The to Z of You and Me
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
AN OBSERVER 'NEW FACE OF FICTION 2015'
AN AMAZON RISING STAR 2015
'Genuinely one of the best books I've read ever read' LISA JEWELL
'Spare, poignant and with a quirky charm all of its own, it reminds us how kind people can be.' RACHEL JOYCE
'Absolutely bloody heartrending. Hannah's eccentric style is never mawkish and often wonderfully funny' - THE TIMES
'Hannah writes with emotional acuity. Warm, wry, thoughtful and devastating in places, this is a life-enhancing missive from death's door' - THE SUNDAY TIMES
A striking literary debut of love and mortality perfect for fans of quirky, heart-wrenching fiction like Nathan Filer, David Nicholls and Rachel Joyce.
Ivo has all kinds of everyday joy in his life – he’s young, he's in love, he has friends who promise to stand by him if life ever goes wrong.Then one day, life does go wrong. He makes a mistake, and it’s big and unforgiveable. Now time is running out and his life is falling apart. But he’s going to put it together again. His own way.
This is a story about how far love must stretch to gather a life in pieces. And how strong friendship never dies.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hannah's debut is a humor-filled tear-at-the-heartstrings story. After taking his body and health for granted, middle-aged diabetic Ivo is suffering kidney failure. Hoping his death will be as unburdensome as possible, Ivo withdraws from friends and family, especially his sister, Laura, and arranges for hospice care, planning for a quiet end. But his enigmatic hospice nurse, Sheila, has other plans. Tasking Ivo with playing the A to Z game thinking of one body part and a story that goes along with it Sheila dramatically alters the little lifetime Ivo has left. From Adam's apple to tear ducts to voice, playing the game leads Ivo to remember all of the memories that changed him forever, good or bad, especially those of Mia, the love of his life. The movement between the present day and a multitude of moments in the past makes it hard for the reader to acclimate, which lessens the connection to some secondary characters. Regardless, the urge to hug and simultaneously shake Ivo for the poor decisions he makes, and for the way he learns, loves, and forgives make this expertly crafted story a winner.
Customer Reviews
Original, funny and incredibly moving
This is such a special book. It is beautifully written, intricately structured and incredibly moving. I can't think of many other books that have tackled a sad subject like this with such lightness of touch, pace and humor. Highly recommended.