This Book Will Save Your Life - A.M. Homes > Reviews

Advantages: Very funny and surprisingly thought-provoking
Disadvantages: A little too self-aware, some aspects could be improved

This book probably won't save your life, but it will be one you either love or hate. It's written as the kind of cult novel that crops up every once in a while - the types that promise to change your perspective and are marketed as life manuals - but it is very tongue-in-cheek. The humour helps to elevate it, saving it from becoming pretentious and creating a very funny novel with a great deal of truth. Richard Novak is a middle-aged man who only ... Read review

Advantages: Easy read, thought provoking
Disadvantages: Bit unmemorable

I do not know why this has come up as an audio book review, as it isn't, and it is listed in the 'modern fiction books' category, so apologies if you are looking for an audi review. Firstly, let me say, this is not the sort of book I usualy read. I am into Micheal Crichton, Stephen King, and when i feel intellectual, Richard Dawkins. It was only when i was heading for Waterstones checkout with a bunch of 'murder, death, kill' books under my arm ... Read review

Advantages: Charming, funny, original, excellent characterisation
Disadvantages: None worth mentioning

I bought this book, let's face it, because it was on '3 for 2' and it had donuts on the front. It sounded, moreover, as if sweet treats and the good life was going to be a predominant theme. A simplistic approach to a purchase - but as is so often the way, I turned out to have inadvertently picked up a real gem and future favourite. This delicious book begins with Richard, a slightly whimsical middle-aged man, entirely cut off from the world in ... Read review

Advantages: Thoroughly entertaining
Disadvantages: You are left wanting more!

This book although promises a lot from the title doesn't seem to deliver life saving mechanisms! Which is a shame but then again I have to be honest I never expected it to. Come on! It's a book. I found this book highly entertaining and funny and it does feature a lot of donuts! Richard is a middle aged guy, single and quite frankly in need of getting back to reality. He lives in a lavish house on a hill in L.A. The book is very funny and I don't ... Read review

Advantages: Light-hearted easy read.
Disadvantages: No actual point to the story.

This book jumped out to me from the shelves because of the title ' THIS BOOK WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE' However it actually doesn't do what it says on the tin. It is basically about a well off mid fifties man who has lost touch with reality he stays in his house in LA all day with the same routine day in day out until something happens to him which changes his life. This book is all based on his life changing journey and all the people he meets along ... Read review

Advantages: Elements of its 'bizarreness'
Disadvantages: Poor story-telling and non-engaging characters

...read such great reviews about this book, but unfortunately I was extremely disappointed. I found the characters to be people that were not easy to relate to, and found the style of story-writing to be extremely non-engaging. I basically forced myself into carrying on reading it, in the desperate hope that I might begin to enjoy it. In random tale of apparent self-discovery, Homes tells a story which never really takes off in my opinion. The main ... Read review

Advantages: Shows us L>A really is as Crazy as we think
Disadvantages: not such a great storyline

Because of the cover this book will instantly jump out at any potential reader , unfortunatley the cover is probably the best thing about this book. It starts of promising at first when we meet Richard , a wealthy man in his 50\'s who doesn\'t go out anywhere and his pain, eventhough Richard believes he\'s dying the pain ceems to be thebegining off his life as he statrs going out, meeting people and attempting to build bridges with his son. The ... Read review

Advantages: good plot with good lessons interwoven with out forcing it home!
Disadvantages: room for deepr characters at times

...was good this!!!. I expected this to be a bit lightweight and well, slim pickings, BUT, the temptation to read a book that "saved my life" was too much to resist (good marketing ploy). A modern day tale of self discovery develops with believable and likeable characters. Nothing too testing, and its got an "afternoon in the park sorta read" written all over it. Nice to see the female author has beautiful insight into the modern male psyche, obviously ... Read review