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The Last Act of Adam Campbell
A year can go quickly. Particularly when it's your last.
Adam had a good life: a job he enjoyed, a nice house, a loving partner and a bright six-year-old daughter. Then he cheated on his partner. Then she kicked him out of their home. And then he was given approximately twelve months to live.
Despite the devastating news, Adam is determined to turn his life around before it finally runs out. Help comes in the form of an ex-junky, a cantankerous train driver, a nun experiencing a crisis of faith, and a teenager intent on losing her virginity - all living on borrowed time, all desperate to feel alive before their time is up.
Praise for Andy Jones:
'What happens the morning after the night before, when the night before was when you did the most reckless thing of your life? I loved Andy Jones's stylish portrayal of four people who make way too much history in one night, and just couldn't put it down until I found out the fate of each of them' Catherine Isaac
'Andy Jones continues to be one of my favourite authors' Bella Magazine
Adam had a good life: a job he enjoyed, a nice house, a loving partner and a bright six-year-old daughter. Then he cheated on his partner. Then she kicked him out of their home. And then he was given approximately twelve months to live.
Despite the devastating news, Adam is determined to turn his life around before it finally runs out. Help comes in the form of an ex-junky, a cantankerous train driver, a nun experiencing a crisis of faith, and a teenager intent on losing her virginity - all living on borrowed time, all desperate to feel alive before their time is up.
Praise for Andy Jones:
'What happens the morning after the night before, when the night before was when you did the most reckless thing of your life? I loved Andy Jones's stylish portrayal of four people who make way too much history in one night, and just couldn't put it down until I found out the fate of each of them' Catherine Isaac
'Andy Jones continues to be one of my favourite authors' Bella Magazine
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
16 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
About the author
Andy Jones
9 books103 followersAndy Jones lives in London with his wife and two little girls. During the day he works in an advertising agency; at weekends and horribly early in the mornings, he writes fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
January 9, 2020
This is a novel about a beautiful group of people with terminal cancer. Statistically 1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. This is obviously not an easy read especially if you have personal experience of the disease which many of us do. I’m a survivor as is my beloved sister, our mother and two of her brothers were not so lucky. Despite being an emotional mess at times, I cannot express how glad I am that I have read this book. I found it very cathartic and it made me feel very positive.
The central character, as the title suggests, is Adam. He is initially bewildered, tearful but then angry and this gives him strength. He is separated but reunites with his nearly wife Heather and they have an adorable daughter, Mabel. Everyone needs a Mabel. Through group therapy he meets a group of people, also with terminal cancer, who eventually decide to put on a Shakespeare based play about death because, let’s face it, old Will knew a thing or two about death. Many of Shakespeare’s characters meet untimely and dramatic ends (Exit pursued by bears) and the words in his plays and sonnets make you see that death is part of life and nothing to fear. Pat, Vernon, Raymond, Thomas, Erin under the guidance of gorgeous student Laura call themselves The Rude Mechanicals after the group led by Nick Bottom who perform the play within the play in Midsummer Nights Dream.
There is so much to admire in this thoughtful, thought provoking and very clever book. Andy Jones is a very good writer and I love that there is also humour (at times, inevitably a bit black but that’s ok), there’s joy and it’s very touching. The characters are so well portrayed and we see that they are flawed as many of us are but they can overcome that and face what future they have as boldly as they can. I really like the strength that the group give each other and the analogies they find to their situations in Shakespeare’s words. Pat’s prayer (she is an ex nun and the loveliest woman) is an adaptation of the Lords Prayer is brilliant, funny and apt. The many Shakespeare references are really enjoyable especially the Scottish Play and Macbeth’s speech just before Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane and as Lady Macbeth dies (Out out brief candle.....) is so appropriate. The scenes when they put on the play are tremendous. There is love, laughter, pride and inevitably some tears at what they have achieved.
Overall, yes I was mush at times but I do not regret reading it for one second. I thought of my mother as she accepted the fate that multiple myeloma had for her with quiet dignity. If she had the strength she would have been there with the Rude Mechanicals and have loved every minute of it. The book puts so many things into perspective, reminds you to embrace all that is good and live life to the full however long that is. Thank you to Andy Jones for writing it and to Mr W Shakespeare for his wisdom and wonderful words.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC.
The central character, as the title suggests, is Adam. He is initially bewildered, tearful but then angry and this gives him strength. He is separated but reunites with his nearly wife Heather and they have an adorable daughter, Mabel. Everyone needs a Mabel. Through group therapy he meets a group of people, also with terminal cancer, who eventually decide to put on a Shakespeare based play about death because, let’s face it, old Will knew a thing or two about death. Many of Shakespeare’s characters meet untimely and dramatic ends (Exit pursued by bears) and the words in his plays and sonnets make you see that death is part of life and nothing to fear. Pat, Vernon, Raymond, Thomas, Erin under the guidance of gorgeous student Laura call themselves The Rude Mechanicals after the group led by Nick Bottom who perform the play within the play in Midsummer Nights Dream.
There is so much to admire in this thoughtful, thought provoking and very clever book. Andy Jones is a very good writer and I love that there is also humour (at times, inevitably a bit black but that’s ok), there’s joy and it’s very touching. The characters are so well portrayed and we see that they are flawed as many of us are but they can overcome that and face what future they have as boldly as they can. I really like the strength that the group give each other and the analogies they find to their situations in Shakespeare’s words. Pat’s prayer (she is an ex nun and the loveliest woman) is an adaptation of the Lords Prayer is brilliant, funny and apt. The many Shakespeare references are really enjoyable especially the Scottish Play and Macbeth’s speech just before Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane and as Lady Macbeth dies (Out out brief candle.....) is so appropriate. The scenes when they put on the play are tremendous. There is love, laughter, pride and inevitably some tears at what they have achieved.
Overall, yes I was mush at times but I do not regret reading it for one second. I thought of my mother as she accepted the fate that multiple myeloma had for her with quiet dignity. If she had the strength she would have been there with the Rude Mechanicals and have loved every minute of it. The book puts so many things into perspective, reminds you to embrace all that is good and live life to the full however long that is. Thank you to Andy Jones for writing it and to Mr W Shakespeare for his wisdom and wonderful words.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC.
May 6, 2021
Sometimes deciding to step out of your comfort zone and read something that’s far removed from your favourite genre leads to the discovery of a true gem. Being completely unfamiliar with Andy Jones, I had no idea what to expect from The Last Act of Adam Campbell. Except, based on the book description, possibly tears, or at the least a lump in my throat. And yes, that did happen but there was so much more than that.
Adam Campbell used to have it all. He loved his job, he had a nice home, a loving partner and a great six- year-old daughter. And then it all went to pot. It started when Adam cheated on his partner and she kicked him out of the house. Unfortunately things got even worse when Adam was given about a year to live. A year really isn’t very long, especially when it’s your last. So much to do, so little time left. Can Adam turn things around before his time runs out?
Adam and the reader are soon introduced to a delightful group of characters who are all living on borrowed time and trying to deal with their situation as best as they can. We meet Pat, a nun whose experiencing a crisis of faith; there is former junkie Tom and Laura, who is barely eighteen years old and really does not want to die a virgin. Not only are friendships formed, this group ends up having an actual mission, a goal to accomplish and something to still live for. There will be tears, laughter, cake and a whole lot of Shakespeare.
These characters will worm their way into your heart effortlessly and Andy Jones really takes the time for the reader to get to know each and every one of them. You just can’t help but love them all. My heart ached for them and I so desperately wanted things to be different for them. Their circumstances are incredibly realistic and believable and I felt like I was right there, going through it all right alongside them. The Last Act of Adam Campbell isn’t an easy read. It’s extremely emotional, at times heartbreaking and yet also heartwarming. I chuckled, I shed a tear and I wondered what I would do if I had just one year left.
This novel pulled me in from the very beginning. The utterly fabulous cast of characters and the absolutely beautiful writing captivated me and had me going through a whole range of emotions. You might be thinking it sounds awfully depressing but it actually really isn’t. It seems odd to say I enjoyed The Last Act of Adam Campbell considering the topic but I did and every minute I spent with these characters was a true delight.
I am so glad I was offered the opportunity to read The Last Act of Adam Campbell. It’s not the kind of novel I would have sought out on my own and I would have missed out on such a wonderful story. Now that Andy Jones is known to me, I’ll be sure to check out some of his other work.
Adam Campbell used to have it all. He loved his job, he had a nice home, a loving partner and a great six- year-old daughter. And then it all went to pot. It started when Adam cheated on his partner and she kicked him out of the house. Unfortunately things got even worse when Adam was given about a year to live. A year really isn’t very long, especially when it’s your last. So much to do, so little time left. Can Adam turn things around before his time runs out?
Adam and the reader are soon introduced to a delightful group of characters who are all living on borrowed time and trying to deal with their situation as best as they can. We meet Pat, a nun whose experiencing a crisis of faith; there is former junkie Tom and Laura, who is barely eighteen years old and really does not want to die a virgin. Not only are friendships formed, this group ends up having an actual mission, a goal to accomplish and something to still live for. There will be tears, laughter, cake and a whole lot of Shakespeare.
These characters will worm their way into your heart effortlessly and Andy Jones really takes the time for the reader to get to know each and every one of them. You just can’t help but love them all. My heart ached for them and I so desperately wanted things to be different for them. Their circumstances are incredibly realistic and believable and I felt like I was right there, going through it all right alongside them. The Last Act of Adam Campbell isn’t an easy read. It’s extremely emotional, at times heartbreaking and yet also heartwarming. I chuckled, I shed a tear and I wondered what I would do if I had just one year left.
This novel pulled me in from the very beginning. The utterly fabulous cast of characters and the absolutely beautiful writing captivated me and had me going through a whole range of emotions. You might be thinking it sounds awfully depressing but it actually really isn’t. It seems odd to say I enjoyed The Last Act of Adam Campbell considering the topic but I did and every minute I spent with these characters was a true delight.
I am so glad I was offered the opportunity to read The Last Act of Adam Campbell. It’s not the kind of novel I would have sought out on my own and I would have missed out on such a wonderful story. Now that Andy Jones is known to me, I’ll be sure to check out some of his other work.
April 24, 2021
The Last Act Of Adam Campbell was an absorbing read which manages to be both heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time.
The story follows a group of people Adam meets at a self help group and I found it very emotional to follow their stories. All of the members are sadly dying and watching them having to come to terms with that was very poignant. I can only imagine how hard this must be to come to terms with and I found I had a lump in my throat whilst reading. As a parent I found Adam’s story particularly hard as I realised how much he would miss if his daughter’s life.
This was a really absorbing story and I quickly found myself absorbed in the group. The reader is given access to the character’s inner most thoughts so I felt I was going on their hard journey alongside them. Although there were some emotional moments in the story there was also a little bit if humour which helped the story not become to bogged down in sadness.
i thought the ending was very well done and hit just the right note for me. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from him in the future.
Huge thanks to Jenny from Hodder for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
The story follows a group of people Adam meets at a self help group and I found it very emotional to follow their stories. All of the members are sadly dying and watching them having to come to terms with that was very poignant. I can only imagine how hard this must be to come to terms with and I found I had a lump in my throat whilst reading. As a parent I found Adam’s story particularly hard as I realised how much he would miss if his daughter’s life.
This was a really absorbing story and I quickly found myself absorbed in the group. The reader is given access to the character’s inner most thoughts so I felt I was going on their hard journey alongside them. Although there were some emotional moments in the story there was also a little bit if humour which helped the story not become to bogged down in sadness.
i thought the ending was very well done and hit just the right note for me. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from him in the future.
Huge thanks to Jenny from Hodder for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
February 9, 2022
*4.5
This was a superb book, and of course I cried like a baby! Funny yet deeply affecting - excellently written.
This was a superb book, and of course I cried like a baby! Funny yet deeply affecting - excellently written.
April 25, 2020
Having read the blurb for this book, even though I knew due to the nature of the storyline it probably wasn’t going to be one of the easiest books to read, I still felt compelled to read it and I am so glad I did.
The story centres around Adam and a group of people he meets at a self help group for learning how to deal with the fact you are dying. Like I mentioned, it is a bit of a sombre read in places but it is also a bitter sweet read with some humour thrown in.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters, more so Adam, Laura and Tom. They were the ones that really stood out to me. It was good to get inside these characters heads for their thoughts and emotions of what was happening to them and how they deal with it. My heart broke more than a few times for them all but more so for Adam and knowing how much of his young daughter’s life he would be missing out on.
The Last Act Of Adam Campbell was such a wonderful story. I would urge everyone to read it. It opens up the often taboo subject of dying but it is done in a light hearted way that gives plenty of food for thought. The ending was wonderfully done and yes, inevitably I cried. It was a mixture of happiness and sadness though. A compelling, heartfelt story that will stick with me.
The story centres around Adam and a group of people he meets at a self help group for learning how to deal with the fact you are dying. Like I mentioned, it is a bit of a sombre read in places but it is also a bitter sweet read with some humour thrown in.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters, more so Adam, Laura and Tom. They were the ones that really stood out to me. It was good to get inside these characters heads for their thoughts and emotions of what was happening to them and how they deal with it. My heart broke more than a few times for them all but more so for Adam and knowing how much of his young daughter’s life he would be missing out on.
The Last Act Of Adam Campbell was such a wonderful story. I would urge everyone to read it. It opens up the often taboo subject of dying but it is done in a light hearted way that gives plenty of food for thought. The ending was wonderfully done and yes, inevitably I cried. It was a mixture of happiness and sadness though. A compelling, heartfelt story that will stick with me.
October 11, 2025
This book was incredibly sad but I couldn't stop reading. Not sure what I'll do now its over.
June 1, 2020
The Last Act of Adam Campbell (2020) is British author Andy Jones’ fifth novel. This book approaches a difficult and delicate subject – cancer – in a cheerful way that is nonetheless compassionate and respectful. Andy Jones’ writing is hilarious, even when its subject is so delicate. I’d never heard this many cancer jokes – tasteful and respectful cancer jokes, which I wasn’t aware was a thing at all – and I’m here for it. For example, when the group of terminal cancer patients gains new members, one of the characters says they’ve metastasized. I laughed my butt off.
The author is sensitive to the seriousness of the subject, but his characters aren’t just victims. They have just as many qualities and quirks as anyone else, but they’re also going through the painful experience of dealing with a terminal illness.
Adam Campbell led a perfectly normal and happy life: he had a good job, a nice home, and great relationships and Heather and their daughter, six-year-old Mabel. But he ruined all of that when he cheated on Heather. And things took a turn for the worse when he found out he has cancer and only about twelve months left to live.
To make the most of the little time he has left, he joins a therapy group for cancer patients, which quickly becomes a theater group. The Rude Mechanicals then write their own play, Shakespeare in Therapy, in which they act out Shakespeare’s best and most famous deaths within a narrative where Shakespeare tells his psychiatrist about his fixation with death. An adulterer (Adam), a former drug addict, a nun, a high school girl, a train rider, a mom and a Scottish man who finds himself among a bunch of English folks become Romeo, Juliet, Macbeth, Desdemona, Hamlet, Coriolanus, Cleopatra and more.
It’s impressive how well Andy Jones knows Shakespeare’s works and the way he gracefully implemented his knowledge into this story to show its characters that death is an essential and inevitable part of life (and it’s not something you should fear or that should keep you from living) is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read. Life is faced as if it was theater: it’s either a comedy or a tragedy, but no more than that. In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have to die; they could’ve survived. But they died – just like the Rude Mechanicals will.
You can read my full review on my blog, Lousy Goats
Hodder & Stoughton gifted me a digital galley of The Last Act of Adam Campbell in exchange for an honest review.
The author is sensitive to the seriousness of the subject, but his characters aren’t just victims. They have just as many qualities and quirks as anyone else, but they’re also going through the painful experience of dealing with a terminal illness.
Adam Campbell led a perfectly normal and happy life: he had a good job, a nice home, and great relationships and Heather and their daughter, six-year-old Mabel. But he ruined all of that when he cheated on Heather. And things took a turn for the worse when he found out he has cancer and only about twelve months left to live.
To make the most of the little time he has left, he joins a therapy group for cancer patients, which quickly becomes a theater group. The Rude Mechanicals then write their own play, Shakespeare in Therapy, in which they act out Shakespeare’s best and most famous deaths within a narrative where Shakespeare tells his psychiatrist about his fixation with death. An adulterer (Adam), a former drug addict, a nun, a high school girl, a train rider, a mom and a Scottish man who finds himself among a bunch of English folks become Romeo, Juliet, Macbeth, Desdemona, Hamlet, Coriolanus, Cleopatra and more.
It’s impressive how well Andy Jones knows Shakespeare’s works and the way he gracefully implemented his knowledge into this story to show its characters that death is an essential and inevitable part of life (and it’s not something you should fear or that should keep you from living) is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read. Life is faced as if it was theater: it’s either a comedy or a tragedy, but no more than that. In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet didn’t have to die; they could’ve survived. But they died – just like the Rude Mechanicals will.
You can read my full review on my blog, Lousy Goats
Hodder & Stoughton gifted me a digital galley of The Last Act of Adam Campbell in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2021
4.5*
Andy Jones seamlessly weaves together the lives and impending deaths of a motley cast of characters who really have only one thing in common...and would so much rather they didn't.
The story does not sugar coat the indignities, the inconveniences or the pain suffered by Adam and his new friends (nor the somewhat dubious muffins that make a weekly appearance at rehearsals)...and you know that this tale will inevitably, whether in accordance with the prognoses or perhaps a little later, end badly. Before then however there's a play to perform, time to build bridges, find new love and past loves, a pumpkin to carve and a robot ghost to construct.
'The Last Act' is a great book full of heart. Expect warm fuzzy feelings and lumps in your throat.
I cried.
Andy Jones seamlessly weaves together the lives and impending deaths of a motley cast of characters who really have only one thing in common...and would so much rather they didn't.
The story does not sugar coat the indignities, the inconveniences or the pain suffered by Adam and his new friends (nor the somewhat dubious muffins that make a weekly appearance at rehearsals)...and you know that this tale will inevitably, whether in accordance with the prognoses or perhaps a little later, end badly. Before then however there's a play to perform, time to build bridges, find new love and past loves, a pumpkin to carve and a robot ghost to construct.
'The Last Act' is a great book full of heart. Expect warm fuzzy feelings and lumps in your throat.
I cried.
January 8, 2022
A beautiful book about a group of cancer patients (who come from all backgrounds, and ages), who come together to put on a small play based on Shakespeare’s famous deaths. While the title only mentions Adam, I was happily surprised to discover a slew of other characters, all of whom are so well developed, that the book also focus on.
It doesn’t flinch away from the reality of cancer, and what dealing with a diagnosis like that must be like, while also having a nice level of humour and bittersweet moments. The whole subject matter can be hard to handle properly, and I think this author did a brilliant job of it.
Highly recommend.
It doesn’t flinch away from the reality of cancer, and what dealing with a diagnosis like that must be like, while also having a nice level of humour and bittersweet moments. The whole subject matter can be hard to handle properly, and I think this author did a brilliant job of it.
Highly recommend.
April 25, 2020
Beautiful, funny and thought-provoking. I'm not going to sugar-coat it, I bawled my eyes out but in a non-itwasrubbish way but more a 'oh this is so sad' way!
February 14, 2020
I'm really not sure what to say about this book. Don't get me wrong its incredibly well written, and given the way it ends I'm feeling oddly uplifted (which based on the epilogue possibly shouldn't be the case), but at the same time. I thought it was a book with its ups and downs.
I loved the beginning third, and the last quarter or so, but the section in the middle of the book, honestly just dragged for me, coupled with the in depth details of all the various symptoms the characters have, of their side affects from the medication, and I felt ill in parts just reading it.
For its a book that centres around a group of people who are facing their own impending mortality, all diagnosed with Cancer, and with limited amount of time left to live. They first meet in a support group to deal with this, but it progresses from there into so much more.
I loved seeing how the group came together and just what they were working on even if some of the Shakespeare quotes and references went over my head completely.
As warped as this may sound I kept reading to see just how many of the group would be alive by the end of the book and just how things would turn out in all of their lives. Such a varied group of people, and we get to also know their families too, it just shows that Cancer takes no prisoners, it's not selective and can affect anyone.
I really did care for some of the main people, and there were moments of light relief, bits to make you smile, as well as potentially be quite emotional.
Certainly a well written book that has crept under my skin more than I would have anticipated, even while reading it, and a change in direction from what I recall the authors previous books to be.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I loved the beginning third, and the last quarter or so, but the section in the middle of the book, honestly just dragged for me, coupled with the in depth details of all the various symptoms the characters have, of their side affects from the medication, and I felt ill in parts just reading it.
For its a book that centres around a group of people who are facing their own impending mortality, all diagnosed with Cancer, and with limited amount of time left to live. They first meet in a support group to deal with this, but it progresses from there into so much more.
I loved seeing how the group came together and just what they were working on even if some of the Shakespeare quotes and references went over my head completely.
As warped as this may sound I kept reading to see just how many of the group would be alive by the end of the book and just how things would turn out in all of their lives. Such a varied group of people, and we get to also know their families too, it just shows that Cancer takes no prisoners, it's not selective and can affect anyone.
I really did care for some of the main people, and there were moments of light relief, bits to make you smile, as well as potentially be quite emotional.
Certainly a well written book that has crept under my skin more than I would have anticipated, even while reading it, and a change in direction from what I recall the authors previous books to be.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
January 18, 2020
I’m broken!! Completely and utterly broken!! Andy Jones what have you done to me?! The Last Act of Adam Campbell is a wonderful book and I loved every single page.
Adam Campbell is dying. He’s probably not handling this very well but then again, no one knows how they are going to cope when they have to face their own death. And maybe those who do appear to be coping well are just lying to themselves? Although death is inevitable, as a species we seem rather reluctant to accept it. Adam ends up going to group therapy with other terminally ill people and it’s here that he becomes involved with Pat, Tom and a colourful host of characters who end up putting on a play written by teenager Laura. My favourite characters were Tom and Laura and I loved all the Shakespearean references as their relationship changed and developed. But I also adored Adam, Heather and Mabel. When Adam chose to attend Parents Day at Mabels school I completely crumbled!!
This author has a natural insight and a much envied (by me especially!) talent to evoke strong emotions in people and I felt as though the narrative were speaking directly to me personally. It’s a beautifully written story that will wring many emotions from you as it’s a story of love, loss and regret that explores the complex relationship we all have with death. There’s humour and sadness, there is also a great deal of anger but at the centre of it all there is friendship, the great gift of human kindness and hope.
I loved how the author explored the similarities between physical and emotional pain and how we deal with these differently when staring down death. Nothing is swept under the carpet here, there’s no point when time takes on a life of its own, slowly absorbing and digesting your final weeks, days, hours…
I’ve probably made this wonderful book sound a bit depressing but it’s far from it! It’s a life affirming story, uplifting and funny but, yes, it is also tear jerking in it’s honesty. I liked the epilogue(s) which I felt were the perfect epitaphs to a wonderful book. I laughed, I cried, I planned the songs for my own cremation whilst in the zone and I gave thanks for everything I have. This thought provoking book is just stunning and I loved absolutely every single moment of reading it.
In fact, i haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I finished it and so it’s one I know will be hard to beat when it comes to my favourite books of the year list at the end of 2020 (and yes I do realise it’s only the second week of January!).
Very highly recommended by me!
Adam Campbell is dying. He’s probably not handling this very well but then again, no one knows how they are going to cope when they have to face their own death. And maybe those who do appear to be coping well are just lying to themselves? Although death is inevitable, as a species we seem rather reluctant to accept it. Adam ends up going to group therapy with other terminally ill people and it’s here that he becomes involved with Pat, Tom and a colourful host of characters who end up putting on a play written by teenager Laura. My favourite characters were Tom and Laura and I loved all the Shakespearean references as their relationship changed and developed. But I also adored Adam, Heather and Mabel. When Adam chose to attend Parents Day at Mabels school I completely crumbled!!
This author has a natural insight and a much envied (by me especially!) talent to evoke strong emotions in people and I felt as though the narrative were speaking directly to me personally. It’s a beautifully written story that will wring many emotions from you as it’s a story of love, loss and regret that explores the complex relationship we all have with death. There’s humour and sadness, there is also a great deal of anger but at the centre of it all there is friendship, the great gift of human kindness and hope.
I loved how the author explored the similarities between physical and emotional pain and how we deal with these differently when staring down death. Nothing is swept under the carpet here, there’s no point when time takes on a life of its own, slowly absorbing and digesting your final weeks, days, hours…
I’ve probably made this wonderful book sound a bit depressing but it’s far from it! It’s a life affirming story, uplifting and funny but, yes, it is also tear jerking in it’s honesty. I liked the epilogue(s) which I felt were the perfect epitaphs to a wonderful book. I laughed, I cried, I planned the songs for my own cremation whilst in the zone and I gave thanks for everything I have. This thought provoking book is just stunning and I loved absolutely every single moment of reading it.
In fact, i haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I finished it and so it’s one I know will be hard to beat when it comes to my favourite books of the year list at the end of 2020 (and yes I do realise it’s only the second week of January!).
Very highly recommended by me!
January 24, 2020
Pass the tissues, because this book had me ugly-crying from the mid-point onward. It’s poignant, bittersweet and also stuffed to the gills with characters you can’t help but love… who all have cancer.
Despite what you might think (bear with me!), it’s also a must-read, because above all it’s a book about hope.
The main character (as you may have guess) is Adam, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He’s not living so much as existing, sleeping in the spare bedroom of the house his wife threw him out of before his diagnosis, spending time with his daughter Mabel, and trying to disguise just how sick he is. He’s angry, disillusioned and still grieving for his old life.
Then he meets a group of fellow cancer sufferers and they decide to put on a play. Specifically, a play based on all the great deaths from Shakespeare’s works. It’s full of gallows humour and they have just a few months in which to cheat death and perform it for their family and friends.
This isn’t a book that pulls punches. Andy Jones makes the realities of living with cancer plain: characters undergo all the horrible side-effects of chemotherapy, waste away, and die. But alongside that, he also dives into the lives of each one: angry teen Laura, who wants to go to university; ex-heroin addict Tom; Pat, the former nun who carries a secret flame for an old priest acquaintance; loving mother Erin; family man Vernon and Raymond, who isn’t quite as he seems. They’re all people who leap off the page and you come to love.
Their lives are what form the plot: specifically, the way in which humans act when they know that they’re going to die. Would you rage; would you try and reconnect with your family; would you create a bucket list and start ticking things off? Alongside all these things, the way in which performing the play gives their lives purpose and direction is heartwarming to see- and heartbreaking when, inevitably, the performers start succumbing to cancer. I may have ugly-cried a few times.
This is a little gem of a book. It’s raw and bold; it balances dark humour with the realities of living with a terminal illness and wrestling meaning from the life you have. It’s also extremely well-written and something that I devoured in two sittings. Whether you cry or laugh, you’ll certainly finish it seeing the world a little differently.
Despite what you might think (bear with me!), it’s also a must-read, because above all it’s a book about hope.
The main character (as you may have guess) is Adam, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He’s not living so much as existing, sleeping in the spare bedroom of the house his wife threw him out of before his diagnosis, spending time with his daughter Mabel, and trying to disguise just how sick he is. He’s angry, disillusioned and still grieving for his old life.
Then he meets a group of fellow cancer sufferers and they decide to put on a play. Specifically, a play based on all the great deaths from Shakespeare’s works. It’s full of gallows humour and they have just a few months in which to cheat death and perform it for their family and friends.
This isn’t a book that pulls punches. Andy Jones makes the realities of living with cancer plain: characters undergo all the horrible side-effects of chemotherapy, waste away, and die. But alongside that, he also dives into the lives of each one: angry teen Laura, who wants to go to university; ex-heroin addict Tom; Pat, the former nun who carries a secret flame for an old priest acquaintance; loving mother Erin; family man Vernon and Raymond, who isn’t quite as he seems. They’re all people who leap off the page and you come to love.
Their lives are what form the plot: specifically, the way in which humans act when they know that they’re going to die. Would you rage; would you try and reconnect with your family; would you create a bucket list and start ticking things off? Alongside all these things, the way in which performing the play gives their lives purpose and direction is heartwarming to see- and heartbreaking when, inevitably, the performers start succumbing to cancer. I may have ugly-cried a few times.
This is a little gem of a book. It’s raw and bold; it balances dark humour with the realities of living with a terminal illness and wrestling meaning from the life you have. It’s also extremely well-written and something that I devoured in two sittings. Whether you cry or laugh, you’ll certainly finish it seeing the world a little differently.
January 30, 2020
A truly heartbreaking read that left me feeling mentally and emotionally drained.
From the offset the story is descriptive bringing you quickly up to speed so you can put yourself in Adam's mental space.
I enjoyed getting to know the other members of the group and what it means to each of them to be in a safe environment where they can talk honestly. The story starts mainly focused around Adam and his relationship with Mabel & Heather and as the story progresses we get to know the other members and their families better.
This book gives insight into the chemo regimes, side effects and the mental and physical impact. It focuses on the importance of making memories and keeping up the fight to make the most of the time you have. It frames death as something not to be feared with great references to Shakespeare's complete works.
A story about love life and vitality, I loved the idea behind the play and merging Shakespeare and comedy sketches. I found each death amongst the group more emotional as we knew them better and had tears in my eyes as I reached the end.
Another superb book by Andy Jones - 4.5*
From the offset the story is descriptive bringing you quickly up to speed so you can put yourself in Adam's mental space.
I enjoyed getting to know the other members of the group and what it means to each of them to be in a safe environment where they can talk honestly. The story starts mainly focused around Adam and his relationship with Mabel & Heather and as the story progresses we get to know the other members and their families better.
This book gives insight into the chemo regimes, side effects and the mental and physical impact. It focuses on the importance of making memories and keeping up the fight to make the most of the time you have. It frames death as something not to be feared with great references to Shakespeare's complete works.
A story about love life and vitality, I loved the idea behind the play and merging Shakespeare and comedy sketches. I found each death amongst the group more emotional as we knew them better and had tears in my eyes as I reached the end.
Another superb book by Andy Jones - 4.5*
November 28, 2021
This book was part of @bookscape.books September pick for book club!
I wasn't sure about this book when I got it, but the blurb interested me in finding out more.
It tells the story of Adam, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. He recently split from his wife but moved back in to be closer to his daughter and mend his relationship with her. His doctor suggests that he attends a support group that consists of other terminally ill people to discuss cancer, dying, and anything to help them get through the hard times they face. He meets a group of individuals who become close friends. They decide to start a theatre group, in which they combine snippets of Shakespear plays about death and dying.
The book had me in tears, and I will say when you read this book, make sure you have the tissues at the ready. It is full of heartbreak, grief, love, laughter as they create memories that they will treasure forever. We also see how the other group members are affected, their struggles, with their terminal illness.
I'm giving this book 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘a
I wasn't sure about this book when I got it, but the blurb interested me in finding out more.
It tells the story of Adam, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. He recently split from his wife but moved back in to be closer to his daughter and mend his relationship with her. His doctor suggests that he attends a support group that consists of other terminally ill people to discuss cancer, dying, and anything to help them get through the hard times they face. He meets a group of individuals who become close friends. They decide to start a theatre group, in which they combine snippets of Shakespear plays about death and dying.
The book had me in tears, and I will say when you read this book, make sure you have the tissues at the ready. It is full of heartbreak, grief, love, laughter as they create memories that they will treasure forever. We also see how the other group members are affected, their struggles, with their terminal illness.
I'm giving this book 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘a
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2021
Wow if this book doesn’t make you cry then I’m pretty sure nothing will. This is a book about a group of terminal ill cancer patients who all attend the same support group. This bunch of people who have been brought together during the worst time of their life decide to put on a play that is a mashup of the most depraved and crazy deaths from the penmanship of William Shakespeare, the question is will they live long enough to make the performance. This book is sad and brutally honest but also filled with love and fun and a story of friendship that changes every single one of their lives for the better. The ending is heartbreaking but beautiful.
February 24, 2023
Adam has been dying for eight weeks now, and he isn't getting any better at it.
When Adam Campbell is given a terminal cancer diagnosis, all he wants to do is break every clock he can find in hopes to defy time. But now he realises life really is short, especially for him, he promises to live it while he still can.
He moves in with his ex who kicked him out due to his own mistakes so he can spend more time with his daughter, he quits his job that has already taken so much of his time. And he tries to make amends - he's going to get better at this dying thing.
But the last thing he ever expected was to walk into a support group with a teenager who just wants to have sex before she dies, a free-range nun, a call centre agent in recovery, a grumpy old train driver and mysterious scotsman and walk about with some new friends and an amateur drama group.
"My life's an open book. Even if it is a bit dog-eared ...
... All the best books are."
It's a strange thing to say a book where you spend most of your time waiting for people to die is a 'feel-good' story, but this is. It's a deeply affecting but also remarkably inspiriting, evoking a profound sense of wonder and gratitude for the life we have - it's a real testament to the beauty of real human connection and how that can last even after we die.
Our main character Adam, is an idiot. He has made mistakes and bad choices, but he isn't a bad person and this is clear within moments of meeting him. The sense of loss and confusion in his life pre-dates his diagnosis, but now he has a deadline to work it out. I adored his dark, morbid humour and remarks that made smile and shake my head at the same time.
Time moves quickly, the whole cast moving the story onwards as we move between Adam and his new friends and their individual lives. It felt a little confusing at first as there's no indicators for the change but it settles in quickly - instead of a basic linear narrative, this story is little pockets of time, little moments that come together. My only issue with this book was how much information is given in quick succession at the end, going from a slow thoughtful pace to a sudden matter-of-fact account of what is happening in a way that kind of threw me out of the trance this novel had me in. However, I also massively loved the idea that was behind it - it isn't a spoiler to tell you some people are going to die during and at the end of this story, and I loved their deaths not being their key moment, their defining part of their story.
Our Am-dram troupe are a beautiful collective of unlikely friends - and together they discuss their goals, their 'bucket lists' and realise their life isn't marked by big moments and success but by happiness - as they work together on their play, we see their relationships grow and change, how they rally around one another so instinctively. Their play, based on the many deaths of Shakespeare's plays almost creates their own mortality therapy - and it gives them the chance to face, and escape death right there on the stage. Now of course, there are moments of darkness, of anger, of confusion and desperation - death doesn't just hurt the dying, after all - but it's all handled tenderly and realistically.
An uplifting, poignant story about all the scenes and characters that make up a life, not just the last act.
When Adam Campbell is given a terminal cancer diagnosis, all he wants to do is break every clock he can find in hopes to defy time. But now he realises life really is short, especially for him, he promises to live it while he still can.
He moves in with his ex who kicked him out due to his own mistakes so he can spend more time with his daughter, he quits his job that has already taken so much of his time. And he tries to make amends - he's going to get better at this dying thing.
But the last thing he ever expected was to walk into a support group with a teenager who just wants to have sex before she dies, a free-range nun, a call centre agent in recovery, a grumpy old train driver and mysterious scotsman and walk about with some new friends and an amateur drama group.
"My life's an open book. Even if it is a bit dog-eared ...
... All the best books are."
It's a strange thing to say a book where you spend most of your time waiting for people to die is a 'feel-good' story, but this is. It's a deeply affecting but also remarkably inspiriting, evoking a profound sense of wonder and gratitude for the life we have - it's a real testament to the beauty of real human connection and how that can last even after we die.
Our main character Adam, is an idiot. He has made mistakes and bad choices, but he isn't a bad person and this is clear within moments of meeting him. The sense of loss and confusion in his life pre-dates his diagnosis, but now he has a deadline to work it out. I adored his dark, morbid humour and remarks that made smile and shake my head at the same time.
Time moves quickly, the whole cast moving the story onwards as we move between Adam and his new friends and their individual lives. It felt a little confusing at first as there's no indicators for the change but it settles in quickly - instead of a basic linear narrative, this story is little pockets of time, little moments that come together. My only issue with this book was how much information is given in quick succession at the end, going from a slow thoughtful pace to a sudden matter-of-fact account of what is happening in a way that kind of threw me out of the trance this novel had me in. However, I also massively loved the idea that was behind it - it isn't a spoiler to tell you some people are going to die during and at the end of this story, and I loved their deaths not being their key moment, their defining part of their story.
Our Am-dram troupe are a beautiful collective of unlikely friends - and together they discuss their goals, their 'bucket lists' and realise their life isn't marked by big moments and success but by happiness - as they work together on their play, we see their relationships grow and change, how they rally around one another so instinctively. Their play, based on the many deaths of Shakespeare's plays almost creates their own mortality therapy - and it gives them the chance to face, and escape death right there on the stage. Now of course, there are moments of darkness, of anger, of confusion and desperation - death doesn't just hurt the dying, after all - but it's all handled tenderly and realistically.
An uplifting, poignant story about all the scenes and characters that make up a life, not just the last act.
April 25, 2021
Sometimes a story will come along and deliver a huge punch in the gut. This is one of those stories. I have gone through an emotional journey with these characters; there are moments when I wanted to cry, there were moments when I winced (hello, the pumpkin scene), and there were moments when I laughed out loud. This is a book that is centred on a group of people who have life-limiting illness. They are not expected to be around for long, but oh my goodness, it's so beautifully and tenderly created that whilst there are great sadnesses, it is also full of joy.
Adam Campbell is the main character. Adam is an ordinary bloke who did something stupid. He cheated on his long-term partner, the mother of his child and was thrown out of their home. Other than that, he's a normal bloke ... apart from the twelve months to live prognosis that is.
Adam has drive and determination and although he knows that the end is much nearer that he'd ever imagined, he intends to turn life around and fix things. His oncologist tells him about a group that he runs, for people just like him, and despite some misgivings, he gives it a go. He doesn't regret it.
What a fabulous bunch of incredibly created characters we are introduced to. From a nun who is not too sure whether God actually exists, to a guy whose lived his life at the edge and has the scars to prove it, and of course there is Laura. The youngest of the group, still a child, but with an imagination that drives them all.
As the group write and rehearse their play based on the deaths written by Shakespeare, they experience awful low times and sadness, but they also form lasting and quite wonderful friendships. The author cleverly reveals snippets about each of them, making them seem real and very relatable.
This is a magnificent story that may deal with death but focuses on life, and friendship and support and warmth. It really is a magical read and the characters will linger in your mind for days after turning the final page.
Highly recommended from me, a really special story.
Adam Campbell is the main character. Adam is an ordinary bloke who did something stupid. He cheated on his long-term partner, the mother of his child and was thrown out of their home. Other than that, he's a normal bloke ... apart from the twelve months to live prognosis that is.
Adam has drive and determination and although he knows that the end is much nearer that he'd ever imagined, he intends to turn life around and fix things. His oncologist tells him about a group that he runs, for people just like him, and despite some misgivings, he gives it a go. He doesn't regret it.
What a fabulous bunch of incredibly created characters we are introduced to. From a nun who is not too sure whether God actually exists, to a guy whose lived his life at the edge and has the scars to prove it, and of course there is Laura. The youngest of the group, still a child, but with an imagination that drives them all.
As the group write and rehearse their play based on the deaths written by Shakespeare, they experience awful low times and sadness, but they also form lasting and quite wonderful friendships. The author cleverly reveals snippets about each of them, making them seem real and very relatable.
This is a magnificent story that may deal with death but focuses on life, and friendship and support and warmth. It really is a magical read and the characters will linger in your mind for days after turning the final page.
Highly recommended from me, a really special story.
May 2, 2021
I didn't take too much notice of the synopsis of this book before deciding to read it. I love Andy Jones's writing and would read anything he writes so The Last Act of Adam Campbell was a must-read for me. Books about death and dying wouldn't necessarily be the first books I would seek out but the author writes such poignant scenes that he turned what could understandably be a very sad subject matter into something that, as a whole, is incredibly uplifting and beautifully written.
Whilst Adam is a major character this is actually an ensemble piece and it's a brilliant one at that. Adam joins a support group for people who are terminally ill and along with getting to know him, we also meet Tom, Laura, Pat, Vernon, Erin and Raymond. They are a disparate bunch, a variety of ages, temperaments and backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common makes them into a tight-knit little group and they have fun together when they embark upon producing a play based around deaths in Shakespeare plays.
Jones is such a wonderful writer and he's produced something really special with this book. There are lots of lump in the throat moments, and tears were shed several times too, but it also made me smile and it made me think. Each of the main characters has their own way of approaching their fate and I thought they were all portrayed perfectly (although I must admit to a particular soft spot for Pat) and in such a way that when the action changed from one to another I was never disappointed to leave one behind as I knew that each individual strand of the story was strong and powerful in its own right.
This is a book that is raw and honest and at times the way each character's illness affects them is hard to read, but at the same time I felt enriched by it and moved by the legacy that we have the ability to leave behind. I love a book that makes me cry because I know that it's really affected me and The Last Act of Adam Campbell certainly did that. This is a book and characters I won't forget.
Whilst Adam is a major character this is actually an ensemble piece and it's a brilliant one at that. Adam joins a support group for people who are terminally ill and along with getting to know him, we also meet Tom, Laura, Pat, Vernon, Erin and Raymond. They are a disparate bunch, a variety of ages, temperaments and backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common makes them into a tight-knit little group and they have fun together when they embark upon producing a play based around deaths in Shakespeare plays.
Jones is such a wonderful writer and he's produced something really special with this book. There are lots of lump in the throat moments, and tears were shed several times too, but it also made me smile and it made me think. Each of the main characters has their own way of approaching their fate and I thought they were all portrayed perfectly (although I must admit to a particular soft spot for Pat) and in such a way that when the action changed from one to another I was never disappointed to leave one behind as I knew that each individual strand of the story was strong and powerful in its own right.
This is a book that is raw and honest and at times the way each character's illness affects them is hard to read, but at the same time I felt enriched by it and moved by the legacy that we have the ability to leave behind. I love a book that makes me cry because I know that it's really affected me and The Last Act of Adam Campbell certainly did that. This is a book and characters I won't forget.
March 17, 2020
This story, whilst focusing on Adam, also lets us in to the harsh realities other cancer patients living with a terminal diagnosis are facing. Meeting in a cancer support group, friendships are quickly formed, and it’s these, as well as their own individual stories, that we really follow throughout the pages.
The author does a really good job of conveying the realities of living, and potentially dying, with a variety of cancers; from the hair and weight loss, to medication side effects and weakness. That said, he does not dwell unnecessarily and this couldn’t be further from a tale of doom and gloom. Despite the subject matter it is actually a very moving and uplifting read.
For me this wasn’t really about Adam Campbell, it was about all the characters, and on the whole I’d say the author does a very good job of developing their own individual stories. However, as is perhaps inevitable, there were times where I felt things were a little rushed, and events/situations skimmed over just so we can get to the next bit. Equally, there were times the narrative jumped so quickly, I was three sentences in to a paragraph before I realised we’d changed character. That was really confusing, and could easily be resolved with a bit more stringent editing/better layout. That said, those are my only two mild criticisms for a book that otherwise would have been a five star.
This was a beautifully written book, with a very heart-warming story. My biggest takeaway from it is that Andy Jones is a fantastic writer, and I will definitely be reading more of his work.
The Stars
4.5 stars – beautifully written and very engaging. I genuinely wasn’t ready for it to end.
The author does a really good job of conveying the realities of living, and potentially dying, with a variety of cancers; from the hair and weight loss, to medication side effects and weakness. That said, he does not dwell unnecessarily and this couldn’t be further from a tale of doom and gloom. Despite the subject matter it is actually a very moving and uplifting read.
For me this wasn’t really about Adam Campbell, it was about all the characters, and on the whole I’d say the author does a very good job of developing their own individual stories. However, as is perhaps inevitable, there were times where I felt things were a little rushed, and events/situations skimmed over just so we can get to the next bit. Equally, there were times the narrative jumped so quickly, I was three sentences in to a paragraph before I realised we’d changed character. That was really confusing, and could easily be resolved with a bit more stringent editing/better layout. That said, those are my only two mild criticisms for a book that otherwise would have been a five star.
This was a beautifully written book, with a very heart-warming story. My biggest takeaway from it is that Andy Jones is a fantastic writer, and I will definitely be reading more of his work.
The Stars
4.5 stars – beautifully written and very engaging. I genuinely wasn’t ready for it to end.
June 2, 2023
Things used to be better for Adam Campbell. A loving family, a good job, and then one misjudged affair, and he loses it all, only he doesn’t have time to make amends, the cancer has only given him a year left.
This is a book that is full of pathos, sadness, and also a lot of hope, love, redemption, and most importantly humanity. Adam joins a support group that his Doctor has set up. They call themselves the Rude Mechanicals and set out to perform a selection of Shakespeare's best-known scenes featuring death.
There are many small details in the book. Andy Jones describes not just the emotional and mental toll that the cancer takes on his characters, but also the physical toll. We have vivid descriptions of the body’s changing, of the effects that various treatments have on the characters. We see the lives of the characters coming into sharper focus. Not only in Adam’s life but in the life of the people in the theatre group.
Some of them have acted, and some of them haven’t set foot on a stage since school, but the show gives them something to concentrate on, even though there is no guarantee that the whole cast will survive until opening night.
With the onset of a terminal illness, we also see the characters change, taking on new challenges, making peace with the people from the past, making sense of the mistakes that they made, and finding new gratitude in the small things that they never noticed before.
As the end of the book draws near, we have already lost many of the characters we met at the beginning, the ending of their lives, benefiting to a certain extent from the people that they only met under the worst circumstances that many of us can imagine.
This is a book that is full of pathos, sadness, and also a lot of hope, love, redemption, and most importantly humanity. Adam joins a support group that his Doctor has set up. They call themselves the Rude Mechanicals and set out to perform a selection of Shakespeare's best-known scenes featuring death.
There are many small details in the book. Andy Jones describes not just the emotional and mental toll that the cancer takes on his characters, but also the physical toll. We have vivid descriptions of the body’s changing, of the effects that various treatments have on the characters. We see the lives of the characters coming into sharper focus. Not only in Adam’s life but in the life of the people in the theatre group.
Some of them have acted, and some of them haven’t set foot on a stage since school, but the show gives them something to concentrate on, even though there is no guarantee that the whole cast will survive until opening night.
With the onset of a terminal illness, we also see the characters change, taking on new challenges, making peace with the people from the past, making sense of the mistakes that they made, and finding new gratitude in the small things that they never noticed before.
As the end of the book draws near, we have already lost many of the characters we met at the beginning, the ending of their lives, benefiting to a certain extent from the people that they only met under the worst circumstances that many of us can imagine.
May 17, 2021
Make sure you have your tissues handy when you read The Last Act of Adam Campbell; it's impossible to get through this book dry-eyed. Whether it be tears of laughter (pumpkin based), tears of joy or tears of sadness - I cried them all over this stunning book.
Adam has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and he has a lot of bridges to build before his time is up. As his body declines, his mind is kept occupied by an unlikely group of friends he meets in group therapy. Each of them carrying the weight of their own illnesses on their shoulders, they find that they are indeed stronger together and decide to put on a play depicting famous Shakespearean deaths. With time being a commodity none of them have, who will be there for the curtain call?
Oh my goodness, this book affected me in ways I didn't expect. Andy Jones creates such wonderful characters I was so completely invested in that I couldn't prevent the tears from falling at each inevitable conclusion. It may be a book about death but it is so completely full of life that it warmed the cockles of my heart. It is so beautifully written and I think it's Andy Jones' best book yet.
Incredibly poignant, hilarious and heartwarming, The Last Act of Adam Campbell is a beautiful book that I will never forget. I haven't read an Andy Jones book that I've rated less than 5 stars and The Last Act of Adam Campbell is no exception - I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could.
I received an ARC from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Adam has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and he has a lot of bridges to build before his time is up. As his body declines, his mind is kept occupied by an unlikely group of friends he meets in group therapy. Each of them carrying the weight of their own illnesses on their shoulders, they find that they are indeed stronger together and decide to put on a play depicting famous Shakespearean deaths. With time being a commodity none of them have, who will be there for the curtain call?
Oh my goodness, this book affected me in ways I didn't expect. Andy Jones creates such wonderful characters I was so completely invested in that I couldn't prevent the tears from falling at each inevitable conclusion. It may be a book about death but it is so completely full of life that it warmed the cockles of my heart. It is so beautifully written and I think it's Andy Jones' best book yet.
Incredibly poignant, hilarious and heartwarming, The Last Act of Adam Campbell is a beautiful book that I will never forget. I haven't read an Andy Jones book that I've rated less than 5 stars and The Last Act of Adam Campbell is no exception - I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could.
I received an ARC from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
May 22, 2023
Oh my goodness. This book has my whole heart; I could not have loved it more. I am currently sat here with tears in my eyes having just finished it, but I need to get out of my system how much I adored every page of this book.
Initially thinking the story was to be from the viewpoint of Adam for its entirety, I was pleasantly surprised when the story switched between characters. The pace of this was so well done and I was equally invested in all the beatifully written characters; Adam, Laura, Tom, Vernon, Erin, Pat, Raymond, Hitchens and even the mouse! The book handles the topic of cancer so tastefully and the writing style was beautiful; I felt like I was side by side with each of them on every step of their journeys. I could write paragraphs on all the small details I enjoyed, but especially the attention to details that intertwined the characters' lives outside of their rehearsals - the Chanel No 5, the meatballs, the snowmen. The symbolism of unity in each unique situation was very endearing and moving.
I fell in love with The Rude Mechanicals and their sweet, honest friendships and feel so thankful that this book came into my possession; it will firmly sit at the top spot of my favourites for a very long time.
[Exit]
Initially thinking the story was to be from the viewpoint of Adam for its entirety, I was pleasantly surprised when the story switched between characters. The pace of this was so well done and I was equally invested in all the beatifully written characters; Adam, Laura, Tom, Vernon, Erin, Pat, Raymond, Hitchens and even the mouse! The book handles the topic of cancer so tastefully and the writing style was beautiful; I felt like I was side by side with each of them on every step of their journeys. I could write paragraphs on all the small details I enjoyed, but especially the attention to details that intertwined the characters' lives outside of their rehearsals - the Chanel No 5, the meatballs, the snowmen. The symbolism of unity in each unique situation was very endearing and moving.
I fell in love with The Rude Mechanicals and their sweet, honest friendships and feel so thankful that this book came into my possession; it will firmly sit at the top spot of my favourites for a very long time.
[Exit]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2023
For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It beautifully explored a range of characters’ ways of coping with a cancer diagnosis, and I enjoyed watching them develop as people and their relationships with each other evolve over time. It explored a variety of themes when it comes to cancer, handling them sincerely but with a touch of humour as well - really well written and very engaging. It was full of beautiful moments, and I sobbed super hard at one point.
The reason I’m giving it three stars is because of the main character. I detest him essentially being given a “free pass” from cheating on his wife. What other choice does she have than to forgive him, given his diagnosis? I perhaps could have got over this, but (I won’t go into detail) when he lies again at the end, I was furious. What was the need? Again, his wife wasn’t allowed the opportunity to be upset. He had no need to lie. The other characters, however, I was much more interested in and enjoyed their personalities.
The reason I’m giving it three stars is because of the main character. I detest him essentially being given a “free pass” from cheating on his wife. What other choice does she have than to forgive him, given his diagnosis? I perhaps could have got over this, but (I won’t go into detail) when he lies again at the end, I was furious. What was the need? Again, his wife wasn’t allowed the opportunity to be upset. He had no need to lie. The other characters, however, I was much more interested in and enjoyed their personalities.
May 25, 2021
Ok, I admit it, I cried reading this. What disparate characters in similar situations reacting so differently! This is the sort of book which makes you examine how closely you align to each one. What would I have done? Would I have said that? Would my friends treat me like that?
There is more than a smattering of humour but there's no getting away from the darkness of life-limiting illness. There are also moments of joy, love, tenderness, appreciation, friendship, kindness and even madcap antics. The pace is steady and a kind of tension pervades the narrative as we see from the perspective of each of the group of cancer patients - and time ticks on via the beat of passing seasons and holidays. The dialogue is excellent, the settings familiar to English people and the people really fit in. Lovers of Shakespeare and amateur drama will especially enjoy this story.
Read this and find out what Adam Campbell's last act really was. (Remember that plays have acts.)
There is more than a smattering of humour but there's no getting away from the darkness of life-limiting illness. There are also moments of joy, love, tenderness, appreciation, friendship, kindness and even madcap antics. The pace is steady and a kind of tension pervades the narrative as we see from the perspective of each of the group of cancer patients - and time ticks on via the beat of passing seasons and holidays. The dialogue is excellent, the settings familiar to English people and the people really fit in. Lovers of Shakespeare and amateur drama will especially enjoy this story.
Read this and find out what Adam Campbell's last act really was. (Remember that plays have acts.)
June 1, 2021
What a beautiful heartwarming but bittersweet story. The story revolves around Adam, and his final year of life following his cancer diagnosis. Through this he develops friendships with those within a support group. The story follows Adam and each of these characters. The story develops and you get to know each of the characters and their own story. It is easy to like all the main characters, and develop a feeling of sympathy/empathy for what they and their friends and family are going through. I almost didn’t want the story to end.
This is not a genre of book I would normally read so took a chance, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a great book and left me feeling sad that the ending couldn’t be happier for the characters involved. This is certainly a great read, and i can say this is the only time where I have ever finished a book and not wanted to dive straight into a new one. I think I need time to process this one.
This is not a genre of book I would normally read so took a chance, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a great book and left me feeling sad that the ending couldn’t be happier for the characters involved. This is certainly a great read, and i can say this is the only time where I have ever finished a book and not wanted to dive straight into a new one. I think I need time to process this one.
December 27, 2022
The Last Act of Adam Campbell was an emotional read. This story highlights very real situations that people are experiencing in society today.
Adam had everything then in a blink of an eye he lost everything. Adam has terminal cancer and this is the story of what he does with his time that he has left. In order to accept his death Adam is encouraged to join a therapy group of others who are living on borrowed time. This therapy group looks at shakespear in particular the deaths. Through shakespear relationships are formed and these individuals make the most of their situation.
The book is written so well that I can't even put it into words. From the very beginning I was hooked. The glimpses into the lives of those attending the therapy group had me laughing, and crying at different points. This book is heartbreaking but written in a way that leave you contemplative of what you value in life. It makes you thankful for what you have.
Adam had everything then in a blink of an eye he lost everything. Adam has terminal cancer and this is the story of what he does with his time that he has left. In order to accept his death Adam is encouraged to join a therapy group of others who are living on borrowed time. This therapy group looks at shakespear in particular the deaths. Through shakespear relationships are formed and these individuals make the most of their situation.
The book is written so well that I can't even put it into words. From the very beginning I was hooked. The glimpses into the lives of those attending the therapy group had me laughing, and crying at different points. This book is heartbreaking but written in a way that leave you contemplative of what you value in life. It makes you thankful for what you have.
September 1, 2022
This was definitely not the kind of book I normally pick up, but I was intrigued by the idea of a morally-grey character (due to the cheating mentioned in the decription) and the concept of a personality-diverse cast, especially since many of the character types mentioned are not typical.
Firstly, I wasn't expecting the varied POV, and at first I was a bit put off by it, but by the end I was so interested in all of the character's stories I wouldn't want it any other way.
My grandfather died of cancer, and at first I thought this would make me dislike the novel, but I actually found it extremely cathartic to see the very many ways each of these people and their families deal with their situations.
I couldn't put this book down once I started it, and read the whole thing in a few days. I'm not the kind of person who cries at books, but if you are - this will absolutely get you.
Firstly, I wasn't expecting the varied POV, and at first I was a bit put off by it, but by the end I was so interested in all of the character's stories I wouldn't want it any other way.
My grandfather died of cancer, and at first I thought this would make me dislike the novel, but I actually found it extremely cathartic to see the very many ways each of these people and their families deal with their situations.
I couldn't put this book down once I started it, and read the whole thing in a few days. I'm not the kind of person who cries at books, but if you are - this will absolutely get you.
June 4, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book, it had me intrigued at the beginning but by the end I was emotional!
It tells the story of Adam and a group of people he meets at a self-help gathering for those that are dying. Adam himself has cancer, along with all the other people in the group. Each chapter alternately focuses on each person in the group, so we gradually get to know about their lives. The characters are really engaging and I particularly loved Pat and her dog Hitchens.
Everyone in the group comes together and decides to perform a mix up of Shakespeare plays, which through lots of rehearsals at their local church hall brings them all together, with a lot of funny moments too.
This book takes you through a whole world of emotions, but it is extremely well-written and a wonderful story. I would really recommend it and can’t wait to read more by Andy Jones.
It tells the story of Adam and a group of people he meets at a self-help gathering for those that are dying. Adam himself has cancer, along with all the other people in the group. Each chapter alternately focuses on each person in the group, so we gradually get to know about their lives. The characters are really engaging and I particularly loved Pat and her dog Hitchens.
Everyone in the group comes together and decides to perform a mix up of Shakespeare plays, which through lots of rehearsals at their local church hall brings them all together, with a lot of funny moments too.
This book takes you through a whole world of emotions, but it is extremely well-written and a wonderful story. I would really recommend it and can’t wait to read more by Andy Jones.
June 6, 2021
This book is the story of Adam - who has terminal cancer - and how he tries to turn his life around. Having cheated on his partner he has been kicked out of his home but she has allowed him back and he’s trying to be a good father to his daughter Mabel.
Adam joins a support group for cancer sufferers and although the book follows Sam on his journey we get to meet some wonderful characters who are also part of the group. Their stories - and the interaction between them - make for a book that is poignant, sad, happy and heart-warming.
I loved this book. I’ve just been diagnosed with cancer and that gave an added poignancy to the book but I would have loved it regardless. Read it - laugh, cry, be uplifted - it’s wonderful!!!
Adam joins a support group for cancer sufferers and although the book follows Sam on his journey we get to meet some wonderful characters who are also part of the group. Their stories - and the interaction between them - make for a book that is poignant, sad, happy and heart-warming.
I loved this book. I’ve just been diagnosed with cancer and that gave an added poignancy to the book but I would have loved it regardless. Read it - laugh, cry, be uplifted - it’s wonderful!!!
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