Bookseller Reviews
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A Heartbreaking yet Life Affirming Read...
A quick read, gently paced and beautifully moving.
Each chapter guides you through a layer of grief as a son watches his father cope after his own death. ... READ MORE
Not as Sad as You Might Think
As the other reviews have said although this is a book about death it is also strangely uplifting.
A fictionalised version of the authors own real loss you... READ MORE
A Moving Debut
Anyone that has had to cope with the loss of a loved one will understand the feelings and motivations in this beautifully written book. Narrated by the dec... READ MORE
Beautiful
Narrated by the dead son, Lion throughout - this is a tragic but mystical and humourous story that reads like a dream. Lion's witty and mocking tone makes ... READ MORE
Uplifting
I'll admit I wasn't sure about this book when I first picked it up, but what a beautiful book it is. The novel is narrated by 21 year old Lion, charting th... READ MORE
Emotional
An astounding book that brought me to tears multiple times. That's not to say this book is unbearably sad, rather it is so unflinchingly honest in it's por... READ MORE
Synopsis
Selected for the Waterstones Eleven list for 2013.
We first meet Michel eleven days after the death of his son Lion. Lion was lost, suddenly, to a virulent strain of meningitis and it's left his father and entire family reeling. We join Michel on his personal journey through grief, but the twist that makes the journey truly remarkable, and tips this true story into fiction, is the fact that we see it all through Lion's eyes.
In a stunningly original blurring of memoir and fiction, THE SON tackles the very hardest of subjects in the most readable of ways. Michel Rostain resolutely ducks away from sentimentality and pathos, and tells his story instead with wit, wisdom and vitality. For this is not a book about death; it's a book about life.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
- ISBN: 9780755390816
- Number of pages: 208
- Dimensions: 196 x 130 x 16 mm
- Weight: 148g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allAn unusual Story!
Although very easy to read, 'The Son' deals with very deep emotional issues which will keep you thinking about them for days. It is certainly a book to dis... READ MORE
An extraordinary read
While easy to read, I find The Son difficult to review. An unusual perspective on death, the viewpoint of the deceased, as the son in question describes th... READ MORE
Thoughtful
A warm, tender account of the death of a young man and his father's reaction to it. The story is told from the son's point of view which is a very interest... READ MORE
Arresting and powerful.
In essence, a book about a young man’s death, and his father’s journey through the shock and grief that unexpectedly befalls him. There are two things that... READ MORE
Ok
I have never experienced grief (From death) and don't wish to for a very long time! I think because of this, the book felt very repetitive. It kept playing... READ MORE
Very thought provoking
When I first started this book, I thought that I wasn't going to enjoy it as it was so different to my "normal" reading" tastes. However, by the time I had... READ MORE
Powerful - it's that simple
The back cover of The Son describes the book as... "This is not a book about death. It's a book about life.", however it is a book about death and that is ... READ MORE
A powerful novel on life and death.
The Son by Michel Rostain is an extraordinary tale about life and death. This book had me in tears throughout. It`s beautifully written and grabs the reade... READ MORE
Very emotional read
Be warned: this is not a book to pick up if you want escapism, it's much more about the harsh realities of living, and of living through bereavement. I fou... READ MORE
Arresting and powerful.
In essence, a book about a young man’s death, and his father’s journey through the shock and grief that unexpectedly befalls him. There are two things that... READ MORE
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