The Nine Lives of Adam Blake starts with the death of it's main character. Sometimes this device is cheesy and under realised in fiction but not in this book. It kills it's main character and then wakes him up as his 12 year self where he is destined to relive his life again and again.
It is very groundhog day but with Adam's whole life from 12 upwards. It deals with the nature of the soul, what makes you happy as a person? what you would do with foreknowledge and it's a very gripping read.
Adam is not a nice guy initially, as he drives into fiery oblivion in his first life, he comes across as a drunken obsessive arsehole. With each life however, he becomes kinder, gentler. Like Phil in 'Groundhog Day' he becomes a better person. He is great to read and his story flows quite nicely. Also the reason why this is happening drives the narrative of the book.
The secondary characters don't really shine in this book. His 'love' really doesn't seem to deserve it and there are a lot of hints to her back story that aren't really explored. There is also no real connections to his family. That may be due to the fact that book is really exploring the 'multi-life scenario'.
It is a very good book, despite the couple of flaws mentioned.
****
It is very groundhog day but with Adam's whole life from 12 upwards. It deals with the nature of the soul, what makes you happy as a person? what you would do with foreknowledge and it's a very gripping read.
Adam is not a nice guy initially, as he drives into fiery oblivion in his first life, he comes across as a drunken obsessive arsehole. With each life however, he becomes kinder, gentler. Like Phil in 'Groundhog Day' he becomes a better person. He is great to read and his story flows quite nicely. Also the reason why this is happening drives the narrative of the book.
The secondary characters don't really shine in this book. His 'love' really doesn't seem to deserve it and there are a lot of hints to her back story that aren't really explored. There is also no real connections to his family. That may be due to the fact that book is really exploring the 'multi-life scenario'.
It is a very good book, despite the couple of flaws mentioned.
****