. Not only that, the relationship Lucio has with his friends and family is something readers will envy. I wish I have friends and who are as YOLO as The Three Musketeers!!
The chitchat shop is an interesting concept! Ok so, this is a house owned by a man (forgot his name oops) who had a great adventure in his early age. He decided to replace the door with a transparent glass so that people would assume its a shop. In fact, it is a chitchat shop where customers can pour their heart out and enjoy a movie and tea with the owner. The fee? Whatever the customer feel like paying! It's definitely like a cheaper version of therapy.
Realistic ending and plot! (Similar to [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198] ! ) Prepare those tissues.
What I Disliked: I wish the author didn't reveal too much for the prologue and dump all the characters history there. I guess building suspense was not one of the author's aim.
This book will really make you think, have you live your life to the fullest?
Thanks Li San for lending me this book!
This is a story about a 40-year-old something man, Lucio, who found out that he has cancer. I know you're probably thinking, "oh great. Another sappy story leading to someone's death..". But no, in fact the story begins how messed up his relationship with family is. His mission? To enjoy his last 100 days and get his family back. Donuts, chitchat shop, water polo, mistress at the gym, the three musketeers and Italian landmarks, [a:Fausto Brizzi|7386968|Fausto Brizzi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1406662782p2/7386968.jpg] definitely brought me on an adventure through this book!
What I Liked:
Usually with this kind of story, the main character will be...'perfect', like how good they are and how they deserve to live much longer. But, Lucio is just an ordinary man who makes major mistakes and only share his experience with few friends and close family. I like how the author told Lucio's backstory with historical reference! Damn, Leonardo Da Vinci really invented all that? Hmm..must do further research. Not only that, the relationship Lucio has with his friends and family is something readers will envy. I wish I have friends and who are as YOLO as The Three Musketeers!!
The chitchat shop is an interesting concept! Ok so, this is a house owned by a man (forgot his name oops) who had a great adventure in his early age. He decided to replace the door with a transparent glass so that people would assume its a shop. In fact, it is a chitchat shop where customers can pour their heart out and enjoy a movie and tea with the owner. The fee? Whatever the customer feel like paying! It's definitely like a cheaper version of therapy.
Realistic ending and plot! (Similar to [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198] ! ) Prepare those tissues.
What I Disliked: I wish the author didn't reveal too much for the prologue and dump all the characters history there. I guess building suspense was not one of the author's aim.
This book will really make you think, have you live your life to the fullest?
Thanks Li San for lending me this book!
ludovichy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
donnakayhall's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! Sweet, sincere, and surprisingly funny, given the subject matter.
reallyintothis's review against another edition
4.0
I laughed out loud, I smiled, I cried. I enjoyed this book & I especially loved listening to it as an audiobook. It made the story a bit more personal- felt like Lucio was talking right to me. Just a feel good book that runs your emotions through the gamut. Really enjoyed it.