Note: I read the Italian edition, but will review in my native English.
A motivational speaker is about to jump off a bridge in NYC when a sort of supernatural being (an angel?) intervenes to save him. Actually, he strikes up a deal where the man in crisis (named Napoleon) can live a full week in a sort of limbo to think things over, then return to this moment in time to decide if he really wants to commit suicide.
This supernatural being who appears to be an older man (he never gets a name in the book, nor an actual designation of what he is, but he definitely has supernatural powers, so it's assumed he's some sort of angel) also "collects" three other potential suicides: a female African American NYPD cop, a young woman who was a former Olympic medalist in gymnastics but is now in a wheelchair, and a chubby 12-year-old boy who appeared in a soft-drink commercial.
This unlikely group (the four and their mysterious shepherd) spend a few days running around NYC in an old station wagon, attending funerals, shopping at second-hand stores, going to Coney Island, etc. They bond, naturally.
I don't want to give away the end, but I saw it coming a mile away. There were zero surprises and consequently almost zero tension or suspense. The ending was telegraphed half-way through the narrative. Still, it was a quick, pleasant, easy read, mildly entertaining, like a mediocre movie seen on a long flight.
According to the mini-bio on the back cover flap, the author, Paolo Genovese, is one of Italy's foremost movie directors. Perhaps this explains why the book reads like a movie adaptation. The sentences are short and simple, and I kept thinking it had been translated from English (apparently not) due to the style and the huge number of Anglicisms.
Anyway, it's set in a contemporary NYC, all the characters are Americans, and it's filled with American cultural references (music, movies, etc.), so the novel is Italian only in its language.
Light reading, perfect for a lazy day at the beach or while commuting.