Title: The Life of the World to Come | Author: Dan Cluchey
Synopsis: (as copied from the book)
Leo Brice is dead, in a sense (not the traditional one). When the neurotic law student meets his cosmic match in Fiona Haeberle, an impulsive spirit and burgeoning soap star, all seems well—the two fall fast in love, and spend three years navigating their twenties in wide-eyed wonder. But once the fantastical woman who had defined his future bolts to pursue a fantasy life of her own, Leo is forced to come to terms with a reality that more closely resembles an epilogue than the story he’d hoped it might be. Now a junior death row advocate, Leo immerses himself in the esoteric world of his condemned client, a born-again Georgia inmate named Michael Tiegs. As both men become consumed by the question of an afterlife—and as Leo becomes increasingly confused by his own future and past—Tiegs’ fate hangs in the balance. Leaning on his friends and grappling with his memories, Leo must try to save a client who may not want to be saved after all, even as he struggles to confront the prospect of his own mortality.
At once obsessively readable, philosophically probing, and verbally acrobatic, The Life of the World to Come announces Dan Cluchey as a fresh new voice in fiction.
Review:
One of the reasons why I picked this book up is because of its cover. It looks encouraging. In all honesty, I didn’t know what I was up for when I bought this. But upon reading, it turned out to be something I didn’t expect at all but in a good way. I also have to admit, this isn’t a light read. There’s a lot of food for thought and deeper meanings in this book and that’s what makes it different from the usual.
I like Leo, his awkwardness and humor feels familiar. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed reading each character in this novel: Fiona, Boots, Rachel, Emily, and the rest of the gang. Actually after reading the first chapter, I had a few expectations on how the story runs which I was proven wrong. Something between Leo’s depression, plans for reconciliation, and true love kinda story are what I expected. But instead, I met a man (Leo) who despite of reaching the lowest point in his life has managed to cope up with life, and that’s inspiring. Heartbreaks aren’t easy, we all know that. Each of us loses ourselves at some point. But Leo’s perspective on it, on life, on death, and on morality, it’s something that’s got me thinking too. It all makes sense.
One of things I enjoyed reading are the arguments of morality and killings. It’s a common thing that’s happening in my birth country which is Philippines.
Although I haven’t had a “Fiona” in my life yet. Dan the author, has managed to make me feel like I was experiencing what Leo was going through. This novel is very very well written and I couldn’t help but be engrossed on this book the whole day. Dan Cluchey, you definitely didn’t disappoint. I highly recommend this book!
Reads for Keeps 