“Can I explain why I wanted to jump off the top of a tower block?”

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“ The story is written in the first-person narrative from the points of view of the four main characters, Martin, Maureen, Jess and JJ. These four strangers happen to meet on the roof of a high building called Topper’s House in London on New Year’s Eve, each with the intent of committing suicide. Their plans for death in solitude, however, are ruined when they meet. The novel recounts their misadventures as they decide to come down from the roof alive – however temporarily that may be”.

 “ Hornby’s best novel to date, impossible to put down… how can an examination of four people’s anguish be so enthralling!” Ruth Rendell, The Guardian

“Perhaps the funniest and most exhilarating novel ever written about group suicide. A long way up from much modern fiction, which seems to have been written to supply us with reasons to jump” The Village voice

 Technically perfect the use of “the multiple point of view”. The story is interesting and involving, yet sometimes sad and depressing. Hornby’s subtle irony  paradoxically highlights his deep inspiration on the subject and on the too many “Why”  in the life of ordinary people. Wonderful book!

 Silvia Ceccato, a student of mine, highly recommended it. I took her advice and so did some class mates of hers. The experience was illuminating. When such good ideas come from your students you cannot help thanking God or Whoforhim to have chosen the job you are doing. The deep sense of satisfaction radiating from Silvia’s eyes while she was presenting and discussing her review to the class marked a meaningful step in our common work and experience.

Every time I happen to read the notes I scribbled on the pages of Hornby’s novel I always end up  giving new value and importance to the reason why I began to read it.

Silvia was only sixteen, she was in her third year of a language course in a State lyceum in Padua and she had already devoured one book after another: in Italian, in English, in German, independently from the requests of the school curriculum. A sort of miracle! The movie?

 The Movie? Less convincing.

Pubblicato da affascinailtuocuore