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The Universe Versus Alex Woods
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The Universe Versus Alex Woods
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The Universe Versus Alex Woods
Audiobook10 hours

The Universe Versus Alex Woods

Written by Gavin Extence

Narrated by Joe Thomas

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

A rare meteorite struck Alex Woods when he was ten years old, leaving scars and marking him for an extraordinary future. The son of a fortune teller, bookish, and an easy target for bullies, Alex hasn't had the easiest childhood.
But when he meets curmudgeonly widower Mr. Peterson, he finds an unlikely friend. Someone who teaches him that that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make it count.
So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the front seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he's fairly sure he's done the right thing ...
Introducing a bright young voice destined to charm the world, The Universe Versus Alex Woods is a celebration of curious incidents, astronomy and astrology, the works of Kurt Vonnegut and the unexpected connections that form our world.

Editor's Note

Charming wit…

While depicting a friendship between a teenaged boy and a cranky old man reminiscent of Pixar’s “Up,” Extence’s debut grapples with mortality and the ethics of euthanasia with a respectful, charming wit.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 25, 2013
ISBN9781478978305
Unavailable
The Universe Versus Alex Woods
Author

Gavin Extence

Gavin Extence was born in 1982 and grew up in the interestingly named village of Swineshead, Lincolnshire. From the ages of 5-11, he enjoyed a brief but illustrious career as a chess player, winning numerous national championships and travelling to Moscow and St Petersburg to pit his wits against the finest young minds in Russia. He won only one game. Gavin’s first book – The Universe versus Alex Woods – was a Richard & Judy Book Club choice and one of the Waterstones Eleven; it was also shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize, sold over 100,000 copies and is being developed for the big screen. He lives in Sheffield.

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Reviews for The Universe Versus Alex Woods

Rating: 4.06990867112462 out of 5 stars
4/5

329 ratings35 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Plus half a star. Enjoyed it a lot. Lot's of good science, plot kept up the interest despite starting with the ending, nice characters to spend time with and a gentle pace. A good outing for humanism.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Alex Woods gets stopped at Dover border control with a bunch of pot in the glove compartment and his friend Mr. Peterson in an urn on the passenger seat. Then the novel proceeds to tell us about Alex getting hit in the head with a meteorite and everything that happens after. It's about astronomy, physics, psychics, neurology, atheism, assisted suicide, bullying, tarot cards and Kurt Vonnegut. Seriously, this book has everything.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An upbeat and poignant coming of age tale about life, social customs and morality.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    There was something in this book that reminded me of a dog in the night time. it was the cool calculation of the main character who was always assesing what was happening rather than simply feeling (this was part of his character and not a writing flaw) it gave for a strange air, though perfect for explaining the character.The basic story line was of a friendship of a young boy with an older gentleman (nothing kinkie) and how this led to him taking him across to legaly commit suiside. detailing the problems that they enountered and how they saught every other way.it is a though provoking book, it leads you gently into the decision and makes it seem reasonable as an ending.well worth the read
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm terrible at writing about books, but this one was amazing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was definitely not expecting to like this book this much, because it is not a genre I normally enjoy, but the story is told beautifully with a mixture of funny, sad, intelligent and incredible moments. Since the first couple of chapters it is kind of obvious how the plot will develop and finally end but the author still makes the trip very worth the while.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book help me through the loss of a loved one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Also similar voice as The Rosie Project, I really enjoyed this one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In case you didn’t know, in secondary school—especially in the early years of secondary school—diversity is not celebrated. In secondary school, being different is the worst crime you can commit. Actually, in secondary school, being different is pretty much the only crime you can commit.
    At one point or another, most teenagers believe the universe is pitted against them. For Alex Woods, that seems to be the case—literally—as a chunk of meteorite crash-lands through the roof of his home and knocks him unconscious. Alex survives, but not without side-effects. In the aftermath, Alex gains the attention of media and develops an onset of epileptic seizures, but it is not just Alex’s fame, medical history, or the scar on his head that marks him an outcast. Wildly curious and interested in science coupled with social awkwardness makes him a target for school bullies. It is these bullies, however, who chase Alex right into Mr. Peterson’s yard. What starts as a rocky, uncertain relationship between the thirteen year old and Vietnam war veteran steadily turns into a life-altering friendship.

    Now, at age seventeen, Alex once again finds himself at the center of media hype, but for different reasons entirely. His actions have set the country in uproar, and upon stopping at customs, he is found with 113 grams of marijuana and a full urn of ashes. Told from the viewpoint of the naïve yet exceptionally perceptive and smart Alex, The Universe Versus Alex Woods is a clever coming-of-age story. It’s a novel that comes full-circle, beginning and returning to the specific event which opens the story. Similar to that of a memoir, the pages in between reveal Alex’s reflections—from the moment the universe collides into Alex’s life to his friendship with Mr. Peterson and beyond.

    Alex presents an endearing naïvety by nature, yet this is one quality he continually grows from. An insightful and observant individual, Alex does not lack keen awareness, and when that clarity is ever clouded, he fights to understand. He is more than smart, looking at the world through an innocent’s eyes—a common feature among coming-of-age stories. Alex is intelligent, evolving in character, odd in terms of typical teenagers, and quite the saint. Above all of Alex’s qualities, however charming, it is his belief in doing “the right thing” that wins me over. No matter what consequences may result, fear does not seem to phase Alex. Instead, he readily accepts what he believes he must do and any punishment that comes with it. In this respect, he displays valor—a characteristic that not only earns my respect, but makes him a valuable person to know.

    “Still, not all scars are bad, Alex. Some are worth hanging on to, if you know what I mean.”
    I believe that Alex is the heart of this novel, as the story rests and depends on his musings. It’s centered on the events in his life during a certain span of years, or rather: The Universe Versus Alex Woods is Alex’s story thus far, and in part of this story lives Mr. Peterson. The friendship that grows between the two characters becomes a turning point, as both Alex and Mr. Peterson affect one another through irreversible change—and for the better. Some of the book’s most gripping scenes prosper from this unexpected but somehow ordinary relationship, and much of the growth this book experiences stems from these parts. It’s a poignant aspect: one teenage outcast and one reclusive war veteran who find each other, connecting through their obstacles, Kurt Vonnegut’s writing, and perhaps through loneliness.

    In the long history of human affairs, common sense doesn’t have the greatest track record.
    The story Gavin Extence has written is a blast of fresh air: compelling, profound for its thoughtfulness, and touching with a sweet twinge of humor. I find that the charm and uniqueness Gavin has instilled into his novel is difficult for me to communicate. It’s simple: I fear that I will ruin the plot for anyone who has yet to read this story. I fear that by saying more, I will remove the story’s capability to affect prospective readers. I can only encourage others to pick this book up and discover Alex's story for themselves.

    At a surface glance, The Universe Versus Alex Woods is the coming-of-age tale about a peculiar boy growing up under even more peculiar circumstances. This story, however, runs deeper than that. It’s thought-provoking literature that displays the small wonders in this vast, complex universe. At the same time, it handles expansive issues centering on life, death, personal right and responsibility. What I appreciate about Gavin’s way of dealing with these facets to the story is this: they are what they are—nothing more and nothing less. Gavin’s aim is not to persuade the reader of anything, but to let the story unfold and allow the reader to get lost its wonder. For a debut, The Universe Versus Alex Woods is immensely likable and it's one that I won't soon forget, and I suspect that its appeal will withstand decades to come.

    The longest-lived of these particles could exist for only a few hundred-millionths of a second before decaying; the shortest-lived were so unstable that their existences couldn’t even be ‘observed’ in a conventional sense. They popped into being and were gone in the same tiny fraction of an instant, so quickly that no instrument had yet been invented that was sensitive enough to register their presence, which could only be inferred post mortem. But the more I thought about this, and the more I thought about how old the universe was, and how old it would become before it suffered its final heat death—when all the stars had gone out and the black holes had evaporated and all the nucleons decayed, and nothing could exist but the elementary particles, drifting through the infinite darkness of space—the more I thought about these things, the more I realized that all matter was akin to those exotic particles. The size and scale of the universe made everything else unimaginably small and fleeting.

    Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Book Group/Redhook for providing a free copy of The Universe Versus Alex Woods in exchange for my honest review. This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was one of the books I just grabbed in a used books shelf just because it was in English and seemed readable. It was. Just nothing for me. The story flowed nicely and it was an ok read, but I didn't particularly enjoy it, I was just killing time and seeing where it would take me. Nowhere. In the end I didn't feel for the characters although they were likable. In addition I felt the story was made too long compared to how little it said.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a delightful, quirky, thoughtful book. It opens with the narrator being stopped at customs, in a car full of marijuana and cash, cranking up classical music as loudly as it will go and catching the strange aroma of flowers as he finds himself unable to obey the police instructions to get out of the car. We find out that he is having an epileptic seizure, that he is 17 years old, and known throughout the UK for his history with a meteorite. And now infamous for this escapade about which I will remain silent. Sadly, this book does not seem to be available in the US, nor Gavin Extence's second novel, with his third about to emerge this summer. I hope that a Stateside publisher will come to its senses soon and start offering his novels, which will appeal to both YA and adult. Great humor, salted with pathos and a painfully clear renditions of adolescence.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Skimmed half (no time). Nice characters ( except for the bullies). Good start for 1st novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    More 3,5 Stars. Das sind eher 3 1/2 Sterne.

    Ein nettes Buch.

    Als Alex 10 Jahre alt ist, wird er von einem Meteoriten getroffen. Neben einer Narbe am Kopf und Epilepsie bleibt ihm davon die Liebe zu Wissenschaften, weil er das Universum verstehen lernen will (und dessen Tendenz, sich mit aller Macht gegen ihn zu stellen).

    (Nicht) zur Seite stehen ihm dabei seine Mutter, die von Beruf Kartenlegerin ist, und daher eher in anderen Sphären schwebt als der Weltlichen, der Nachbar, Mr. Peterson, dessen Asche Alex bei seiner Verhaftung mit sich rumschleppt, ein paar Ärzte und Forscher, die daran interessiert sind, wie zur Hölle Alex das überleben konnte, und ein Kurt Vonnegut-Fanclub.

    Kurt Vonnegut spielt eine Wichtige Rolle in dem Buch. Alex liest alle seine Bücher, und behandelt Vonnegut wie einen Prediger. Es geht seitenlang nur um Vonnegut und seine Werke und Ansichten. Da ich nur Schlachthof 5 gelesen habe konnte ich da nicht wirklich mitfühlen. Auch wenn der Autor sich größte Mühe gegeben hat, die Faszination zu erklären.

    Ich habe mir mal Frühstück der Champions auf den Wunschzettel gepackt, aber mehr habe ich davon nicht mitgenommen.

    Alex’ wissenschaftliche Erklärungen habe ich zum Ende hin auch übersprungen. Das hat mich jetzt meist nicht so wirklich interessiert. Manchmal war das Buch etwas zu detailliert und auf Kleinigkeiten fixiert.

    Alex selber konnte ich nicht einschätzen. Zum einen ist er sehr naiv, zum anderen so alt, dass man meinen könnte, er hatte schon drei Leben gelebt. Da die Geschichte über mehrere Jahre geht war ich davon manchmal genervt, weil ich schlicht nicht einschätzen konnte, wie alt Alex gerade ist.

    Mr. Peterson hingegen hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Der Amerikaner, der neben den ganzen Engländern noch viel ungehobelter wirkt, und seine Freizeit damit verbringt, Marihuana zu rauchen, Marihuana zu züchten, Bücher zu lesen, und Beschwerdebriefe zu schreiben. Das war die einzige Figur im Buch, die nicht im Lalaland geschwebt hat, sondern fest auf dem Boden der Tatsachen war. Dass er der einzig Nicht-Religiöse war ist vielleicht auch ausschlaggebend dafür.

    Gerne mehr gesehen hätte ich von Alex’ Mutter, Rowena, und deren wechselnden Angestellten, allen voran Ellie. Sie schienen hochinteressante Charaktere zu sein (interessanter als Alex trotz Meteoritenkopf) und dass sie nur so kurz angerissen wurden fand ich schade.

    Auch gut fand ich den immer wieder aufblitzenden Humor. Alex ist sozial komplett unfähig, und seine Beobachtungen klingen manchmal wie die eines Aliens, das zufällig auf dem Planeten Erde mit Menschen kommunizieren muss. Wodurch er oft in seiner Erzählung unfreiwillig komisch wird.

    Wie schon erwähnt, war das Buch stellenweise etwas lang, und hat erst hinten fahrt aufgenommen, als Mr. Peterson aktive Sterbehilfe sucht. Ich fand das Thema sehr gut eingefangen und verarbeitet. Hätte man das ganze etwas früher in die Geschichte eingeführt wäre ich nicht böse gewesen. Aber auch so war es sehr passend, sehr konsequent, und sehr geschmackvoll. Jetzt nicht wie ein Pfirsich oder ein Abendkleid. Ihr wisst schon.

    Fazit: Das Buch hat mich nicht so gefesselt, wie es die Geschichte hätte können, aber es war nicht schwer zu beenden und hatte einen interessanten Grundkern. Der Autor hat ein Händchen für schwierige soziale Themen wie Mobbing, Drogen, und Sterbehilfe, ohne depressiv oder erdrückend zu sein oder mit der Moralkeule zu schwingen. Das kann nicht jeder und Alex Woods versus the Universe in die Hand zu nehmen ist nicht verkehrt, wenn man sich nicht sicher ist, wo man in der Welt (oder beim Glauben) Platz nehmen sollte. Und wie das von statten geht.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This ended up in my reading stack because I had ordered it at the library to fill in the author “X” on that unofficial A-Z reading challenge I had going.Alex is very fond of his early-seniors neighbour and finds out that he is dying.Death and death choices figure large in teenage angst, and this is a perfect book to help teens explore emotions. But I can’t condone a teenager leaving the country without telling his parents.3½ stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Well, now I'm going to have to go back through Vonnegut's catalog - this book has definitely whetted my appetite. This is a touching story of a young man and an unlikely friendship. It touches on themes of life, death, dignity, science, and uniqueness. Definitely one of my favorites for the year.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this very original book.Its a story of friendship between 2 very unlikely people. Alex Woods is a clever strange teenager he gets to meet an older man called Isaac Peterson they become firm friends. Alex is a very minor celebrity as he was hit on the head with a meteorite when he was younger. A sad but happy in places book. Well worth a read I don't want to give anything else away.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Seriously, is this really an adult book? Because I see in my notes that this reviewed in SLJ's adult books for teens list. This is YA up one side and down the other. I'm not that concerned about it, but it surprised me.It was smart writing and an engaging story about a misfit kid who is into physics, Kurt Vonnegut, being a pacifist, and having a friendship with his ... well, not really elderly, but older, neighbor. It's in one of my favorite narrative voices (when it works, which it does here), the protagonist who is completely deadpan but it reads as very winsomely funny.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Inspiring. Heartfelt. Articulate. First of all, assisted suicide is a very controversial issue. Secondly, I could relate to this book. As odd as that may sound, it is actual truth. I recently had to put down a family dog and it was heartbreaking. Granted, a lot of people would say that this is not the equivalent to a human life. Regardless, it hit close to home. It was a very moving novel in a sense that it put me on an emotional rollercoaster. I found myself feeling very angry during certain scenes in the story, but ultimately peaceful and happy when the story came to a close. I recommend this book to those who are looking for an inspiring read. This story is very strong, for lack of a better word. If you're a John Green fan, pick this book up. You won't regret it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excellent first novel, a funny sad book full of important details that all work out into a warm and exciting read. A page-turner for any age, really, I can just see them working out how to make a movie, too. :-)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was not what I thought it was going to be. It was better. It really touches on a subject that I've not seen in other books I've read. It's obvious what side the author is on, because of the actions and philosophies of the main characters. Although the protagonist does briefly ponder the topic, his decision is pretty quick and this story is fairly one-sided on the topic. I really did enjoy the book and though it perhaps tends toward the YA genre, I think it would be interesting reading for all age levels. (Although as I was reading it, I didn't think that most of the "little old ladies" who come to my library would like it.)Below is a SPOILER of sorts, so if you don't want to know what the main subject turns out to be, stop here. I'm typing this just to space out the word SPOILER and the sentence below with the actual spoiler. Really, stop if you don't want to know. The idea of assisted suicide and end of life rights is not one I've heard too much about in the US since Kevorkian controversies abounded a decade or more ago. I don't know that I necessarily agree with all that happened here and the situation is set up to be less sticky than most people's lives really are (e.g., Mr. Peterson has no living relatives to deal with, neither character is conventionally religious, etc.), which makes it a bit more cut and dried as far as their decision. However, Extence builds the characters in a way that their decision is very logical FOR THEM within this story. That makes a good book - it wouldn't make sense for characters just to do what the author wants them to do with no reasoning - but here we see Alex's philosophy of life and how it came to be (partly through the Vonnegut book club and Mr. Peterson's influence) and how he came to the decision. It fits. Extence was true to his characters. And so, I found this a well written and enjoyable book, even though I do not share all the same philosophies.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Interesting premise, just lost interest.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The son of a fortune teller, who was struck by a meteorite when he was ten, befriends a grumpy, old widower who discovers he has a terminal illness. Alex proves his friendship by getting stopped at the border by customs with a large bag of marijuana and an urn full of ashes. Summary BPLWe all feel from time to time that cosmos is conspiring against us. Your teaching contract isn't renewed; your spouse loses a job; your doctor keeps murmuring about a colonoscopy--and that's just my life ha!But young adults, particularly, are sensitive to the dark valley yawning between what can be and what is. Lack of true independence at this age can make a young person feel like a toddler in a walking harness. In these cases, generally it is an exaggeration to say that the universe is against you.It is clear from page 1 that Alex Woods is being pursued by the universe. Busted at Customs for a bag of weed, he has just returned from Switzerland with the ashes of his neighbor (and possibly best friend), unable to explain the situation as an epileptic episode overtakes him. The author then matter-of-factly traces the trajectory that has brought the delightfully philosophical Alex to this moment in time.Opposing forces shape Alex's context--a fortune-telling Mum and a meditating neurosurgeon help him recover from the meteorite strike; oafish school bullies endanger him yet obliquely enable his relationship with a reclusive neighbor who introduces Alex to the sublime writings of Kurt Vonnegut. The Guardian calls THE UNIVERSE VERSUS ALEX WOODS "a fairy tale for rationalists".When Alex gathers people together for a club named the Secular Church of Kurt Vonnegut I wished I could join. The parts where his friendship with Mr. Peterson grows were my favourite, especially as Mr. P comes to rely more and more on Alex and the psychological impact of that on the older man.Alex's empirical reasoning, determination and charm make him first cousin to Christopher Boone of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, another wonderful tale.Lots to think about in this book. Looking forward to more from Gavin Extence--even a sequel!8 out of 10 For fans of character-driven fiction, Kurt Vonnegut and unusual plots.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The book starts out with Alex being arrested for having a stash of pot, cash and Mr Peterson's remains in his car. I thought..okay so this is going to be one weird book. Then Alex Woods tells his story.
    The story involved is Alex from age 10 until 17. Alex is such a fresh, vibrant voice. I LOVED his character. He is smart, questions lifes mystery's and is somewhat brain damaged from a rogue comet that hit him in the head.
    This book just kept suprising me. It makes you wonder how far would you go for a friend? How do you treat people that you see as different? LOVED it. Bravo Gavin Extence!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I can fully see why some people did not enjoy this book. Alex's narrative voice at times can seem a little flat - devoting large passages to reeling off seemingly unimportant trivia about meteorites and Kurt Vonnegut - and the story contains no real twist as the direction that the plot will take is spelled out very clearly in the first chapter.Yet, for me, the novel was beautiful in execution. The events of Alex's life that lead up to his arrest sometimes seem disjointed (and many could still function as self-sustaining vignettes if removed from the novel) yet looking back I can now see how they all link together to form one cohesive whole. Although I have seen critiques that say that the meteorite plot is unimportant and thus should have been cut from the novel, I think it was unequivocally the event that lead up to his first meeting with Mr Peterson.The story is not laugh-out-loud funny, but it is amusing to read. This helps add to the uplifting air of the novel and stops it from ever becoming too dark and depressing. Alex as a character was incredibly likable and I found his development through his friendship with Mr Peterson to be deeply touching. The subject of the latter half of the novel is a difficult one for an author to tackle but I felt that Extence approached it with the deepest of respect and the result was both memorable and thought provoking.In conclusion, this novel moved me far more than I expected and has offered me much food for thought. It has also inspired me to go and hunt out some novels by Kurt Vonnegut, just so I can see if they speak to me in the same way as they did to Alex.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Plot: 3 1/2 stars
    Characters: 4 stars
    Style: 4 1/2 stars
    Pace: 3 1/2 stars


    Rounding up mostly due to the dry humor. LIterary fiction isn't usually my style, as most of it spends too much time gazing at belly button lint. This does that, but at least intersperses encounters with all sorts of people, and it's these people that make it worth reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    remind me of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A British boy gets struck by a meteor... and lives to tell. He's the narrator, for this coming of age tale that managed to stay emotionally balanced, and quirky without feeling like it was trying too hard.
    All the eccentricities made sense.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh, wow. The Universe Versus Alex Woods starts off seeming like it's gonna be a quirky sort of book: the narration is matter of fact where it possibly shouldn't be, and the situation Alex is in on the opening pages is an interesting one. Unfortunately for everyone who picked it up on the basis of that, it's not really the kind of book it turned out to be. I don't know that I'd call it funny -- it's not laugh out loud funny, anyway; more "wry smiles" funny -- and I don't know that I'd call it heartbreaking, either. It made me cry, but the simplicity of the narrative voice kept it from being maudlin, from dwelling too much on any of the important details, which is what for me made them strike all the more forcefully.It is the story of an unlikely friendship, that's definitely true, and it's a beautiful story from my point of view. It's fairly apparent from the first chapter, to me, what exactly is going on here: what matters is how we get there, and how much less funny/quirky it seems by the end, and how much more sad and true and beautiful. But if you don't want to know, don't read any further in this review.What was apparent to me from the beginning is that this is a book about an assisted suicide. It didn't even need to be stated clearly: trying to get back into the country at Dover, the urn of ashes, somehow it all just clicked for me. Possibly because this is an issue that I've thought about at great length, forwards and backwards. Because if I were Alex Woods, I'd do exactly the same things, in exactly that order, and I would feel exactly as right about it. The friendship between the two is the fun and quirky part; the fact that, when Mr. Peterson becomes ill, Alex chooses to take care of him, and then to make sure that he is also allowed to die when he's ready, and the understanding between the two... This is an idealised version of how this might happen, and the fact that Alex narrates means that we don't pull up and see this from another character's point of view -- how they might worry about Alex's reactions, how he might feel -- and that might make some people feel that this is a book somehow advocating for euthanasia. Which I think it is, but only in the sense that it makes it clear that to be allowed a choice about how and when we die makes it a lot easier to die -- and that for some people 'how' and 'when' might be very clearly defined, as they are for Mr. Peterson. But I don't think it advocates euthanasia as the only way. It just emphasises choice, and how very comforting it is to many people to know that they have control over even that last inevitability. It even emphasises choice in smaller matters, like what drugs you take.If you don't understand why someone would want assisted suicide, this might help. If you don't understand why someone would want to help someone commit suicide, I think this would definitely help. And if you already understand both of those things, then it's still something that articulates all this very clearly, and might just give you words or clarity for yourself in the future.I am definitely, definitely keeping this book. I will probably lend it to people, and I hope I never need to read it again myself, but I can imagine times when I might want to.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Alex Woods is a boy who has survived being hit by a meteor but is not unscathed. As a result of his injury, he delves into the worlds of neuropsych and astronomy and is led to make friends with his elderly neighbor who introduces him to Vonnegut. Alex takes his many difficulties in stride, and strongly reminds the reader of protagonists from other adult novels with "child" narrators. I found this to be a phenomenal book. The character of Alex Woods was endearing if not wholly unique. The plot line is somewhat convoluted, but it offers many opportunities for the reader to reflect on his own values and fosters many "what would I have done" moments. I am strongly recommending this book for inclusion in my school's curriculum for 8th or 9th grade boys.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really struggled with the end of this book. I don't think it helps that it was the second book like this I'd read this month - and didn't realize the commonality up front. I did like Alex, but I found his mother to be a bit unbelievable. But very well written and though provoking.