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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Oh WOW!
I listened to the audio version of this courtesy of Netgalley and I could not turn it off. I finished it in less than 24 hours as I found the plot so incredibly original and thought provoking as well as gripping as a thriller.
In fact, to start with, this book really upset me. The way in which Bauer writes about death, grief and loneliness is astonishingly perceptive and achingly sad. Just in the choice of a word or two, or a single sentence, I found myself stricken with the plight of Felix Pink and the unusual job he does under the pseudonym of John. He happens to be part of a very small and select group, recruited anonymously by leader Jeffrey/Geoffrey Skeet, to watch over those who have decided to leave the world behind before pain and illness ravages them.
The opening has the reader agog, trying to work out who is who and exactly what is happening. The plot is quirky, profound and as the story progresses actually very funny (Mabel widdling after 6 hours, a stolen tulip costing £50, and a broken pencil at an arrest, to name but a few comic moments).
The plot develops into a crime to be solved because something unexpectedly goes wrong in Abbotsham with new recruit Amanda at the bedside, and Felix is torn between accepting his fate without question and trying to understand how on earth the mistake happened in the first place. He opts for the latter and in the course of his own bumbling investigations we meet next door neighbour Miss Knott, Skipper and his grandson Reggie, the Moon couple and the officers dealing with the case. Calvin/Kelvin Bridge is the acting DC paired with DCI Kirsty King to work out whether the death of Albert Cann is a crime or not. There is a depth to all the characters as we learn about their lives, their relationships, the past which has formed their present day actions, and all of these features are brought to life with brilliant and often very funny dialogue.
I loved the twists and turns, the intrigue and the suspicion, the precarious nature of Felix Pink 's thought processes and the way, very slowly, people become connected to others, who in turn have connections elsewhere, until the story comes full circle and we understand the conclusion.
The ending is as profound and sad as the beginning and simply perfect.
A superbly executed masterpiece of a story, I LOVED it!
You really do have to make sure this is a book you pick up SOON!
With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to listen to the audio version of Exit in exchange for this honest review.
I listened to the audio version of this courtesy of Netgalley and I could not turn it off. I finished it in less than 24 hours as I found the plot so incredibly original and thought provoking as well as gripping as a thriller.
In fact, to start with, this book really upset me. The way in which Bauer writes about death, grief and loneliness is astonishingly perceptive and achingly sad. Just in the choice of a word or two, or a single sentence, I found myself stricken with the plight of Felix Pink and the unusual job he does under the pseudonym of John. He happens to be part of a very small and select group, recruited anonymously by leader Jeffrey/Geoffrey Skeet, to watch over those who have decided to leave the world behind before pain and illness ravages them.
The opening has the reader agog, trying to work out who is who and exactly what is happening. The plot is quirky, profound and as the story progresses actually very funny (Mabel widdling after 6 hours, a stolen tulip costing £50, and a broken pencil at an arrest, to name but a few comic moments).
The plot develops into a crime to be solved because something unexpectedly goes wrong in Abbotsham with new recruit Amanda at the bedside, and Felix is torn between accepting his fate without question and trying to understand how on earth the mistake happened in the first place. He opts for the latter and in the course of his own bumbling investigations we meet next door neighbour Miss Knott, Skipper and his grandson Reggie, the Moon couple and the officers dealing with the case. Calvin/Kelvin Bridge is the acting DC paired with DCI Kirsty King to work out whether the death of Albert Cann is a crime or not. There is a depth to all the characters as we learn about their lives, their relationships, the past which has formed their present day actions, and all of these features are brought to life with brilliant and often very funny dialogue.
I loved the twists and turns, the intrigue and the suspicion, the precarious nature of Felix Pink 's thought processes and the way, very slowly, people become connected to others, who in turn have connections elsewhere, until the story comes full circle and we understand the conclusion.
The ending is as profound and sad as the beginning and simply perfect.
A superbly executed masterpiece of a story, I LOVED it!
You really do have to make sure this is a book you pick up SOON!
With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to listen to the audio version of Exit in exchange for this honest review.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Belinda Bauer because she writes stories where the plots and victims are more complex.
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
It was described as a crime thriller when it really wasn’t. Hated the writing and the plot
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Exit" by Belinda Bauer is the August pick for one of my online book clubs. I had never heard of Belinda Bauer, whose previous novel, "Snap," was longlisted for the prestigious Booker prize -- but I will definitely be looking for more from her!
Our hero, Felix Pink is a 75-year-old mild-mannered English gentleman, who has lost both his son and wife to cancer, and now dotes on his little dog, Mabel. His sad losses have led Felix to volunteer with the Exiteers, a group that helps terminally ill people exit this world on their own terms. All Felix and his fellow Exiteers have to do (working in pairs) is to keep the dying person company (without actually assisting them in any way), act as witnesses, collect the paperwork and remove the evidence, so as not to cast suspicion on the person's family members.
But at one such "exit," something goes terribly wrong...
I had zero expectations going into this book. A novel in which assisted suicide plays a prominent role might not sound like (or be) everyone's cup of tea, but I wound up hugely enjoying it, and sped through it in a little more than one day (and with my wonky eye, too!). There were a few echoes of "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman -- an elderly protagonist trying to untangle a mystery that he finds himself at the centre of, some slightly befuddled police officers (one of whom is dealing with his own problems), and a lot of humour -- albeit I found it somewhat darker, quirkier and more offbeat than Osman's books.
It wasn't quite as captivating as the "Thursday Murder Club" books for me -- but I still enjoyed it immensely, and it did pick up at the end, with a finish that left a smile on my face. I debated -- 4 or 5 stars? -- and settled on 4.5.
Our hero, Felix Pink is a 75-year-old mild-mannered English gentleman, who has lost both his son and wife to cancer, and now dotes on his little dog, Mabel. His sad losses have led Felix to volunteer with the Exiteers, a group that helps terminally ill people exit this world on their own terms. All Felix and his fellow Exiteers have to do (working in pairs) is to keep the dying person company (without actually assisting them in any way), act as witnesses, collect the paperwork and remove the evidence, so as not to cast suspicion on the person's family members.
But at one such "exit," something goes terribly wrong...
I had zero expectations going into this book. A novel in which assisted suicide plays a prominent role might not sound like (or be) everyone's cup of tea, but I wound up hugely enjoying it, and sped through it in a little more than one day (and with my wonky eye, too!). There were a few echoes of "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman -- an elderly protagonist trying to untangle a mystery that he finds himself at the centre of, some slightly befuddled police officers (one of whom is dealing with his own problems), and a lot of humour -- albeit I found it somewhat darker, quirkier and more offbeat than Osman's books.
It wasn't quite as captivating as the "Thursday Murder Club" books for me -- but I still enjoyed it immensely, and it did pick up at the end, with a finish that left a smile on my face. I debated -- 4 or 5 stars? -- and settled on 4.5.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nice little friendly mystery, with an interesting cast of characters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated