Gavin ExtenceReviews

Gavin Extence, in addition to having quite a name, has written quite a book here. I won't even say what it is about, but only that it is a unique and remarkable novel.

I don’t even remember how I came to read Gavin Extence's debut novel "The Universe Versus Alex Woods" in the first place but while having forgotten over lots of books since, “Alex” has stayed with me because this is more than a coming-of-age story.

The main character, Alex Woods, was struck by a meteorite as a young boy and left with a permanent scar on his head. From this moment on, Alex's life takes an unexpected turn as he becomes an outcast in his small town and develops an interest in science and philosophy. His journey is heartwarming and inspiring, as he navigates the challenges of growing up and finding his place in the world.

The characters are all incredibly well-developed, and their struggles and triumphs feel real and relatable. I found myself rooting for Alex and his unlikely friendship with Mr. Peterson, an elderly man with a passion for Kurt Vonnegut and a terminal illness. Their bond is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and their conversations about life, death, and the universe are both thought-provoking and poignant. The unlikely friendship between those two was brilliantly portrayed: The elderly Peterson, smoking weed against his chronic pain, who only hesitatingly and grudgingly opens up to Alex to, eventually, putting the ultimate trust in him.
Alex himself is growing and rising to the task that Peterson puts him to - it’s a very remarkable literary journey.

Another thing that sets this book apart is its exploration of important themes such as friendship, love, death, and the meaning of life. The author tackles these weighty topics with sensitivity and grace, never resorting to clichés or easy answers.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed "The Universe Versus Alex Woods" a lot. It is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. Gavin Extence has created a truly memorable character in Alex Woods.

I was about to declare Extence a one-hit-wonder because his second novel, published in 2015, was by far less of a success (I haven’t read it either). When I now looked into it, though, Extence has since published two further novels that I had never heard about and which seem to languish in obscurity (around 1000 and 300 ratings respectively on GR right now) so if you feel inclined to give the author of the unforgettable "Alex Woods" another spin, here’s your chance!

Five stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I enjoyed the author's storytelling though I found elements predictable. I found the humor wane as the story evolved which I would have preferred otherwise. Regardless, it was entertaining and well written.

CW: Assisted dying, drugs, loss of a loved one.

Loved this. It's definitely for older teens or grownups, but I think fans of John Green would like it. It also reminded me a bit of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, although I like Universe Versus Alex Woods more.

Today I read this, and so today was a good day. As it's now gone midnight, though, a review will have to wait, suffice to say, I loved it and see now that it fully deserved the hype.

Today I read this, and so today was a good day. As it's now gone midnight, though, a review will have to wait, suffice to say, I loved it and see now that it fully deserved the hype.

A page turner following two young Syrian brothers, fleeing a dangerous homeland for the West.
An adventure, a terrifying experience, as they swim from Turkey to Greece and make their way through Macerdonia, Hungary, Germany...through border guards, detention camps...and on to Calais and the almost impossible journey to the UK...
There's a further, kind of unresolved mystical aspect in the elderly Iraqi guy they meet and travel with....does he have some power that helps them?
Puts a very human slant on the "immigrant crisis" and causes you to think "it's not that easy.."

This one is hard to review, but I loved it. Alex reminded me a bit of Christopher Boone from Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Haddon. They have the same wise yet naive tone. This book was delightful, moving, and important.

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has been sitting on my Kindle for a year waiting for me to read the ARC that NetGalley sent me. Man, I was silly to wait so long. What a breath of fresh air Alex Woods was, especially when a lot of the YA books are dystopian in nature. I love the dystopian trend, don't get me wrong, but this book was something different.

I'm not sure how I even begin to summarize what I liked about Alex Woods. First of all, I loved how Alex was okay with being Alex. Even when he wasn't feeling that self-confident, he was still true to himself. Second, his loyalty, his love for books, his dedication. This story made me smile and tear up a little and I was both happy at the ending and sad that it was over. Definitely a new favorite of mine.

This was one of the books I just grabbed in a used books shelf just because it was in English and seemed readable. It was. Just nothing for me. The story flowed nicely and it was an ok read, but I didn't particularly enjoy it, I was just killing time and seeing where it would take me. Nowhere. In the end I didn't feel for the characters although they were likable. In addition I felt the story was made too long compared to how little it said.

Plus half a star. Enjoyed it a lot. Lot's of good science, plot kept up the interest despite starting with the ending, nice characters to spend time with and a gentle pace. A good outing for humanism.

I really enjoyed this book. Reading it was a joy. Until the middle bit, that is. That middle bit was serious, depressing and worrying, which is a good thing. Mental health issues are real and out there so full marks to Mr Extence for shining a light on these.

Having read Mr Extence's first book, The Universe Versus Alex Woods, I'd not have bothered with his second novel but for some high praise I'd read in the media.

A young man who can write like a woman is obviously a skilled author. To make his readers like said woman takes great talent. I doubt I'm alone in that the lead character, Abby, mirrored feelings, insecurities and concerns that I, another female, relate to. All women must feel an affinity with the thoughts and actions of the lead character.

Some of the best prose I've read appears in the first third of the book; there are some wonderful turns of phrase, comments, observations and musings.

Having completed this book my greatest wish is that the author writes his next novel around the characters of Miranda Frost and Daddy’s girlfriend, both interesting characters with quirky conversational styles.

Alex is almost too much to believe, but it is still an interesting book that reads well.

It gives you some sympathy for euthanasia...

What a delightful, quirky, thoughtful book. It opens with the narrator being stopped at customs, in a car full of marijuana and cash, cranking up classical music as loudly as it will go and catching the strange aroma of flowers as he finds himself unable to obey the police instructions to get out of the car. We find out that he is having an epileptic seizure, that he is 17 years old, and known throughout the UK for his history with a meteorite. And now infamous for this escapade about which I will remain silent. Sadly, this book does not seem to be available in the US, nor Gavin Extence's second novel, with his third about to emerge this summer. I hope that a Stateside publisher will come to its senses soon and start offering his novels, which will appeal to both YA and adult. Great humor, salted with pathos and a painfully clear renditions of adolescence.

Skimmed half (no time). Nice characters ( except for the bullies). Good start for 1st novel.

This book was simply wonderful. I loved the style of writing, it was easy to read, but not too simple. I just loved it. Loved being part of the story, of Alex' world, his thoughts and views. I picked up this book because it was part of a 'buy one, get one half price' collection. I'm glad I picked it up. What a wonderful written story.

(8.5)½

This book made me laugh out loud and cry. It's a wonderful read full of quirky humour, unforgettable characters and insights into the meaning of love, friendship and what it means to be human.
It's an "easy" read that I would highly recommend to young and old alike. I know I will return to it again.

This was actually a bit of a wake up call for me as I saw so much of myself in Gabriel - not his power and success but definitely putting work before health. Getting the work life balance is something that many people have off to a tee but for the small number of workaholics out there it's something that is very difficult to do, even when you have a health scare.

Gabriel simply doesn't have time for a brain tumour, it will involve taking too much time off work. Gabriel will allow absolutely nothing to interfere with his work, not even any treatment that might extend his life or make him more comfortable - treatment can be done on a Saturday, can't it? (Anyone who knows me will be seeing the similarity to me right about now). The brain tumour, however, does not love work as much as Gabriel. As the tumour grows, Gabriel begins to experience emotions he didn't know he possessed and it causes him to make some very surprising decisions.

All of this is going on at the time of the anti-capitalism Occupy protests in London in 2011 to 2012 as thousands of people took to the streets to protest about inequality and corporate greed following the banking crisis. Gabriel's luxury office overlooks the Occupy camp and he is in effect one of the bankers that they are protesting about. As Gabriel's emotions start to change, he takes a walk through the square and hears the most beautiful music. He is inexplicably drawn to Caitlin, a talented busker, who he then scarily stalks. You could really feel him losing control of the rational part of his brain at this point. His stalking actually proves useful when Caitlin is mugged and Gabriel, lurking behind in the shadows, challenges her attacker. Caitlin and Gabriel strike up a friendship that is both hilarious and despondent as Gabriel tangles himself into a web of lies.

I'm not a big fan of politics and there's a large part of the storyline that's dedicated to the anti-capitalism protests, however, it wasn't overbearing. There's enough going on with Gabriel's rainbow of emotions to hold the reader's interest. It's so intriguing to see the experiencing of emotions that you or I may see as ordinary being shown as completely alien to Gabriel. It's powerful and fascinating to see that, as human beings, we're all capable of feeling the same emotions but for some more than others they're buried so much deeper.

Having previously read The Mirror World of Melody Black, I find Gavin Extence to be a completely unique author. His writing is so thought-provoking, engaging and witty that his books are impossible to put down. I read The Empathy Problem in less than 24 hours but the story within will stay with me for a lot longer than that.

I received this book from the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book; the author completely laid himself bare and gave us a warts and all glimpse into the life of a manic depressive. Sometimes scary and constantly emotional, I feel like Gavin Extence has bared his soul to each and every person who picks up this book. Abby's illness must have been so difficult to put into words but Gavin Extence does this flawlessly.

Abby calls round to her neighbour's flat one day and finds his dead body. This would be a shock for most people but Abby isn't most people, so she deals with Simon's death in almost a clinical and factual way. It was then that I realised things weren't quite right with Abby and, as she heads into a manic episode, I braced myself for the impending train crash. The description of her manic episode is so honest and raw that I couldn't help but be moved to tears.

Despite being in the title of the book, Melody Black only plays a small, but very significant part, in the book. I loved the way she talked about a mirror world; you can be going along minding your own business then, suddenly without realising, step through the mirror into a completely different world. As you swap places with your reflection, which 'you' is the real you? I found this really sad; it made me think of people who say that they feel like a shadow of themselves. Perhaps they have unknowingly stepped through a portal and swapped places with their real self, leaving their reflection to cope with the trials of daily life.

It was a really nice surprise to find Abby taking a trip to Lindisfarne. This is in my neck of the woods and Lindisfarne is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful island, with more than its fair share of history and legend. Gavin Extence perfectly described how the island is cut off by the tides. Abby decides to leave the island on foot via the Pilgrims' Way but stops for a rest, which she purposely extends until the tide comes in, leaving her stranded in the middle of the sea; I had goosebumps reading about her sleeping alone in the stilted refuge hut, completely cut off and surrounded by the chilly and tempestuous North Sea, underneath a magical twinkling blanket of stars.

Compelling and emotional, The Mirror World of Melody Black is impossible to put down. It's an honest and thoughtful account of a little-understood depressive illness with just the right amount of wit to lighten the mood. Gavin Extence is the author of The Universe Versus Alex Woods, which I haven't read but certainly want to now.

I received this book from the publisher, Hodder, via Bookbridgr in exchange for an honest review.

Such a lovely story with plenty of humour. The end was touching and brought a tear to my eye

I have no idea how to write a good review for this book. Well, a review that'd be helpful, anyways. There's Vonnegut and Catch-22 quotes, not to mention a Vonnegut book club. There are discussions of neuroscience, astrophysics, regular physics, death and philosophy. There's an eccentric and relatable cast of characters. There's a road trip from England to Switzerland. There's pot and letters to Amnesty International. There's...so much randomness, yet it all fits together. It took a while for me to read it, but then I got hooked. It's an incredibly conflicting and compelling book. Maybe when I've had time to think about it, I can write a better review. To end this rambling, I really, really like this book. I hope someone else I know reads it, and then, maybe, I can discuss it with them and articulate my thoughts better.

It's a fantastic book, exciting yet sad. The book is carefully narrated, combined with words in a high language, combined with street language. Some may say that the book is blunt. I don't think so.

Plus half a star. Enjoyed it a lot. Lot's of good science, plot kept up the interest despite starting with the ending, nice characters to spend time with and a gentle pace. A good outing for humanism.