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To Die Upon a Kiss
After a foolish act of rebellion uncovers a horrible truth about his father’s death, Sadler Truman is forced to accept the certainty that in less than six months time he will die of a rare heart disease.
Fearing madness will arrive quicker than the last beat of his heart, Sadler immerses himself in the humdrum daily activities of sleep, going to work, and visiting his father’s grave. A regular part of this routine is attending the Accident and Emergency department of his local hospital, a ritual he finds hard to break after reading heart attacks mostly occur during the hours of 6.00am to 9.00am. Here he meets Prudence, an overly sexual Dispenser who works at the hospital’s pharmacy. To Sadler, Prudence is the perfect distraction, a welcomed interruption in his new routine. But Prudence’s persuasive charm and reasoning draws Sadler into the seedy underbelly of mortality. Believing to witness death firsthand will help assist his fears about his own, Prudence involves him in an experiment that may cost him his sanity and the lives of innocent people.
As each month passes, Sadler begins to question Prudence’s motives, and how their lives have become so fortuitously interlinked. But has the weight of all his victims become too much? Is the line between life and death interchangeable? Can one suffer a life worst than death? Seeking these answers, Sadler sets upon a voyage of self-discovery, one that will involve unearthing secrets to his past and revisiting memories he fears may reveal a sickening truth about his mother.
Spanning just six months, the story raises questions about humanity, and the need for acceptance. And like Sadler, the reader is forced to accept that some truths are much darker than lies.
Fearing madness will arrive quicker than the last beat of his heart, Sadler immerses himself in the humdrum daily activities of sleep, going to work, and visiting his father’s grave. A regular part of this routine is attending the Accident and Emergency department of his local hospital, a ritual he finds hard to break after reading heart attacks mostly occur during the hours of 6.00am to 9.00am. Here he meets Prudence, an overly sexual Dispenser who works at the hospital’s pharmacy. To Sadler, Prudence is the perfect distraction, a welcomed interruption in his new routine. But Prudence’s persuasive charm and reasoning draws Sadler into the seedy underbelly of mortality. Believing to witness death firsthand will help assist his fears about his own, Prudence involves him in an experiment that may cost him his sanity and the lives of innocent people.
As each month passes, Sadler begins to question Prudence’s motives, and how their lives have become so fortuitously interlinked. But has the weight of all his victims become too much? Is the line between life and death interchangeable? Can one suffer a life worst than death? Seeking these answers, Sadler sets upon a voyage of self-discovery, one that will involve unearthing secrets to his past and revisiting memories he fears may reveal a sickening truth about his mother.
Spanning just six months, the story raises questions about humanity, and the need for acceptance. And like Sadler, the reader is forced to accept that some truths are much darker than lies.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Craig Wallwork
31 books119 followersCraig Wallwork was born in Manchester, England. He is the three times Pushcart Prize nominated writer of over 50 short stories, and the author of the books The Sound of Loneliness, Bad People (Tom Nolan Book 1), Labyrinth of the Dolls (Tom Nolan Book 2), The Ghost of Stormer Hill (Tom Nolan Book 3), The Skin We Feel Most Comfortable In, Human Tenderloin, Quintessence of Dust, and Gory Hole. He lives in West Yorkshire, England.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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August 12, 2013My review at The Lit Pub:
"Wallwork claws his scenes to life and the mundane is rendered in throbbingly visceral discomfort... Similar to Othello, from which the title gets its name, misunderstandings abound and spiral into a canvas of bloody murder. Like Shakespeare’s play, the characters may not necessarily be likable, but they are scarily authentic, even while astray, social vagabonds wading in anger at their wasted lives. Truman’s bitterness permeates the pages, but so does a longing for affirmation, for purpose in the meaninglessness."
http://thelitpub.com/a-violently-hypn...
"Wallwork claws his scenes to life and the mundane is rendered in throbbingly visceral discomfort... Similar to Othello, from which the title gets its name, misunderstandings abound and spiral into a canvas of bloody murder. Like Shakespeare’s play, the characters may not necessarily be likable, but they are scarily authentic, even while astray, social vagabonds wading in anger at their wasted lives. Truman’s bitterness permeates the pages, but so does a longing for affirmation, for purpose in the meaninglessness."
http://thelitpub.com/a-violently-hypn...
June 3, 2014
I'm just going to get this out of the way as quickly as possible - god help me, I liked this book better than the Sound of Loneliness. Sorry, Craig, I love you.
But there was a lot of freedom in this book, no constraints, lots of wandering and wondering and the characters did awful things and tore themselves inside out exploring, searching, making a huge effort to get to the root of mortality and even, at times, love. They were neurotic and flawed and searching, and I liked that a out them. There are some pieces that were reminiscent of Fight Club (Prudence had elements of both Marla Singer and Tyler Durden in her conscience-free plot propelling by going lower and lower). This book was not held in by limits of any sort of specific time or place it need adhere to, and it was written in the way a writer writes a story without any thought given to judgement by readers. It seemed propelled forward by genuine curiosity as to where the characters might lead the pen next. They were in full control. And I followed them, excited at every page to get to the next. Also, amazing prose. Messy bits here and there, yeah, but there were a lot of genius bits of description and insight that I've highlighted to remember forever.
So yeah, read this.
But there was a lot of freedom in this book, no constraints, lots of wandering and wondering and the characters did awful things and tore themselves inside out exploring, searching, making a huge effort to get to the root of mortality and even, at times, love. They were neurotic and flawed and searching, and I liked that a out them. There are some pieces that were reminiscent of Fight Club (Prudence had elements of both Marla Singer and Tyler Durden in her conscience-free plot propelling by going lower and lower). This book was not held in by limits of any sort of specific time or place it need adhere to, and it was written in the way a writer writes a story without any thought given to judgement by readers. It seemed propelled forward by genuine curiosity as to where the characters might lead the pen next. They were in full control. And I followed them, excited at every page to get to the next. Also, amazing prose. Messy bits here and there, yeah, but there were a lot of genius bits of description and insight that I've highlighted to remember forever.
So yeah, read this.
May 26, 2013
To Die Upon a Kiss is a difficult novel to read. This is a grownup book with grownup topics that can be shocking and, in the wrong hands, can turn into farce, a deliberate ploy, or trite condescension. In Craig Wallwork's hands they turn into a beautifully written visit to six months in the life of Sadler Truman.
Sadler knows, almost to the hour, when he's going to die. He knows how he's going to die. He knows why he's going to die. What he doesn't know is how to live. The six months we spend with him as he develops his relationship with Prudence are painful and heartbreaking. As Sadler drifts from event to event in his life we watch, we wait, we wonder.
Is it better to know the truth or to live in ignorance? Is it better to act or to sit, passive and unresistant, and let your life evolve around you? Is it better to love or to remain aloof, sequestered from the inevitable pain that opening your heart and soul to another can bring? Craig Wallwork subtly asks these questions not only of his main character but of his readers as well. He leaves the answers for us to discover, if we're brave enough to spend the time.
Sadler knows, almost to the hour, when he's going to die. He knows how he's going to die. He knows why he's going to die. What he doesn't know is how to live. The six months we spend with him as he develops his relationship with Prudence are painful and heartbreaking. As Sadler drifts from event to event in his life we watch, we wait, we wonder.
Is it better to know the truth or to live in ignorance? Is it better to act or to sit, passive and unresistant, and let your life evolve around you? Is it better to love or to remain aloof, sequestered from the inevitable pain that opening your heart and soul to another can bring? Craig Wallwork subtly asks these questions not only of his main character but of his readers as well. He leaves the answers for us to discover, if we're brave enough to spend the time.
August 3, 2013
"Too the consequences of where the conversation would arrive at might render me both unhinged and a little psychotic in the eyes of the old man".
Love that line found in "To Die Upon A Kiss"
Isn't that a little like 'our' lives with our friends and family at times?
The characters are complex --
The relationships are complex --(and interesting)
Borderline Personality disorder/s???? hm????
A mother who does not display emotion with her son...
A girlfriend who thinks she understands....(at least 'wants' to understand).
Phobias? Sex? Loss? Love? Control? Conflicts? Annoyance? Victim? Heart Disease?
This book is a GEM!!!! It hits you in places you didn't see coming!
Note: Craig did excellent research on Lipoprotein (A)....[linked with heart disease' which many people still know very little about]....yet knowing about your 'own' levels of Lp(A) is an important cholesterol/number to know. (as easy as taking a blood test) ---but since its not part of the ordinary panel of Cholesterol testing---people often have NO IDEA what this even is. (high levels put people at a higher risk of having a heart attack) People need to ASK their doctors to be tested!!! (especially if their own parent had a heart attack under the age of 50)...
oops....(sorry for going on about this)....but Craig does talk about Lp(A) in his book ---(a side part of this story) >>>>but worth reading about!!!
This book is WONDERFUL... GENTLE....WISE.....and PROFOUND!!!
LOVED IT!!!!
Love that line found in "To Die Upon A Kiss"
Isn't that a little like 'our' lives with our friends and family at times?
The characters are complex --
The relationships are complex --(and interesting)
Borderline Personality disorder/s???? hm????
A mother who does not display emotion with her son...
A girlfriend who thinks she understands....(at least 'wants' to understand).
Phobias? Sex? Loss? Love? Control? Conflicts? Annoyance? Victim? Heart Disease?
This book is a GEM!!!! It hits you in places you didn't see coming!
Note: Craig did excellent research on Lipoprotein (A)....[linked with heart disease' which many people still know very little about]....yet knowing about your 'own' levels of Lp(A) is an important cholesterol/number to know. (as easy as taking a blood test) ---but since its not part of the ordinary panel of Cholesterol testing---people often have NO IDEA what this even is. (high levels put people at a higher risk of having a heart attack) People need to ASK their doctors to be tested!!! (especially if their own parent had a heart attack under the age of 50)...
oops....(sorry for going on about this)....but Craig does talk about Lp(A) in his book ---(a side part of this story) >>>>but worth reading about!!!
This book is WONDERFUL... GENTLE....WISE.....and PROFOUND!!!
LOVED IT!!!!
April 14, 2015
Disclaimer: 4 1/2 stars.
Goodreads REALLY needs a 1/2 star in it's rating system.
29-year-old Sadler Truman is living under a curse: no male in his family for the last two generations has lived to see his 30th birthday due to a defective heart. He spends his mornings in the Emergency Room because statistics show most heart attacks occur between 6 and 9:30 am and he wants to ready. On top of that, his girlfriend has him caught up in a gruesome scheme to understand death by observing it up close and personal.
This is some really warped shit.
I think the author related this plot to me a couple of years ago, but I never expected it to take this direction. How he manages to turn this unappealing scenario into a work of such beauty and humanity is beyond me. For all the ugliness of his cast of characters, Wallwork's sparse prose captures the beauty of their vitality and essence in ways that simultaneously disgusts and delights. Even the centerpiece of the novel, a ghastly murder scene, is as lovely as it is horrifying. There is really something special at work in this tale of murder and family secrets. Once again, Wallwork proves himself up to the task of composing a work of literary merit.
There are some awkward phrasings that probably have as much to do with cultural differences as they do editing decisions and the ending seemed a tad too pat and vague (to me--though I can't imagine a more effective ending), but this was quite an entertaining and enlightening read.
Recommended for horror fans as well as those who like their mysteries revenge style...and twisted.
Goodreads REALLY needs a 1/2 star in it's rating system.
29-year-old Sadler Truman is living under a curse: no male in his family for the last two generations has lived to see his 30th birthday due to a defective heart. He spends his mornings in the Emergency Room because statistics show most heart attacks occur between 6 and 9:30 am and he wants to ready. On top of that, his girlfriend has him caught up in a gruesome scheme to understand death by observing it up close and personal.
This is some really warped shit.
I think the author related this plot to me a couple of years ago, but I never expected it to take this direction. How he manages to turn this unappealing scenario into a work of such beauty and humanity is beyond me. For all the ugliness of his cast of characters, Wallwork's sparse prose captures the beauty of their vitality and essence in ways that simultaneously disgusts and delights. Even the centerpiece of the novel, a ghastly murder scene, is as lovely as it is horrifying. There is really something special at work in this tale of murder and family secrets. Once again, Wallwork proves himself up to the task of composing a work of literary merit.
There are some awkward phrasings that probably have as much to do with cultural differences as they do editing decisions and the ending seemed a tad too pat and vague (to me--though I can't imagine a more effective ending), but this was quite an entertaining and enlightening read.
Recommended for horror fans as well as those who like their mysteries revenge style...and twisted.
June 22, 2013
A beautifully written account of the final 6 months of a man with a terminal heart condition. Forced to confront both current and past issues in his life. Unlike any book I have read before or will read in the future. Difficult to read at times due to the subject matter. The book really hit home with me because I to was forced to confront my mortality at the young age of 30 years old. The book is tough to categorize and will not be for everybody. I thought it was a treat to read if you take it for what it is. Heartbreaking at times, and laugh out loud funny at others. An excellent piece of fiction that I would recommend reading. I look forward to reading more reviews as others discover this gem in the huge pile of fiction out there. I will be reading more of Wallwork's future works. Recommended for those who want to be challenged and take a step away from the usual and experience something totally unlike anything you have read before..
July 6, 2013
If I don't give it 5 stars, who will?
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews