An intriguing premise, and one that reflects a thought everyone must have had at some time or another - what would I do differently if I had my time again? (I never believe anyone who says 'I'd change nothing', by the way.)

Reading this book and spending a little time reflecting on it made me realise that the one change I'd make as first choice might not have done me any good, made me a better person, or been of the greatest utility in the world as a whole. Then I got to thinking that I'd have to replay quite a few times to try all the variations, or to put right various things I'd got wrong.

Eventually, though, I spotted the flaw in the reasoning. In the novel, the protagonist Jeff Winston changes his life because he remembers the winner of the Kentucky Derby from 25 years before. I can't remember the winner of either the Grand National or the Derby from last year, let alone 25 years ago. The same goes for any other sporting event that people bet on. About the only thing I could win bets on would be the outcome of British general elections - and I'd have to wait until 1992 to get long enough odds to make it worth my while... ( )

What if you died and awoke as your younger self, all of your memories intact but your accomplishments erased? What might you do differently in the replay of your life? And what if it kept happening?

This is exactly the scenario posited in Replay, in which Jeff Winston dies of a heart attack in 1988 and reawakens as his 18-year-old self in 1963, free of his troubled marriage and his dead-end job, his life a blank slate that he can remake any way he wants. Which he does. Armed with his foreknowledge of the outcomes of major sporting events and corporate successes, Jeff has no problems quickly making a fortune. Preventing societal tragedies, such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy, proves more elusive. But most challenging of all is building meaningful relationships — with a wife or children — and then dying and starting all over again, those relationships simply negated.

The author never poses an explanation for why this is happening to Jeff. He is more interested in the choices Jeff makes in each of his lives and how those choices affect the course his life will take. Jeff’s journey ultimately leads him to a deep understanding of how isolated each of us is as we navigate through our lives, and how funadmentally important our connections with others — no matter how impermanent — become. By allowing his character to relive his life over and over, Grimwood is cycling in on the fundamental meaning of life itself. As the story progresses, Jeff’s “replays” become shorter, forcing him also to face and accept his own mortality. This unique story will fire the reader’s imagination long after the book is closed. ( )

Read this at least 10 years ago. Silly but good fun twist on what would you change if you could. How small choices change our lives for good and bad. ( )

Please do not judge this book by its' cover!!! I loved this book and couldn't put it down! Really makes you think, how would I live my life over if I had the opportunity? What would I do differently? What would I do the same? If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife - you'll LOVE this read! :) ( )

We have all thought about what we would do differently if we had our life to live over again, but have we really thought through the implications? We think about what we could gain but have we truly thought about what we could lose? And what if we had to live our life over, and over, and over? Could we handle it? Replay is a brilliant book about time wasted and time gained and how we manage what very little time we have. The style is fresh and easy to read and the characters inspire empathy. I found this book hard to put down. Even those who are not fans of the fantasy genre ought to enjoy this book. ( )