What do you think?
Rate this book
Life Without Me
A darkly and brilliantly funny look at what being a fly on the wall is really like, Life Without Me is Anna Legat's debut novel.
Georgie Ibsen is a successful, cynical, fortysomething hotshot lawyer. She runs her life, professional and personal, with precision and clear purpose. She's just made a breakthrough in a crucial case, her family is growing more independent ... things couldn't be better.
Until it all comes to a screeching halt when she's involved in a hit-and-run and ends up in a coma.
Somehow, in her comatose state, Georgie is given unique glimpses into the lives of her nearest and dearest, their most intimate her boring husband's intense involvement with a colleague; her son's lovelorn yearning for his mother's nurse; her fifteen-year-old daughter's bad boy boyfriend, who just might be linked to the criminal mastermind involved in her last big case...
Throw in a neurotic actress sister, a senile mother with a traumatic past, and a smug subordinate barrister who's out to ruin her case in her absence...oh, and a sex-god lawyer extraordinaire who's a deeply troubled soul with a penchant for some unsavoury practices...although Georgie is out of action, life certainly isn't boring without her!
Georgie Ibsen is a successful, cynical, fortysomething hotshot lawyer. She runs her life, professional and personal, with precision and clear purpose. She's just made a breakthrough in a crucial case, her family is growing more independent ... things couldn't be better.
Until it all comes to a screeching halt when she's involved in a hit-and-run and ends up in a coma.
Somehow, in her comatose state, Georgie is given unique glimpses into the lives of her nearest and dearest, their most intimate her boring husband's intense involvement with a colleague; her son's lovelorn yearning for his mother's nurse; her fifteen-year-old daughter's bad boy boyfriend, who just might be linked to the criminal mastermind involved in her last big case...
Throw in a neurotic actress sister, a senile mother with a traumatic past, and a smug subordinate barrister who's out to ruin her case in her absence...oh, and a sex-god lawyer extraordinaire who's a deeply troubled soul with a penchant for some unsavoury practices...although Georgie is out of action, life certainly isn't boring without her!
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2015
10 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Anna Legat
25 books77 followersAnna Legat is a Wiltshire-based author, best known for her DI Gillian Marsh murder mystery series. A globe-trotter and Jack-of-all-trades, Anna has been an attorney, legal adviser, a silver-service waitress, a school teacher and a librarian. She read law at the University of South Africa and Warsaw University, then gained teaching qualifications in New Zealand. She has lived in far-flung places all over the world where she delighted in people-watching and collecting precious life experiences for her stories. Anna writes, reads, lives and breathes books and can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction.
To find out more: https://annalegatblog.wordpress.com/
To find out more: https://annalegatblog.wordpress.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 22, 2015
Life Without Me takes the reader on a keyhole-peeping ride through the lives of the family and colleagues of the Ibsen family in modern London, after mother/wife/lawyer and micro-manager-extraordinaire, Georgie Ibsen, is put into a coma after a hit and run outside her house.
The book starts at break-neck pace as Georgie treats the reader to a manic summary of her past and present, introducing most of the protagonists at the same time. The writing here is excellent, acerbic and funny, as we discover what makes Georgie tick, with her need to manage everything within an inch of its life something she seems to be totally unaware of herself. Legat makes us sense Georgie’s vulnerability under her rather unlikeable arrogance – we know she’s headed for a fall, a big one, after which nothing can ever be the same again. Then she’s knocked down in the middle of a “normal” day causing her high-speed life to suddenly stop.
The rest of the book has a slower pace, as it flips into “magic realism”. The reactions of the people around Georgie are told through her eyes as she watches from that limbo-land where souls go before they disappear into the afterlife. This is my favourite genre because the “magic” elements throw light on the human condition in ways that realism cannot. I found it easy to go with the scenario and enjoyed the ways Legat played with it. There are reminiscences of The Lovely Bones here, but with a much lighter story to tell. Georgie believes her family will totally implode without her, but they’ve got surprises for her. Lots of them.
This is an engaging read with multiple storylines coming together to reveal an intricate plot, in both meanings of the word. My criticisms are minor and from reading the reviews on Amazon my concerns did not bother other readers. For me the real strength of the story – the premise – is also its flaw. The point of view, with every event filtered through Georgie’s thoughts, rendered some scenes of high drama a little tame for me. With an anonymous and genuinely omniscient narrator, the moments of great revelation could have had more tension. I think this also affected the depth of the characterisation, because there’s much less dialogue in the book than if Georgie wasn’t the narrator. This meant the secrets and quirks revealed lost a little of their edge for me, with Georgie often taking much longer than the reader to realise what was going on and having similar reactions to each surprise.
Although this is a cautionary tale, Legat doesn’t preach. At times I even found Georgie’s insights a little shallow given the lessons she was confronted with. Because she’s impotent to intervene and because no one is having a conversation with her, her opinions are only challenged by what she sees and thinks. Her observations into her mother’s reminiscences are cleverly done and I would have liked more from the big revelation. This happened several times, that I wanted just a little more from Georgie.
These issues aside, Life Without Me is told with both humour and depth. And just as you’re wondering how it’s going to end, Legat plays with the “magic” to treat the reader to a couple of final twists.
The book starts at break-neck pace as Georgie treats the reader to a manic summary of her past and present, introducing most of the protagonists at the same time. The writing here is excellent, acerbic and funny, as we discover what makes Georgie tick, with her need to manage everything within an inch of its life something she seems to be totally unaware of herself. Legat makes us sense Georgie’s vulnerability under her rather unlikeable arrogance – we know she’s headed for a fall, a big one, after which nothing can ever be the same again. Then she’s knocked down in the middle of a “normal” day causing her high-speed life to suddenly stop.
The rest of the book has a slower pace, as it flips into “magic realism”. The reactions of the people around Georgie are told through her eyes as she watches from that limbo-land where souls go before they disappear into the afterlife. This is my favourite genre because the “magic” elements throw light on the human condition in ways that realism cannot. I found it easy to go with the scenario and enjoyed the ways Legat played with it. There are reminiscences of The Lovely Bones here, but with a much lighter story to tell. Georgie believes her family will totally implode without her, but they’ve got surprises for her. Lots of them.
This is an engaging read with multiple storylines coming together to reveal an intricate plot, in both meanings of the word. My criticisms are minor and from reading the reviews on Amazon my concerns did not bother other readers. For me the real strength of the story – the premise – is also its flaw. The point of view, with every event filtered through Georgie’s thoughts, rendered some scenes of high drama a little tame for me. With an anonymous and genuinely omniscient narrator, the moments of great revelation could have had more tension. I think this also affected the depth of the characterisation, because there’s much less dialogue in the book than if Georgie wasn’t the narrator. This meant the secrets and quirks revealed lost a little of their edge for me, with Georgie often taking much longer than the reader to realise what was going on and having similar reactions to each surprise.
Although this is a cautionary tale, Legat doesn’t preach. At times I even found Georgie’s insights a little shallow given the lessons she was confronted with. Because she’s impotent to intervene and because no one is having a conversation with her, her opinions are only challenged by what she sees and thinks. Her observations into her mother’s reminiscences are cleverly done and I would have liked more from the big revelation. This happened several times, that I wanted just a little more from Georgie.
These issues aside, Life Without Me is told with both humour and depth. And just as you’re wondering how it’s going to end, Legat plays with the “magic” to treat the reader to a couple of final twists.
March 27, 2020
Read this book in one sitting during the virus crisis. An easy and enjoyable read; I could easily see it transferring to a T.V. mini series. Thoroughly entertained. my only (small) gripe would be that it all ended rather comfortably.
March 29, 2016
What a fantastic read! I couldn't put this down. Thoroughly enjoyed this, it never became boring and it was such a refreshing change to my usual books.
January 1, 2016
I wanted to read something that was different to what I'd been reading lately and this book provided that for me and I'm really pleased to say it offered great escapism and a very fast-paced book which was exactly what I needed.
Georgie is a lawyer, wife and mother. She is busy working on a big case and has found some new evidence which could change how the trial could go but before she is able to present the evidence she is knocked down in a hit and run and falls into a coma. As her family gather round and fret about her she lingers between life and death, during this time she becomes detached from her body and is able to watch the lives of those around her. As Georgie sees her daughter starting an intense relationship with someone she wouldn't consider suitable for her she realises how she would have been quick to judge. Being able to see what the bad boyfriend had to say actually shed him in a better light, dispelling her original concerns. She sees her son become infatuated with a nurse, Chi, and hears him confess to her how his mother always held him back and was difficult to talk to. Her husband appears more useless than ever, nearly setting fire to the house whilst making cheese on toast and barely hearing their daughter when she tells him about her boyfriend. Whilst being able to see her family's lives carry on without her, Georgie is able to see what kind of an influence she had and how, even though she may have been quick to judge and not the easiest of parents to confide in, she was very much needed in their lives.
I really enjoyed this book because it was interesting to read it from the perspective of someone in a coma, someone who was really wanting to be able to respond to the things that were happening and her and was unable to. The frustration she felt at this was apparent and definitely something that I could relate to. As the book went on Georgie seemed to accept this more and it made me think how it must feel like to have people talking about you and carry out things that would affect you but not being able to say or do anything about it!
The characters were brilliantly developed. Some very dramatic and quite far-fetched but this is a story and it would have been very dull had the characters been leading very ordinary lives! The big characters made the book much more enjoyable.
Although this is quite a difficult subject about seeing what your life is like, facing your own death and so forth there is also lots of humour. Like when Georgie is first knocked over and her husband seems unable to let go of the kettle. These funny moments really lift the book without taking away from the main focus of the story.
I found this book to be a page-turner, it was difficult to put it down and it wasn't a difficult read at all, one which was highly enjoyable and plenty going on. I shall be looking out for more work by this author in the future.
Georgie is a lawyer, wife and mother. She is busy working on a big case and has found some new evidence which could change how the trial could go but before she is able to present the evidence she is knocked down in a hit and run and falls into a coma. As her family gather round and fret about her she lingers between life and death, during this time she becomes detached from her body and is able to watch the lives of those around her. As Georgie sees her daughter starting an intense relationship with someone she wouldn't consider suitable for her she realises how she would have been quick to judge. Being able to see what the bad boyfriend had to say actually shed him in a better light, dispelling her original concerns. She sees her son become infatuated with a nurse, Chi, and hears him confess to her how his mother always held him back and was difficult to talk to. Her husband appears more useless than ever, nearly setting fire to the house whilst making cheese on toast and barely hearing their daughter when she tells him about her boyfriend. Whilst being able to see her family's lives carry on without her, Georgie is able to see what kind of an influence she had and how, even though she may have been quick to judge and not the easiest of parents to confide in, she was very much needed in their lives.
I really enjoyed this book because it was interesting to read it from the perspective of someone in a coma, someone who was really wanting to be able to respond to the things that were happening and her and was unable to. The frustration she felt at this was apparent and definitely something that I could relate to. As the book went on Georgie seemed to accept this more and it made me think how it must feel like to have people talking about you and carry out things that would affect you but not being able to say or do anything about it!
The characters were brilliantly developed. Some very dramatic and quite far-fetched but this is a story and it would have been very dull had the characters been leading very ordinary lives! The big characters made the book much more enjoyable.
Although this is quite a difficult subject about seeing what your life is like, facing your own death and so forth there is also lots of humour. Like when Georgie is first knocked over and her husband seems unable to let go of the kettle. These funny moments really lift the book without taking away from the main focus of the story.
I found this book to be a page-turner, it was difficult to put it down and it wasn't a difficult read at all, one which was highly enjoyable and plenty going on. I shall be looking out for more work by this author in the future.
March 11, 2016
Thank you Anna for sending me this, I have had to sit and read it in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down. A very well written book that draws you in very quickly. The characters are believable and I found myself willing the good ones to come through it ok and the bad ones to get their comeuppance! A couple of twists kept me on my toes. Highly recommend this book and hope it's the first of many!
February 23, 2018
Different but a good read
This is a good debut novel from Anna Lagat , not my normal choice of reading material but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots going on and entertaining until the very end. Would definitely recommend.
This is a good debut novel from Anna Lagat , not my normal choice of reading material but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots going on and entertaining until the very end. Would definitely recommend.
April 5, 2018
Ok - a quick, easy to read book to pass the time while the footy was on. Nothing to love about it or hate about it.
February 3, 2020
Surprisingly enjoyable
I’m not sure what I expected when I picked this up but it was an intriguing premise and a look at the way we all wear masks...
I’m not sure what I expected when I picked this up but it was an intriguing premise and a look at the way we all wear masks...
July 15, 2017
From page one and right to the end Life Without Me had me in stitches! It should be called Laughing Out Loud! It is a fast-paced read - a rollercoaster of the unexpected.
The protagonist Georgie is in a coma. While her physical body is bed ridden her conscious mind romps about town and watches over her stupefied family, ex-lovers and work caseload. There is a dazzling procession of quirky and broken but ever so realistic characters. Oddly I found even the most objectionable of them endearing and deeply sympathetic.
It looks like a debut novel. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Comment
The protagonist Georgie is in a coma. While her physical body is bed ridden her conscious mind romps about town and watches over her stupefied family, ex-lovers and work caseload. There is a dazzling procession of quirky and broken but ever so realistic characters. Oddly I found even the most objectionable of them endearing and deeply sympathetic.
It looks like a debut novel. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Comment
September 16, 2015
A brilliantly written and unflinching story of a family falling apart, written from the unique point of view of a woman whose very existence is hanging in the balance between life and death. I found the character Tony, particularly intriguing and worthy of a book all of his own!
An enormously enjoyable and accomplished debut novel.
An enormously enjoyable and accomplished debut novel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews