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You Came Back
Thirty-something midwesterner Mark Fife believes he has successfully moved past the accidental death of his young son Brendan, as well as his subsequent divorce from his college sweetheart Chloe. He's successful, he's in love again, and he believes he's mastered his own memories.
But then he is contacted by a strange woman who tells him not only that she owns his old house, but that she believes it to be haunted by Brendan's ghost. Will Mark--who does not believe in ghosts--come to accept the mounting evidence that Brendan's is real? Will his engagement to his new love Allison be threatened by the reappearance in Mark's life of Chloe--who does believe? If the ghost is real, what can these two wounded parents do to help their son?
You Came Back examines the beauty and danger of belief in all its forms--not only belief in the supernatural, but in the love that binds parents and children, husbands and wives.
But then he is contacted by a strange woman who tells him not only that she owns his old house, but that she believes it to be haunted by Brendan's ghost. Will Mark--who does not believe in ghosts--come to accept the mounting evidence that Brendan's is real? Will his engagement to his new love Allison be threatened by the reappearance in Mark's life of Chloe--who does believe? If the ghost is real, what can these two wounded parents do to help their son?
You Came Back examines the beauty and danger of belief in all its forms--not only belief in the supernatural, but in the love that binds parents and children, husbands and wives.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
42 people are currently reading
1420 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Coake
14 books49 followersChristopher Coake is the author of YOU CAME BACK (Grand Central Publishing, out June 2012) as well as the collection of short stories WE’RE IN TROUBLE (Harcourt 2005), which won the PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowship. In addition, Coake was listed among “Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists” in 2007. His stories have been published in several literary journals, and anthologized in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2004 and THE BEST AMERICAN NOIR OF THE CENTURY. A native Hoosier, he received his M.F.A. in fiction from Ohio State University. He and his wife Stephanie Lauer live in Reno, where Coake is a professor of English at the University of Nevada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
April 19, 2012
Draaaaaaggggged. My god did this book drag. Interesting premise, promising start, but entirely too self-indulgent. Pages and pages of how the main character feels about his ex-wife, pages and pages of how he feels about his son, pages and pages of how he feels about his fiance, then even MORE pages about how he feels about his ex-wife AND his son. Oh Lawd! It's too much, all this "feely" stuff. Entirely too little action and the plot moved forward at a snails pace. Would have benefited from some judicious editing, for real. I truly couldn't take any more and bailed at page 276.
June 26, 2012
You Came Back is everything you want a literary novel to be - a great premise that draws you in, fully realized characters that provide a deep insight into what it means to be human, and a writing style that gives you the feeling you're in the hands of a talent that won't let you down. Here Coake explores the ramifications of parents who suffered the loss of a child and had their marriage crumble as a result. The novel picks up seven years later when their lives have started to pick up again, and the husband, Mark Fife, has made a new love and is ready to get married again. All that gets turned upside down, though, when the owner of the house he used to live in - where his son died falling down steps - finds him to tell him that her son has heard a ghost in the house that seems to be Mark's dead son, calling for his father. The novel offers an amazingly gripping exploration of the personal havoc that news brings. Mark resists at first, trying to stay committed to his new love and trying not to be overcome once again by grief and the guilt he still carries for his imagined responsibility in his son's death. Complicating matters further is that his first wife, before grief soured their relationship, was the great love of his life.
As serious as the topic, this is not a depressing story or one overcome with explaining the mechanics of inhabitants of a ghost world. It's all about living a life when your most precious dreams and loved ones have been taken from you. There are surprises along the way, and I wouldn't say anymore to avoid giving anything away, but Mark Fife is one terrific character and I think any reader would enjoy spending 400 pages inside his minds as he struggles with these issues. I normally enjoy strict realism, and got a little concerned when I heard this was a "ghost" story. But my mind had been opened by reading David Long's brilliant "The Inhabited World." Like that novel, this one is much more about the emotional struggles of living a life full of setbacks and tragedies than it is about ghoulish presences. Coake wrote a brilliant short story collection a few years back and I hope this novel will give him enough success to continue writing plenty more novels and collections.
As serious as the topic, this is not a depressing story or one overcome with explaining the mechanics of inhabitants of a ghost world. It's all about living a life when your most precious dreams and loved ones have been taken from you. There are surprises along the way, and I wouldn't say anymore to avoid giving anything away, but Mark Fife is one terrific character and I think any reader would enjoy spending 400 pages inside his minds as he struggles with these issues. I normally enjoy strict realism, and got a little concerned when I heard this was a "ghost" story. But my mind had been opened by reading David Long's brilliant "The Inhabited World." Like that novel, this one is much more about the emotional struggles of living a life full of setbacks and tragedies than it is about ghoulish presences. Coake wrote a brilliant short story collection a few years back and I hope this novel will give him enough success to continue writing plenty more novels and collections.
May 4, 2015
Two and a half stars
How does a person cope with the death of a child? That is the situation for Mark Fife and Chloe. Their marriage was only one of the causalities from the death of their seven year old Brendan. Mark believes though he has managed to move on and repair his life a bit after meeting and ended up in a relationship with Allison. He has even got the drinking problem under control, until Connie, the current owner of the house in which Mark and Chloe lived and Brendan died, tracks Mark down telling him that Brendan’s ghost lives in the house.
I’m not often into ghost stories but for some reason I was curious about this one. It was that curiosity as to how it would play out that kept me going even when I didn’t like any of the characters, except possibly Mark’s father, Sam. And I kept reading even when I got sick of being told back story and got fed up with the language that so often seemed as though it was put in for effect rather than because it sounded natural in the dialogue.
The way people handle grief in different ways is explored in this book and that was interesting, but really I thought the story didn’t require 416 pages to tell this story. It could have got by with around half that. However, despite those negatives, I persisted in reading to the end. The ending though I felt ending seemed to me to just peter out into the predictable. Other people may enjoy it more but sad to say, I was largely disappointed.
How does a person cope with the death of a child? That is the situation for Mark Fife and Chloe. Their marriage was only one of the causalities from the death of their seven year old Brendan. Mark believes though he has managed to move on and repair his life a bit after meeting and ended up in a relationship with Allison. He has even got the drinking problem under control, until Connie, the current owner of the house in which Mark and Chloe lived and Brendan died, tracks Mark down telling him that Brendan’s ghost lives in the house.
I’m not often into ghost stories but for some reason I was curious about this one. It was that curiosity as to how it would play out that kept me going even when I didn’t like any of the characters, except possibly Mark’s father, Sam. And I kept reading even when I got sick of being told back story and got fed up with the language that so often seemed as though it was put in for effect rather than because it sounded natural in the dialogue.
The way people handle grief in different ways is explored in this book and that was interesting, but really I thought the story didn’t require 416 pages to tell this story. It could have got by with around half that. However, despite those negatives, I persisted in reading to the end. The ending though I felt ending seemed to me to just peter out into the predictable. Other people may enjoy it more but sad to say, I was largely disappointed.
July 20, 2012
This second novel by Coake will stay with you long after you've put it down. Thirty-something Mark Fife is on the brink of starting a new life with his fiance, several years after his 7-year-old son Brendan dies in an accidental fall and his wife divorces him. Until he meets Connie Pelham, the woman now living in the Victorian house where Brendan died. She's sought him out to tell him something unimaginable--that the ghost of Brendan is still in the house, and he wants his father.
I love ghost stories and I was hooked on the Columbus, Ohio setting, but this book goes beyond just those things that go bump in the night. Atheist Mark is suddenly dealing with the unbelievable ghost of a possiblity that what Connie says might be true, and of what it means for his future and the choices that he made in the past.
This book is less about the supernatural beings than about the very real things that haunt us the most.
I love ghost stories and I was hooked on the Columbus, Ohio setting, but this book goes beyond just those things that go bump in the night. Atheist Mark is suddenly dealing with the unbelievable ghost of a possiblity that what Connie says might be true, and of what it means for his future and the choices that he made in the past.
This book is less about the supernatural beings than about the very real things that haunt us the most.
January 26, 2013
I read this just in the nick of time to revoke its nomination as a book club choice, thank goodness. We affectionately refer to ourselves as "The Bad Book Club" and this would have been a contender for the worst of the bad. Thankfully I took one for the team and saved them the hours they would have lost reading this.
July 18, 2012
Review copy from NetGalley
I'm not sure what compelled me to want to read this novel, since the very thought of losing a child is enough to make me sick, but I think it was the possible "ghost" element that spurred my interest.
I was just reading last night (in the current issue of Psychology Today) that 32% of Americans believe that spirits of the dead can return, 37% believe in haunted houses, and 16% aren't sure. They also mentioned the fact that bereavement increases the chance of a visit from beyond. This novel is rooted in that desire to believe that we can communicate with our deceased loved one. In Coake's novel, father Mark Fife is approached by a strange woman who happens to live in his former home, and told that the ghost of his son is there. His son was only 7 years old when he passed away in an unfortunate accident in the home, while under his father's watch. The tragedy eventually destroyed his marriage to his beloved wife, Chloe, who has not been emotionally well ever since. Mark is currently engaged to another woman and planning his new life, when he meets this woman who claims to have the spirit of his son in her home.
This book is really about Mark, and his efforts to deal with the possibility of the "return" of his son. Mark has issues with alcohol, and, in my opinion, a lot of relationship problems. His mother passed away from cancer a few years before, and his father, Sam, is a university professor who seems to care deeply for his son. However, his speech about what happens to us after we die really annoyed me. In fact, all these characters kind of annoyed me. Allison, Mark's fiance, seems to be very immature and needy, even though it is clear that is not how the author intends her to be. Chloe, the ex-wife, is wacko. Mark's best friend and confidante Louis also seems immature and possibly alcoholic. It is a novel full of dysfunction. Even the family that lives in his former home is clearly dysfunctional. There just didn't seem to be anyone to relate to here.
Sam tells Mark that "The only happy death I can imagine is one that severs me entirely from this life. Annihilates me." He seems to think that if there is a heaven, everyone is waiting there miserably, longing for what they've left behind and missing everyone: "...it is very difficult for me to imagine that we die, only to go to a place that allows us to remember our lives." This view of what heaven or an afterlife or what a soul might do when separated from its body is so negative and hopeless, it really annoyed me that there was not a single character with a positive view of a happy paradise, of God, of spirit filled joy. I am not a "Jesus freak" (as Louis says in the book). I believe in God, and in Jesus Christ. But I have many atheist/non-believer friends who I respect and even understand. However, this man's world view is apparently one of extreme pessimism, where a book about the mere possibility of an afterlife, a heaven, a God, is so unthinkable, he can't even properly present that view in a book about that very subject. The ones that do believe are kooks or nuts, irrational or money hungry. I felt this was an unfair. It made the whole tone of the book very hopeless.
This story is supposed to be one of love and loss. Mark has lost his son, his wife, basically his life, but is trying to regain it, with his impending marriage to Allison. But he only has himself to blame for the mess he makes of things after the "ghost" enters the picture. He loses his footing and flies off the handle every time a new"problem" is presented. He tries to solve these problems himself and turns to alcohol and the other highly dysfunctional people in his life to deal with these issues. He never seems to have even a glimmer of hope in being proactive enough to help himself. It is annoying, he is too self indulgent and pitying to even try to feel sorry for him. The loss of his son is tragic, but it seems the only way he can view his son's death is via his guilty part in it.
I didn't enjoy reading this novel. It became a chore. The main character was so unlikable, and so closed off to actually changing, I couldn't imagine possibly knowing him or being around him. There were a few times I was engaged, but then another main character (Sam, Chloe, etc) would do something nuts, and he'd lose me again. The writing was not bad, but this novel could have been so much more. A third of the book could have been replaced with more serious discussions of belief, soul and spirit, and more importantly, how one finally learns to cope with the death of a beloved child. But it never happened. Too bad. 2.5 stars
I'm not sure what compelled me to want to read this novel, since the very thought of losing a child is enough to make me sick, but I think it was the possible "ghost" element that spurred my interest.
I was just reading last night (in the current issue of Psychology Today) that 32% of Americans believe that spirits of the dead can return, 37% believe in haunted houses, and 16% aren't sure. They also mentioned the fact that bereavement increases the chance of a visit from beyond. This novel is rooted in that desire to believe that we can communicate with our deceased loved one. In Coake's novel, father Mark Fife is approached by a strange woman who happens to live in his former home, and told that the ghost of his son is there. His son was only 7 years old when he passed away in an unfortunate accident in the home, while under his father's watch. The tragedy eventually destroyed his marriage to his beloved wife, Chloe, who has not been emotionally well ever since. Mark is currently engaged to another woman and planning his new life, when he meets this woman who claims to have the spirit of his son in her home.
This book is really about Mark, and his efforts to deal with the possibility of the "return" of his son. Mark has issues with alcohol, and, in my opinion, a lot of relationship problems. His mother passed away from cancer a few years before, and his father, Sam, is a university professor who seems to care deeply for his son. However, his speech about what happens to us after we die really annoyed me. In fact, all these characters kind of annoyed me. Allison, Mark's fiance, seems to be very immature and needy, even though it is clear that is not how the author intends her to be. Chloe, the ex-wife, is wacko. Mark's best friend and confidante Louis also seems immature and possibly alcoholic. It is a novel full of dysfunction. Even the family that lives in his former home is clearly dysfunctional. There just didn't seem to be anyone to relate to here.
Sam tells Mark that "The only happy death I can imagine is one that severs me entirely from this life. Annihilates me." He seems to think that if there is a heaven, everyone is waiting there miserably, longing for what they've left behind and missing everyone: "...it is very difficult for me to imagine that we die, only to go to a place that allows us to remember our lives." This view of what heaven or an afterlife or what a soul might do when separated from its body is so negative and hopeless, it really annoyed me that there was not a single character with a positive view of a happy paradise, of God, of spirit filled joy. I am not a "Jesus freak" (as Louis says in the book). I believe in God, and in Jesus Christ. But I have many atheist/non-believer friends who I respect and even understand. However, this man's world view is apparently one of extreme pessimism, where a book about the mere possibility of an afterlife, a heaven, a God, is so unthinkable, he can't even properly present that view in a book about that very subject. The ones that do believe are kooks or nuts, irrational or money hungry. I felt this was an unfair. It made the whole tone of the book very hopeless.
This story is supposed to be one of love and loss. Mark has lost his son, his wife, basically his life, but is trying to regain it, with his impending marriage to Allison. But he only has himself to blame for the mess he makes of things after the "ghost" enters the picture. He loses his footing and flies off the handle every time a new"problem" is presented. He tries to solve these problems himself and turns to alcohol and the other highly dysfunctional people in his life to deal with these issues. He never seems to have even a glimmer of hope in being proactive enough to help himself. It is annoying, he is too self indulgent and pitying to even try to feel sorry for him. The loss of his son is tragic, but it seems the only way he can view his son's death is via his guilty part in it.
I didn't enjoy reading this novel. It became a chore. The main character was so unlikable, and so closed off to actually changing, I couldn't imagine possibly knowing him or being around him. There were a few times I was engaged, but then another main character (Sam, Chloe, etc) would do something nuts, and he'd lose me again. The writing was not bad, but this novel could have been so much more. A third of the book could have been replaced with more serious discussions of belief, soul and spirit, and more importantly, how one finally learns to cope with the death of a beloved child. But it never happened. Too bad. 2.5 stars
February 5, 2013
Mark Fife is in the midst of a new life. But his old life keeps creeping back. Mark was once married to Chloe and they had a son Brendan. In a horrible accident while Mark was home alone with Brendan, Brendan dies tragically. Mark is never really able to deal with Brendan's death, though he masks it pretty well.
Now he is ready to start a new life with Allison. But the current owner of the house where Brendan died finds both Mark and Chloe to tell them she thinks Brendan's ghost is still in the house.
I liked the story mainly because it takes place in Columbus, OH-a city I have spent a lot of time in. I am always up for a good ghost story but this one was a bit of a disappointment. I can't begin to imagine or understand the grief of losing a child, especially in this instance when it was preventable but I thought Mark was a coward in how he handled everything. Allison, while she had a right to be upset with Mark for his actions, suddenly became an immature brat and didn't deal effectively with everything either. And poor Chloe-she has lost everything-her son, her marriage (though that was her choice and she admits it), her whole family. And she continues to hold out hope that her son is still here in some form, and in the end she is let down again.
I think the story could have been cut by about 75 pages. There seemed to be a lot of unncessary plot lines.
Now he is ready to start a new life with Allison. But the current owner of the house where Brendan died finds both Mark and Chloe to tell them she thinks Brendan's ghost is still in the house.
I liked the story mainly because it takes place in Columbus, OH-a city I have spent a lot of time in. I am always up for a good ghost story but this one was a bit of a disappointment. I can't begin to imagine or understand the grief of losing a child, especially in this instance when it was preventable but I thought Mark was a coward in how he handled everything. Allison, while she had a right to be upset with Mark for his actions, suddenly became an immature brat and didn't deal effectively with everything either. And poor Chloe-she has lost everything-her son, her marriage (though that was her choice and she admits it), her whole family. And she continues to hold out hope that her son is still here in some form, and in the end she is let down again.
I think the story could have been cut by about 75 pages. There seemed to be a lot of unncessary plot lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2012
Debated on 3 stars but just could not justify that 1 extra. This book had so much potential and kept me interested for about 150 of the 416 pages. The story dragged on way too long without adding one thing other than totally convincing me the main character was a two timing weakling. This is a story of fraud, betrayal, tragedy, weak men and strong women. The book is about 100 pages too long with even the ending being too long, not to mention, (but I will) a tad frustrating. This is my opinion and of no importance as my opinion has never mattered to anyone of importance.
September 12, 2014
A well written debut novel on an intriguing subject. If your son died falling down the stairs, and a few years later you heard that his spirit was calling for you in your old house, would you want to believe that it's true? The grief, self-doubt, co-dependant relationships, denial and self-destruction is brillianty described by Coake, and will stay with me for a while. 3.5 stars
June 17, 2012
Mark is in his 30s and finally finding happiness again, having endured the loss of his 7 year old son and the subsequent break up of his marriage. Having hit a low while grieving for Brendan he has now moved on and is in love with Allison. He is on the verge of proposing when an unwelcome woman comes barging into his life.
She lives in the house where his son's accident occurred and claims he is haunting the house. Mark's father is very logical and has raised him to be the same, so he tries to ignore her. However ex-wife Chloe is more willing to believe and, trying to support her Mark finds himself in a downward spiral. Reliving the events of seven years prior changes him and his life is quickly unravelling once again as he faces sacrificing the present and the future for the past.
I have had this book on my kindle for a while and read it without revisiting the blurb. When I pulled it up on screen before writing this I was stunned to see that this is the author's first novel. I loved this book and am impressed by this debut. This isn't a ghost story per se, instead it is about relationships, love and how much people will change if they want something badly enough. I found myself cast in the role of cynic, doubting that the house was haunted, and read on to see whether I was going to be right or wrong. Mark's best friend Lew at one point provides a very helpful list of all the possible explanations of the chain of events which is similar to the thoughts I'd been having as I read and served as a good summary. There isn't a lot of action, but there is a lot of conflict as Mark tries (and mostly fails) to make the right decisions for himself and those he loves.
Mark has already been through the wringer and as we read about how he struggled to move on and see him rebuilding a good life for himself it makes the descent back into despair that much more stark. While at points I doubted her motives I felt for ex-wife Chloe as well as wife-to-be Allison. And despite his best efforts to mess up virtually every relationship he has I still felt for Mark. My favourite character though was his straight-talking and sage father, Sam. He is the voice of reason, but has plenty of charm and some hard stories of his own to tell.
I enjoyed the writing which flowed nicely, written in a way that allowed me to become engrossed by the story rather than noticing the style too much. The ending leaves some room for imagination, which in this case was a good thing.
This is the best book I have read in a while. I felt so much for Mark that at one point I almost got up to go and cuddle my sleeping daughter, imagining how awful experiences like his must be. It's not often that I am moved like that by a book.
She lives in the house where his son's accident occurred and claims he is haunting the house. Mark's father is very logical and has raised him to be the same, so he tries to ignore her. However ex-wife Chloe is more willing to believe and, trying to support her Mark finds himself in a downward spiral. Reliving the events of seven years prior changes him and his life is quickly unravelling once again as he faces sacrificing the present and the future for the past.
I have had this book on my kindle for a while and read it without revisiting the blurb. When I pulled it up on screen before writing this I was stunned to see that this is the author's first novel. I loved this book and am impressed by this debut. This isn't a ghost story per se, instead it is about relationships, love and how much people will change if they want something badly enough. I found myself cast in the role of cynic, doubting that the house was haunted, and read on to see whether I was going to be right or wrong. Mark's best friend Lew at one point provides a very helpful list of all the possible explanations of the chain of events which is similar to the thoughts I'd been having as I read and served as a good summary. There isn't a lot of action, but there is a lot of conflict as Mark tries (and mostly fails) to make the right decisions for himself and those he loves.
Mark has already been through the wringer and as we read about how he struggled to move on and see him rebuilding a good life for himself it makes the descent back into despair that much more stark. While at points I doubted her motives I felt for ex-wife Chloe as well as wife-to-be Allison. And despite his best efforts to mess up virtually every relationship he has I still felt for Mark. My favourite character though was his straight-talking and sage father, Sam. He is the voice of reason, but has plenty of charm and some hard stories of his own to tell.
I enjoyed the writing which flowed nicely, written in a way that allowed me to become engrossed by the story rather than noticing the style too much. The ending leaves some room for imagination, which in this case was a good thing.
This is the best book I have read in a while. I felt so much for Mark that at one point I almost got up to go and cuddle my sleeping daughter, imagining how awful experiences like his must be. It's not often that I am moved like that by a book.
September 5, 2021
You Came Back 4.0 ⭐
Great novel. Great depth and explored emotion.
Great novel. Great depth and explored emotion.
May 23, 2017
Mark Fife has had his share of pain. After his 8 year old son, Brendon, died in a fall down the staircase of their dream house, he and his much loved wife, Chloe, went their separate ways; it seemed that they had nothing left without Brendon.
Fast forward 8 years, and Mark is happily engaged to Allie, and feeling that he has finally moved forward. One night in a diner, he sees a woman peeking in the window at him. A few nights later, the same woman approaches him in a bookstore with some very troubling news: she and her son live in Mark and Chloe's old home, and her sin has seen Brendon's ghost. Mark doesn't believe in ghosts, and asks he not to contact him again. The woman contacts Chloe, who latches on to the possibility that Brendon is still with them, and begs Mark to believe. Eventually, Mark agrees to visit the old house, and has an experience there. This draws him closer to Chloe, and he feels the love for her that never really went away.
Is Brendon's spirit still in the house? What does he want from them? What does this mean for his new life with Allie and his enduring love for Chloe? Nothing is simple in this story of love, grief, and second chances, and none of them will ever be the same.
I absolutely loved this book! Christopher Coake's writing is so vivid and descriptive that I could see what the characters saw a d feel every emotion they experienced, from joy, to love, to pain and anger. This is so much more than a supernatural thriller ; it is s story about how fiercely we can love someone, and what we would give for another chance to tell them so.
Fast forward 8 years, and Mark is happily engaged to Allie, and feeling that he has finally moved forward. One night in a diner, he sees a woman peeking in the window at him. A few nights later, the same woman approaches him in a bookstore with some very troubling news: she and her son live in Mark and Chloe's old home, and her sin has seen Brendon's ghost. Mark doesn't believe in ghosts, and asks he not to contact him again. The woman contacts Chloe, who latches on to the possibility that Brendon is still with them, and begs Mark to believe. Eventually, Mark agrees to visit the old house, and has an experience there. This draws him closer to Chloe, and he feels the love for her that never really went away.
Is Brendon's spirit still in the house? What does he want from them? What does this mean for his new life with Allie and his enduring love for Chloe? Nothing is simple in this story of love, grief, and second chances, and none of them will ever be the same.
I absolutely loved this book! Christopher Coake's writing is so vivid and descriptive that I could see what the characters saw a d feel every emotion they experienced, from joy, to love, to pain and anger. This is so much more than a supernatural thriller ; it is s story about how fiercely we can love someone, and what we would give for another chance to tell them so.
June 22, 2021
3.5 - rounded up.
I was dazzled by Coake's 2005 collection
We're in Trouble, and was excited to learn he has a new collection out in July. I didn't know he'd written a novel in 2012.
For the first half of the book, I was feeling like he's a much better short story writer than a novelist, but the book grew on me. Coake has a way of making the ordinary suspenseful, and making tragedy, and its aftermath accessible. Though I found a few of the characters too lightly drawn, their human frailty and vulnerability managed to shine through.
I was dazzled by Coake's 2005 collection
We're in Trouble, and was excited to learn he has a new collection out in July. I didn't know he'd written a novel in 2012. For the first half of the book, I was feeling like he's a much better short story writer than a novelist, but the book grew on me. Coake has a way of making the ordinary suspenseful, and making tragedy, and its aftermath accessible. Though I found a few of the characters too lightly drawn, their human frailty and vulnerability managed to shine through.
February 17, 2013
Losing a loved one to sudden death feels a lot like losing your sanity. Rationality is gone, and everything and everyone suddenly seems at peril – life as you knew it has been ripped away. Losing a child is, for most of us, unthinkable. Clearly, this sense of wrongness underlies and informs the actions and motivations of the main character – Mark, the grieving dad. It also explains the behavior of his ex-wife, the mom. So why did I spend so much of this book annoyed and impatient with Mark? As much as I wanted to sympathize with him I couldn’t quite manage it. Something was lacking for me.Maybe I was responding to the insanity-of living with such grief. Or maybe the character was unformed - incomplete. Don’t know, but I can’t say I’d recommend this.
December 4, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. I felt the anxiousness and heart-ache in every page, every paragraph. I was stunned to find out this is Christopher Coake's debut novel and I will definitely be looking out for his next book
To lose a child must be one of the most heart wrenching experiences on this earth and I hope I never have to experience it.
Before I had children I imagined how it would be to love a child, but when I had my children I found out I was way off. The following quote from the book describes it perfectly: "No other love in his life, no matter how much he'd wanted it, sought it, tended it - no matter what proises he'd made - could ever be as strong as this one."
To lose a child must be one of the most heart wrenching experiences on this earth and I hope I never have to experience it.
Before I had children I imagined how it would be to love a child, but when I had my children I found out I was way off. The following quote from the book describes it perfectly: "No other love in his life, no matter how much he'd wanted it, sought it, tended it - no matter what proises he'd made - could ever be as strong as this one."
March 6, 2014
Erm okay; low three.
March 9, 2013
From BBC radio 4 Extra:
Supernatural thriller about a man trying to rebuild after the accidental death of his son.
Supernatural thriller about a man trying to rebuild after the accidental death of his son.
July 16, 2024
First off I want to say that this is the most long-winded novel I’ve ever read in my entire life . Not only does he go into complete (unnecessary for the storyline ) detail for 350 pages but then when it starts to get slightly good (and I use that very lightly) he goes into very little detail leaving you confused (at times , I wasn’t sure if he was speaking out loud or in his head) . Then , the ending of the book I felt like he was just rushing through the last 15 pages of the book. Then, the last sentence that he ends the book with When he’s having a made up conversation with his daughter, that’s not even born yet was ridiculous. I don’t know if this man wrote this book to piss me off but he friggin did. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2020
Okay, page 245 and I’m calling it.
It is so rare that I don’t finish a book, but as much as I keep trying, I can’t bring myself to finish this one.
Just read a 30-second plot summary for the rest of it, and that satisfied my curiosity enough to put this one down for good.
Such a promising start, but instead of anything actually happening, this guy just keeps going on about how he can never get over his ex-wife (despite being newly engaged), and proceeds to be selfish, irresponsible, and deeply unsympathetic.
The constant droning about his (very few) feelings and thoughts is so repetitive and unnecessary, and over halfway through the book not much has been accomplished because the same things have been rehashed so many times.
On to the next book!
It is so rare that I don’t finish a book, but as much as I keep trying, I can’t bring myself to finish this one.
Just read a 30-second plot summary for the rest of it, and that satisfied my curiosity enough to put this one down for good.
Such a promising start, but instead of anything actually happening, this guy just keeps going on about how he can never get over his ex-wife (despite being newly engaged), and proceeds to be selfish, irresponsible, and deeply unsympathetic.
The constant droning about his (very few) feelings and thoughts is so repetitive and unnecessary, and over halfway through the book not much has been accomplished because the same things have been rehashed so many times.
On to the next book!
April 25, 2013
“You were loved and lost ... then you came back.
Thirty-something Mark Fife believes he has moved on from the accidental death of his young son Brendan and the subsequent break-up of his marriage. He's successful, in love again, and he thinks he's mastered his own memories at last. But when a strange woman tells him she believes her house is haunted by Brendan's ghost, his life is thrown into turmoil.
Mark doesn't believe in ghosts, but his distressed ex-wife does, and he really wants to help her. So much so that he begins to doubt his own beliefs - and endanger the relationships that really matter now in his life, with his fiancee Allison and his tough and sceptical father.
You Came Back is a wonderfully affecting read about the nature of belief and bereavement, about old loves and new loves, and the hardships involved in letting go.”
This was a truly incredible book. The pain of the loss of Brendan permeated every single page and, having a young son of my own, this threatened to make this almost unbearable. The lead, Mark, was a very interesting character, so human and fragile and although one could sometimes identify with his pain, one still cringed every now and again at some of his actions, knowing where this might lead.
The book was entirely believable and begged the question: “What is a haunting?” Is it a physical presence or a psychosomatic experience? And how would one differentiate between the two?
The book itself was extremely haunting and I will be left musing on it for some time. I thoroughly enjoyed this extremely thought provoking book. The synopsis on the spine really does not do it justice. It makes this book seem like a silly ghost story or some kind or romance, when really it was incredibly forceful.
Thirty-something Mark Fife believes he has moved on from the accidental death of his young son Brendan and the subsequent break-up of his marriage. He's successful, in love again, and he thinks he's mastered his own memories at last. But when a strange woman tells him she believes her house is haunted by Brendan's ghost, his life is thrown into turmoil.
Mark doesn't believe in ghosts, but his distressed ex-wife does, and he really wants to help her. So much so that he begins to doubt his own beliefs - and endanger the relationships that really matter now in his life, with his fiancee Allison and his tough and sceptical father.
You Came Back is a wonderfully affecting read about the nature of belief and bereavement, about old loves and new loves, and the hardships involved in letting go.”
This was a truly incredible book. The pain of the loss of Brendan permeated every single page and, having a young son of my own, this threatened to make this almost unbearable. The lead, Mark, was a very interesting character, so human and fragile and although one could sometimes identify with his pain, one still cringed every now and again at some of his actions, knowing where this might lead.
The book was entirely believable and begged the question: “What is a haunting?” Is it a physical presence or a psychosomatic experience? And how would one differentiate between the two?
The book itself was extremely haunting and I will be left musing on it for some time. I thoroughly enjoyed this extremely thought provoking book. The synopsis on the spine really does not do it justice. It makes this book seem like a silly ghost story or some kind or romance, when really it was incredibly forceful.
June 28, 2012
I thought this was an extremely interesting book. It dealt with the already troubled marriage of a young couple that explodes into chaos when their young son is killed. The mom cannot forgive the father and even though she is the love of his life, she divorces him. Then 7 years later her husband has a uncomfortable encounter with a stranger who now lives in his old home. She says her young son has been talking to the ghost of his child. An unusual premise, but I was rivetted by it. Mainly you are confronted with seeing how two different people respond to such a dark tragedy in their life and just as they are both ready to move on, they are drawn back into the pain. I found myself continually wondering if this really was a ghost or the figment of an imagination. The ending was so well done. Nothing was tied up in a pretty package, but was an ending that could happen to anyone in these circumstances.
September 4, 2012
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It's the story of a couple who have a son. The son dies by accident (before the story began). Of course, both of the parents are filled with grief and sorrow. They don't want to blame each other but they do and their marriage has fallen apart. Each of them is trying to pick up the pieces and go on. Seven years have passed when this story begins....n A woman comes into each of the couple's lives and tells them that she wants to share some information with each of them. The rest of the book is about what she shares, how they react and what happens to them. I found their sorrow and their reactions to be creditable. I will say I thought the intrigue of what was going to happen kept me reading the story...and I finished the 416 pages in one day. The last sentence does make me wonder....how would the rest of the story turn out if the book continued?
January 17, 2012
That I'm neither a parent nor have I ever lost someone I loved & yet felt this story deep in my bones is a testament to Christopher Coake's talent as a storyteller & writer. He had me hooked on this story within a few short pages. It was sad as the theme is about losing a child & the toll it takes on his parents, but it was also a bit hopeful, with the possibility of somehow finding a way to not just continue living past the grief but overcoming it so that life can somehow be something to welcome, not curse. This book raises questions of belief; in people's loyalties, in the ties that bind us to others, & yes, of course even in the afterlife as this story is laced with a bit of the supernatural. I'm eager to read another of Coake's books & see if they're just as good.
April 11, 2013
I just couldn't get into this. I think my main problem was Mark and the subject matter. While you were sympathetic to Allie and Chloe, they still felt like caricatures. Sam was wonderful, but he almost seemed like he didn't fit with his son. Even Lew (also a bit of a caricature) was tolerable - he had a place in the story. But Mark was such a jerk that I really didn't care what happened to him.
As a parent of young kids this would be a hard book for me to get through. But I thought it might be worth the heartache if the writing really was beautiful and harrowing, as the jacket promised. But I found it to be quite the opposite, and with a long list of things I'd like to read I just didn't want to spend any more time with this book.
As a parent of young kids this would be a hard book for me to get through. But I thought it might be worth the heartache if the writing really was beautiful and harrowing, as the jacket promised. But I found it to be quite the opposite, and with a long list of things I'd like to read I just didn't want to spend any more time with this book.
August 31, 2014
I was expecting a more spiritual story, where the ghost of the boy positively affects the parents he left behind. I was disappointed. I understand that Mark and Chloe were deeply hurt by the loss of their son. But Mark was very unlikeable:drank too much, still stuck on his ex wife, and I think he treated Allison shabbily. I agree with reviewers who said the story dragged. The only characters I liked were Sam And Lew. I just wanted to slap some sense into Allison for being with Mark when he obviously still loved his ex. Chloe just became unhinged by the end of the book. I disliked the ending too, more disappointment.
July 8, 2012
This book is hauntingly well written. The grief of Mark and Chloe is palpable. The plot is resfreshingly original and has the reader questioning their own beliefs about the afterlife, grief and searching for peace when you are heart broken. This is an incredibly fast read and well worthwhile.
December 1, 2012
Excellent book about a couple whose marriage broke up when their son died. The new owner of their house pursues them to tell them that the ghost of their son is haunting the house. It shows the couple's overwhelming grief and how they cope (or don't). It is a bit overlong but I was really gripped.
July 16, 2012
It's hard to review this book without spoilers, so be warned - mild ones ahead. As a mom, it was a hard topic to read about, and I found myself hoping for a different outcome, simply because I know I would want what this mother wanted.
July 16, 2013
Silly premise - repetitive - boring characters - managed to muddle through to an unsatisfactory ending to it all. Should have known.....
July 12, 2012
Loved this book! Was a much lighter read after the last few that I have read. I couldn't put it down though. I finished it in two days and was sad when it was over.
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