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The Secret Life of Sam Holloway: A Novel
A poignant and irresistible story about an improbable hero and the woman who saves him. Sam Holloway is a survivor, but he's not really living. His meticulous routines and quiet lifestyle keep everything nice and safe--with just one exception...Three nights a week, Sam dons his superhero costume and patrols the streets. It makes him feel invincible--but his unlikely heroics are getting him into some sticky situations.Then a girl comes along and starts to shatter the walls Sam has built around himself. Now he needs to decide if he's brave enough to take off the mask and confront the grief he's been avoiding for so long. Heartfelt and delightful, The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a moving story about grief, love and the life-changing power of kindness.
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First published August 27, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 29, 2025
This is a story about grief, and how it impacts people. Especially when we choose not to share our grief openly with others. And, how it sometimes feels easier to hide behind masks than to reveal what we are experiencing, or what we need from life after loss.
Even if the subject matter seems sad, the story is told in a heart-felt way. Making it touching and hopeful.
Even if the subject matter seems sad, the story is told in a heart-felt way. Making it touching and hopeful.
February 3, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Declan Green
As the world grows gradually more cynical, there remains an unwavering communal hope that one individual is enough to carry humanity through its darkest moments. In popular culture, we know these people as superheroes, and over the past decade this wish fulfillment has permeated our movies, television, and literature. Rhys Thomas’ novel ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ takes a stab at reframing this search for hope through the lens of a grieving, comic-book obsessed young man, and though it takes its exploration to some moving places, its ensemble of weak characters holds it back from fully embracing the subversiveness that it aims for.
Following the unexpected demise of his entire family several years ago, our titular character Sam decides to turn his anguish into a tragic superhero backstory by becoming the Phantasm – a mysterious figure who lurks through the night, looking for opportunities to perform small acts of kindness for strangers. Taking on the role of the Phantasm is a therapeutic release from the stresses of his personal life, and yet its roots are in his own desire to become the person that others find hope in.
For the most part, two things largely define Sam: his love for comic books, and his depressive state that detaches him from the rest of the world. The former is a quirk that may only garner superficial empathy from likeminded superhero lovers, as his efforts to do good seem to be more closely linked to his escapist fantasies than any real desire to change the world. By process of elimination, the rest of Sam’s general likeability is thus hinged on his lack of self-esteem. This supposition that the reader will automatically give him love simply because he does not give any to himself is poorly misjudged. It lets Sam get away with an extraordinary number of things that are frustrating, if not downright selfish, and yet it brushes over these actions under the assumption we will never think less of him for it. Though his poor mental state allows us to develop sympathy for him, the writing does not make any effort beyond that to show us why he is worth emotionally investing in.
All the other people in Sam’s life forgive him a ridiculous number of times regardless of the trouble he causes, and even when Sam does eventually start to feel remorse over his actions it takes the form of gratuitous self-pity. It seems that, like Sam’s friends and colleagues, we are expected to continually get behind him, be let down by his lack of thoughtfulness, and then immediately move past his mistake. Even if these characters have unlimited patience, as a reader we are given little reason to continue amending our broken belief in him. At a certain point it’s easier to just disconnect from Sam altogether.
As it turns out, Sam’s friends and colleagues turn out to be far more interesting characters than we expect, though this isn’t immediately obvious. For a large portion of the novel, Sam’s love interest, Sarah, is painted in the broadest strokes possible as the girl-next-door archetype. In the early stages of their relationship she perseveres through several red flags that indicate Sam is not emotionally stable, and her placidity seems to be an attempt to present her as the perfect girlfriend. In fact, for much of the story most of the side characters, such as Blotchy and Mr Okamatsu, are only defined by their basic relationship to Sam, and have little depth outside of their most obvious character traits.
As ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ progresses though, Thomas starts to shine a light on the deeper motivations of these people. Sarah is revealed to be at a turning point in her life, and when her past bubbles to the surface we begin to see her as a much more complex character than we initially suspected. It is a shame that these developments do not come much earlier, because in the end almost every side character becomes far more compelling than Sam himself.
Rhys Thomas’ understanding of the superhero genre as an escapist fantasy is clearly grounded in its cultural history, though in ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ he struggles to base this in the reality of modern day England with fully developed characters. Using Sam’s depression as a vessel through which we can examine the need for hope in a world overloaded with misery is the most interesting thing this novel does, as it sketches out the psychological undercurrent that has recently launched the Marvel and DC franchises into the mainstream. Unfortunately it never quite manages to fully make that connection, as it ultimately lets the idealistic tendencies of its source inspiration impede on its attempts to subvert its genre conventions.
As the world grows gradually more cynical, there remains an unwavering communal hope that one individual is enough to carry humanity through its darkest moments. In popular culture, we know these people as superheroes, and over the past decade this wish fulfillment has permeated our movies, television, and literature. Rhys Thomas’ novel ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ takes a stab at reframing this search for hope through the lens of a grieving, comic-book obsessed young man, and though it takes its exploration to some moving places, its ensemble of weak characters holds it back from fully embracing the subversiveness that it aims for.
Following the unexpected demise of his entire family several years ago, our titular character Sam decides to turn his anguish into a tragic superhero backstory by becoming the Phantasm – a mysterious figure who lurks through the night, looking for opportunities to perform small acts of kindness for strangers. Taking on the role of the Phantasm is a therapeutic release from the stresses of his personal life, and yet its roots are in his own desire to become the person that others find hope in.
For the most part, two things largely define Sam: his love for comic books, and his depressive state that detaches him from the rest of the world. The former is a quirk that may only garner superficial empathy from likeminded superhero lovers, as his efforts to do good seem to be more closely linked to his escapist fantasies than any real desire to change the world. By process of elimination, the rest of Sam’s general likeability is thus hinged on his lack of self-esteem. This supposition that the reader will automatically give him love simply because he does not give any to himself is poorly misjudged. It lets Sam get away with an extraordinary number of things that are frustrating, if not downright selfish, and yet it brushes over these actions under the assumption we will never think less of him for it. Though his poor mental state allows us to develop sympathy for him, the writing does not make any effort beyond that to show us why he is worth emotionally investing in.
All the other people in Sam’s life forgive him a ridiculous number of times regardless of the trouble he causes, and even when Sam does eventually start to feel remorse over his actions it takes the form of gratuitous self-pity. It seems that, like Sam’s friends and colleagues, we are expected to continually get behind him, be let down by his lack of thoughtfulness, and then immediately move past his mistake. Even if these characters have unlimited patience, as a reader we are given little reason to continue amending our broken belief in him. At a certain point it’s easier to just disconnect from Sam altogether.
As it turns out, Sam’s friends and colleagues turn out to be far more interesting characters than we expect, though this isn’t immediately obvious. For a large portion of the novel, Sam’s love interest, Sarah, is painted in the broadest strokes possible as the girl-next-door archetype. In the early stages of their relationship she perseveres through several red flags that indicate Sam is not emotionally stable, and her placidity seems to be an attempt to present her as the perfect girlfriend. In fact, for much of the story most of the side characters, such as Blotchy and Mr Okamatsu, are only defined by their basic relationship to Sam, and have little depth outside of their most obvious character traits.
As ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ progresses though, Thomas starts to shine a light on the deeper motivations of these people. Sarah is revealed to be at a turning point in her life, and when her past bubbles to the surface we begin to see her as a much more complex character than we initially suspected. It is a shame that these developments do not come much earlier, because in the end almost every side character becomes far more compelling than Sam himself.
Rhys Thomas’ understanding of the superhero genre as an escapist fantasy is clearly grounded in its cultural history, though in ‘The Secret Life of Sam Holloway’ he struggles to base this in the reality of modern day England with fully developed characters. Using Sam’s depression as a vessel through which we can examine the need for hope in a world overloaded with misery is the most interesting thing this novel does, as it sketches out the psychological undercurrent that has recently launched the Marvel and DC franchises into the mainstream. Unfortunately it never quite manages to fully make that connection, as it ultimately lets the idealistic tendencies of its source inspiration impede on its attempts to subvert its genre conventions.
March 3, 2020
Sam Holloway is a good guy, who is kind and thoughtful, with a stable, but not terribly exciting, job with an electronic parts distributor. He meets up with a couple of friends several nights a week at a local pub, where they talk about comics, movies, video games and what it might be like to meet a nice woman. Yes, Sam is a bit of a geek, but he is also a nice guy, and everyone seems to know that. What no one knows though, is that on nights when Sam isn’t at the pub with his friends, he dons a homemade superhero costume (You can order pretty much anything off of the Internet!), and patrols the streets of his hometown as The Phantasm, attempting to thwart crime and right wrongs. He doesn’t have a great track record. Fighting crime simply isn’t as easy in real life as it appears in the comics, but he continues his patrols because it helps give him a sense of purpose and usefulness that the rest of his life lacks.
And then he meets Sarah. Sarah observes him as he buys a homeless person some food at a local bakery and then sees him again at the pub a few nights later. She approaches him, and they begin to talk. She spontaneously joins him on an outing with his friends and invites him out to meet hers. This is unprecedented in Sam’s experiences. He’s never been terribly social and is even worse when it comes to women and dating. Sarah represents what Sam both fears and desires the most. The question is, whether he is brave enough to risk his comfortable life and existence, for the unknown future that Sarah may represent?
In The Secret Life of Sam Holloway, Rhys Thomas explores how crippling and isolating grief can be, and the lengths to which it will push some people in order to find the solace they need, but can’t always easily find.
Thomas also explores the masks, both literal and figurative, behind which we all hide and the reasons that we do. Sam’s grief, and the event that caused it, are the genesis for desiring such a controlled and ordered existence. It is also the motivation for his donning a superhero costume and prowling the streets at night in search of wrongs that need correcting. Thomas describes these episodes in excruciating, hilarious, and harrowing detail. Sam is repeatedly taunted and abused as he confronts “wrong doers” regarding their actions. While he has few actual successes, these experiences drive him to continue, and take increasingly insane risks, in the hope of saving others since there are people in his past he had no chance of rescuing.
The same is true of Sarah. She also wears a mask, but hers is simply a more conventional and socially acceptable means of hiding her fear and pain. Both characters will need to remove the masks behind which they are hiding and confront directly their fears to find the lives that they desperately want and need.
The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a gentle, lovely book in the same vein as Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It is about both hiding and allowing oneself to be found. It is also about what it really means to be truly brave, which doesn’t often require donning a mask, but rather being willing to face what we fear most to gain what we desire and need, which in many cases has been there all along, just waiting for us to realize it.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
And then he meets Sarah. Sarah observes him as he buys a homeless person some food at a local bakery and then sees him again at the pub a few nights later. She approaches him, and they begin to talk. She spontaneously joins him on an outing with his friends and invites him out to meet hers. This is unprecedented in Sam’s experiences. He’s never been terribly social and is even worse when it comes to women and dating. Sarah represents what Sam both fears and desires the most. The question is, whether he is brave enough to risk his comfortable life and existence, for the unknown future that Sarah may represent?
In The Secret Life of Sam Holloway, Rhys Thomas explores how crippling and isolating grief can be, and the lengths to which it will push some people in order to find the solace they need, but can’t always easily find.
Thomas also explores the masks, both literal and figurative, behind which we all hide and the reasons that we do. Sam’s grief, and the event that caused it, are the genesis for desiring such a controlled and ordered existence. It is also the motivation for his donning a superhero costume and prowling the streets at night in search of wrongs that need correcting. Thomas describes these episodes in excruciating, hilarious, and harrowing detail. Sam is repeatedly taunted and abused as he confronts “wrong doers” regarding their actions. While he has few actual successes, these experiences drive him to continue, and take increasingly insane risks, in the hope of saving others since there are people in his past he had no chance of rescuing.
The same is true of Sarah. She also wears a mask, but hers is simply a more conventional and socially acceptable means of hiding her fear and pain. Both characters will need to remove the masks behind which they are hiding and confront directly their fears to find the lives that they desperately want and need.
The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a gentle, lovely book in the same vein as Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It is about both hiding and allowing oneself to be found. It is also about what it really means to be truly brave, which doesn’t often require donning a mask, but rather being willing to face what we fear most to gain what we desire and need, which in many cases has been there all along, just waiting for us to realize it.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
June 13, 2020
I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a quirky and fun read. The story drags at times, but you will find yourself cheering for Sam who feels called on to help his fellow man.
4 out of 5 stars. Entertaining read.
The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a quirky and fun read. The story drags at times, but you will find yourself cheering for Sam who feels called on to help his fellow man.
4 out of 5 stars. Entertaining read.
September 17, 2019
Interesting story with good characters.
June 15, 2021
These characters need counseling and lots of it, not superhero escapism. Or at least not only superhero escapism.
August 28, 2019
The Secret Life of Sam Holloway is a cute story of a super nice guy, with super talents who finds love in the end.
Sam Holloway is one of those kids who was picked on as a child. When his mother gave him a used copy of the first Harry Potter book, and his father bought him his first Batman comic, life as he knew it changed. Knowing that Bruce Wayne was a man without any super hero powers, but a man who had an amazing costume with incredible strength and talent, he was hooked. For Sam, having interests with an alternate reality had allowed him to emotionally escape and feel less alone.
Years later, adult Sam divides his time between his Monday to Friday day job and his evening job as the superhero, Phantasm. As Sam, his life is quiet and organized, and dating is not a regular occurrence. As Phantasm, he spends three evenings/week looking for someone or something who appears to be in danger and in need of saving.
Enter Sarah, the new girl in town who quickly attaches herself to Sam who is all nerves and helplessly tongue-tied. He soon finds that his life appears a lot more complicated, but a lot less lonely.
Sam Holloway is one of those kids who was picked on as a child. When his mother gave him a used copy of the first Harry Potter book, and his father bought him his first Batman comic, life as he knew it changed. Knowing that Bruce Wayne was a man without any super hero powers, but a man who had an amazing costume with incredible strength and talent, he was hooked. For Sam, having interests with an alternate reality had allowed him to emotionally escape and feel less alone.
Years later, adult Sam divides his time between his Monday to Friday day job and his evening job as the superhero, Phantasm. As Sam, his life is quiet and organized, and dating is not a regular occurrence. As Phantasm, he spends three evenings/week looking for someone or something who appears to be in danger and in need of saving.
Enter Sarah, the new girl in town who quickly attaches herself to Sam who is all nerves and helplessly tongue-tied. He soon finds that his life appears a lot more complicated, but a lot less lonely.
September 8, 2019
I thought I would love this but just couldn’t sink into the story... I like quirky and sweet but it was all there for me.
May 29, 2022
I was really excited about this book because of the tone and subject matter. I really enjoy slow books about people just being people. It also helps when those people are slightly quirky in a way I can relate to wanting to be like--such as being so stagnant in their everyday life that they want to become a superhero of the night.
Unfortunately, while the premise was good, the execution wasn't great. I DNFed around 100 pages because I knew I was not going to enjoy the story anymore, and it was just not worth my time.
I don't mind slow writing, but this book was s l o w. Within the first 100 pages, literally, nothing happened. That wouldn't have been as big of a deal if I felt the connection we're apparently supposed to have with the characters, but I did not.
Sam could have been such an interesting and relatable character, but he is quickly placed into a boring/nerdy stereotype and has no real connection with the reader. There are no interesting or redeeming qualities other than us supposed to feel pity for him just because he's alone.
Maybe the book gets better later on, but I just don't feel like swapping between uninteresting scenes of him "saving" the day and making a joke out of himself and uninteresting scenes of him in a pub with equally uninteresting friends.
Unfortunately, while the premise was good, the execution wasn't great. I DNFed around 100 pages because I knew I was not going to enjoy the story anymore, and it was just not worth my time.
I don't mind slow writing, but this book was s l o w. Within the first 100 pages, literally, nothing happened. That wouldn't have been as big of a deal if I felt the connection we're apparently supposed to have with the characters, but I did not.
Sam could have been such an interesting and relatable character, but he is quickly placed into a boring/nerdy stereotype and has no real connection with the reader. There are no interesting or redeeming qualities other than us supposed to feel pity for him just because he's alone.
Maybe the book gets better later on, but I just don't feel like swapping between uninteresting scenes of him "saving" the day and making a joke out of himself and uninteresting scenes of him in a pub with equally uninteresting friends.
November 12, 2019
Gosh, this was a nice surprise. I just picked it up on a whim from the library and was really delighted by it.
Sam Holloway is a quiet guy with a couple of nerdy friends and a job where he is a good employee. Pretty basic existence. But sometimes Sam puts on a superhero costume of his own design and patrols the streets. And it sounds - and is - ridiculous but it's also really sweet. Sam remembers his father telling him to be brave and to be good, and he's taken it to heart. He tries to help people, and the costume gives him the anonymity and an extra shot of courage to do so.
The characters were well drawn and so quirky and sweet, it just kind of got me. Even though there is a sad element, it didn't even bog me down too much (which unexpected sad things do, on occasion). It was just really nice to read this.
Sam Holloway is a quiet guy with a couple of nerdy friends and a job where he is a good employee. Pretty basic existence. But sometimes Sam puts on a superhero costume of his own design and patrols the streets. And it sounds - and is - ridiculous but it's also really sweet. Sam remembers his father telling him to be brave and to be good, and he's taken it to heart. He tries to help people, and the costume gives him the anonymity and an extra shot of courage to do so.
The characters were well drawn and so quirky and sweet, it just kind of got me. Even though there is a sad element, it didn't even bog me down too much (which unexpected sad things do, on occasion). It was just really nice to read this.
June 26, 2024
Beautiful, Heartwarming, and Engaging
This is one of those stories that are hard to read, but should be read. Thomas' protagonist was compelling and was a perfect foil for how loneliness and grief can break you, but how others and a need to do good can carry you through.
Trigger Warning: Abuse, Death, Depression, Language, Sex, Substance, Violence
Reminds me of: How Not to Die Alone, Unlikely Animals
This is one of those stories that are hard to read, but should be read. Thomas' protagonist was compelling and was a perfect foil for how loneliness and grief can break you, but how others and a need to do good can carry you through.
Trigger Warning: Abuse, Death, Depression, Language, Sex, Substance, Violence
Reminds me of: How Not to Die Alone, Unlikely Animals
September 26, 2019
Oh Sam Holloway where do I start? I love quirky characters and books about quirky characters. I think too often we try to fit everyone in to the perfect box which many of us do not fit. I wanted to love this book and I did enjoy it but it felt so long. At times I just wanted the author to speed up the pace. There was so much about the different comic books and characters and Phantasm's exploits that I had to force myself to read. But on a lighter note, I did really enjoy Sam and Sarah's story.
3.5 stars for The Secret Life of Sam Holloway. I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars for The Secret Life of Sam Holloway. I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 21, 2019
Sam is a lonely character, with friends that are as nerdy as he is. Sam lives alone with many secrets, and a few obsessions, when he meets Sarah. Sarah has just moved to town , know nobody, but becomes close to Sam. The quirky characters were interesting, and the story unique, but it wasn’t one of my favorites. I liked the concept of goodness in some people, meant to help others.
February 17, 2020
3.5 starts.
Interesting perspective into the life of someone with such severe mental health concerns. Him and Sarah struggle with things that many of us can’t comprehend, hard to read at times because it’s so real for a lot of people. Wish that the book would have touched a bit more on Sam getting help or at least trying it.
Interesting perspective into the life of someone with such severe mental health concerns. Him and Sarah struggle with things that many of us can’t comprehend, hard to read at times because it’s so real for a lot of people. Wish that the book would have touched a bit more on Sam getting help or at least trying it.
February 20, 2023
What happens when someone creates another identity to deal with the chaos outside of their life? This is the tale of someone who needed structure and to be the hero he could not be when tragedy struck. It’s how to navigate pain, loss, and grief over the choices we make and those we had no control over.
January 13, 2020
Not quite three stars. The characters were leaning towards flat, the superhero parts read like child's play (as if Sam was mentally juvenile instead of dealing with grief), and the stereotypical ending was stale.
September 28, 2020
I didn't hate it. It felt predictable and a little bloated, but after a while I got attached to the characters and was rooting for Sam by the end. Could have been a novella, but it held space between books.
May 30, 2021
This novel does a great job of expressing the experience of grief, from the lonely nights to the catharsis of moving on. The only things I didn't like were the girl because I feel like she brought nothing but sadness as well as the ending, but that's just a personal preference.
Read
February 5, 2023Another non-review. I'm not into anti-heros and that's what Sam is at the beginning, in addition to being delusional. I simply didn't want to put in the time for a protagonist I didn't care for. No doubt he's sterling by the end. I didn't want to wade through the process.
April 30, 2023
Great and unique story about family, loss, love, trust and secrets. Sam is a heartwarming character and easy to feel empathy for. This is acceptable for any reader over 14 (some reference to drugs and sexual relationships but only in the most generic sense).
Read
September 1, 2019Categories
Romance, Superheroes, Family Life Fiction, Literary Fiction
Romance, Superheroes, Family Life Fiction, Literary Fiction
November 8, 2019
Sweet book. Drags on at times, but you can't help but like the main character.
December 8, 2019
Very light, sweet book with minor drama. A good foil to the other book I read this weekend that made me mourn for humankind.
December 28, 2019
Slow to start, but this is a great read for fans of Graeme Simsion or Fredrik Backman.
January 3, 2020
Young superhero torn by love.
January 16, 2020
It took me a while to get through this, because I always expected things to go badly. That made me kind of anxious...
January 18, 2020
I tried to read this twice and couldn’t get into it. Ended up listening to the audiobook and liked it much better.
February 3, 2020
Very interesting Read this book very quickly.
March 4, 2020
Exquisite, heartening, tender, and real.
March 15, 2020
I just love "misfit" stories that make you laugh and cry at the same time. A pure delight.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews