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Another Life
Can you ever forget the one that got away?
Another Life tells the story of responsible 22 year-old Nick, who falls in love with passionate Anna (19) over the course of one hot summer. When Anna’s strict religion seeks to divide them, Nick is too scared to fight back and lets her go. Anna is drawn back into Nick’s life years later, and Nick must choose between finding his courage or forgetting about his one that got away.
Woven into this love story is also Nick’s tender, tragic relationship with his impulsive younger brother, Sal. We witness their coming-of-age through Nick’s eyes, as they navigate love, grief, and a tense relationship with their ex-army dad from the mid-1980s to the present day.
This is a story that comments on what it means to love and lose, and ultimately, how to live a courageous life on your own terms.
Another Life tells the story of responsible 22 year-old Nick, who falls in love with passionate Anna (19) over the course of one hot summer. When Anna’s strict religion seeks to divide them, Nick is too scared to fight back and lets her go. Anna is drawn back into Nick’s life years later, and Nick must choose between finding his courage or forgetting about his one that got away.
Woven into this love story is also Nick’s tender, tragic relationship with his impulsive younger brother, Sal. We witness their coming-of-age through Nick’s eyes, as they navigate love, grief, and a tense relationship with their ex-army dad from the mid-1980s to the present day.
This is a story that comments on what it means to love and lose, and ultimately, how to live a courageous life on your own terms.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2021
174 people are currently reading
5763 people want to read
About the author
Jodie Chapman
3 books106 followersBorn and raised in England, Jodie spent a decade as a photographer before returning to her first love of writing. She lives in Kent with her husband and three sons.
Instagram: @jodiechapman
Twitter: @jodiechapman
Instagram: @jodiechapman
Twitter: @jodiechapman
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews
June 2, 2021
Another Life, oh my word, it is outstanding. I cannot put into words the emotion this book brought out in me. It set a whole new record of breaking me in just 9 pages!
Essentially, Another Life is a love story, but not the conventional kind. There’s no “fall in love & happy every after”. Oh no. We all know life gets in the way too often to allow that to happen!
It’s a rollercoaster of pure, raw emotion. It will break your heart, but you will be so in awe of the beautiful writing that you won’t mind! Without a doubt, this will be one of my books of the year. I absolutely adored it.
Essentially, Another Life is a love story, but not the conventional kind. There’s no “fall in love & happy every after”. Oh no. We all know life gets in the way too often to allow that to happen!
It’s a rollercoaster of pure, raw emotion. It will break your heart, but you will be so in awe of the beautiful writing that you won’t mind! Without a doubt, this will be one of my books of the year. I absolutely adored it.
March 30, 2021
Jodie Chapman’s all-consuming debut explores love, family and boundaries in an epic novel full of surprises that plays out over the course of four decades. Sensible twenty-two-year-old, Nick Mendoza, meets enigmatic nineteen-year-old Anna when he takes a job at his local cinema in Ashford and strikes up an immediate connection with his self-contained co-worker. Spending nearly all of their free time together for the month prior to the return of Anna’s on hold boyfriend, during the scorching summer of 2003, their romance has a depth that transcends pure physical attraction. The stumbling block to their burgeoning romance is Anna’s strictly religious family of Jehovah’s Witnesses and an upbringing that restricts her lifestyle choices. An unmarried relationship with a non-believer is certainly not on the cards and Nick does not stand in the way of Anna following her preordained path and accepts her decision without protest.
The story is told from the perspective of down to earth Nick and there is a lovely understatedness and absence of self-pity to his narrative even in the toughest of circumstances. There is no question that when they part after a heady summer together both Nick and Anna’s heartfelt feelings for one other are unchanged despite their acceptance of the status quo. The novel opens in 2018 and travels back and forth in time from late 1980s to 2020, providing snapshots of Nick’s life and Anna’s circumstances. Despite the back and forth narrative the novel is entirely coherent and intuitively reads well, possibly because the relationship at issue is the linchpin of the entire novel and focal point. Nick’s family life is also a big part of the novel with the tragic death of his mother in childhood paving the way for yet more tragedy to come with Nick also acting as a buffer between his uncompromising ex-army father and his sensitive younger brother, Sal.
Characterised by three incredibly well-drawn characters in Nick, Anna and Sal, I was invested in their lives right from the off primarily because of how realistically flawed and relatable they were. Nick’s failures to communicate and Anna’s prickly exterior both get in the way of their love and yet Chapman’s superb characterisation makes their behaviour understandable and fully conceivable. Not every moment of the story is high drama and this adds to the credibility of Nick and Anna’s winding paths and is part of what makes their individual journeys feel so real. Their coming-of-age has the emotional intensity that made Normal People so mesmerising but as Another Life unfolds, and the characters mature, it throws more adult complications into both Anna and Nick’s lives that change their family circumstances and priorities and give the novel a far more rounded feel.
A thoughtful novel with tremendous scope that tackles love and grief and a poignant story about the experiences that give each of us the courage to live life on our own terms.
The story is told from the perspective of down to earth Nick and there is a lovely understatedness and absence of self-pity to his narrative even in the toughest of circumstances. There is no question that when they part after a heady summer together both Nick and Anna’s heartfelt feelings for one other are unchanged despite their acceptance of the status quo. The novel opens in 2018 and travels back and forth in time from late 1980s to 2020, providing snapshots of Nick’s life and Anna’s circumstances. Despite the back and forth narrative the novel is entirely coherent and intuitively reads well, possibly because the relationship at issue is the linchpin of the entire novel and focal point. Nick’s family life is also a big part of the novel with the tragic death of his mother in childhood paving the way for yet more tragedy to come with Nick also acting as a buffer between his uncompromising ex-army father and his sensitive younger brother, Sal.
Characterised by three incredibly well-drawn characters in Nick, Anna and Sal, I was invested in their lives right from the off primarily because of how realistically flawed and relatable they were. Nick’s failures to communicate and Anna’s prickly exterior both get in the way of their love and yet Chapman’s superb characterisation makes their behaviour understandable and fully conceivable. Not every moment of the story is high drama and this adds to the credibility of Nick and Anna’s winding paths and is part of what makes their individual journeys feel so real. Their coming-of-age has the emotional intensity that made Normal People so mesmerising but as Another Life unfolds, and the characters mature, it throws more adult complications into both Anna and Nick’s lives that change their family circumstances and priorities and give the novel a far more rounded feel.
A thoughtful novel with tremendous scope that tackles love and grief and a poignant story about the experiences that give each of us the courage to live life on our own terms.
January 17, 2022
Mi mejor lectura del año hasta la fecha. Una historia que parece solo de amor, pero que es en realidad sobre muchos amores, sobre relaciones familiares complejas, sobre duelo, pérdida y esperanza. Me ha fascinado la estructura, los personajes (tampoco los protagonistas como los secundarios) y el lenguaje, tan sencillo y que consigue transmitir tanto a la vez. Una auténtica maravilla.
April 25, 2021
#AnotherLife
By Jodie Chapman
This is not just another love story. This is another life.
When Nick and teenager Anna both start work at the local cinema, their love affair that follows is emotionally intense and a one they will never forget. Both of them are from entirely different backgrounds; in particular Anna is from a religious ‘cult’ (which the reader correctly interprets as Jehovah Witnesses) - so will this serve as a wedge between them and pull them apart? Or can Nick adapt and be the person Anna requires?
“Another Life” is an intricate and heart breaking story about love and is also a superb coming of age novel, that asks “can you ever forget the one that got away?” As soon as I started reading this book, I felt like it had got right under my skin and buried itself deep. I was addicted and found in between reads, I couldn’t stop thinking about Nick and Anna and how their relationship would pan out. Apart from their personal storyline, we also see into Nick’s childhood and the story surrounding his absent mother and the current timeline featuring his brother Sal. Switching between various timelines, we are shown how differing emotions affect each of the characters and the domino effect it has on their friends and family.
“Another Life” is Jodie Chapman’s first novel and she freely admits that Anna’s character is based on her own real life experiences and emotions as a former Jehovah Witness and how she struggled herself with the faith. Featuring grief, faith and religion, suicide, emotional abuse and fear of commitment, the author has conveyed these intense emotions delicately and with empathy.
You can find more about the author and how to purchase the book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/317/3...
Thank you to Ella Watkins for inviting me on Another Life’s #BlogTour and to Michael Joseph for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Miriam Smith - A Mother’s Musings
By Jodie Chapman
This is not just another love story. This is another life.
When Nick and teenager Anna both start work at the local cinema, their love affair that follows is emotionally intense and a one they will never forget. Both of them are from entirely different backgrounds; in particular Anna is from a religious ‘cult’ (which the reader correctly interprets as Jehovah Witnesses) - so will this serve as a wedge between them and pull them apart? Or can Nick adapt and be the person Anna requires?
“Another Life” is an intricate and heart breaking story about love and is also a superb coming of age novel, that asks “can you ever forget the one that got away?” As soon as I started reading this book, I felt like it had got right under my skin and buried itself deep. I was addicted and found in between reads, I couldn’t stop thinking about Nick and Anna and how their relationship would pan out. Apart from their personal storyline, we also see into Nick’s childhood and the story surrounding his absent mother and the current timeline featuring his brother Sal. Switching between various timelines, we are shown how differing emotions affect each of the characters and the domino effect it has on their friends and family.
“Another Life” is Jodie Chapman’s first novel and she freely admits that Anna’s character is based on her own real life experiences and emotions as a former Jehovah Witness and how she struggled herself with the faith. Featuring grief, faith and religion, suicide, emotional abuse and fear of commitment, the author has conveyed these intense emotions delicately and with empathy.
You can find more about the author and how to purchase the book here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/317/3...
Thank you to Ella Watkins for inviting me on Another Life’s #BlogTour and to Michael Joseph for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Miriam Smith - A Mother’s Musings
July 16, 2021
Love finding random books from the library, picking them up knowing absolutely nothing about then and them turning out to be some of the best books I read. Adored this book. Full review to come.
October 28, 2021
4,5. Bellísima narración y personajes muy potentes. Saltos temporales que van rellenando los huecos y respondiendo a preguntas porque este libro tiene drama, conversaciones muy reflexivas, dolor y esperanza. Un continuo plantearse el sentido de la vida, perseguir la felicidad y madurar a marchas forzadas.
Recuerdos, presente y grandes giros que te dejan sin aliento. Me ha gustado muchísimo!!
Recuerdos, presente y grandes giros que te dejan sin aliento. Me ha gustado muchísimo!!
November 28, 2022
“Love story” na jakie zasługujemy. Powieść o miłości, która nie jest łaskawa, a bolesna i pozostawia po sobie zgliszcza. Trudno się oderwać od tej wspaniale napisanej powieści.
---
Choć nic nie zapowiadało, że książka o nieszczęśliwej, heteryckiej miłości może mi się spodobać, przepadłem na dwa dni w lekturze. Bo jest w powieści Chapman coś niesamowicie przyciągającego, sprawiającego, że czytelnik chce poznać ciąg dalszy tej trochę nostalgicznej, smutnej i uważnie eksplorującej odcienie miłości, książki.
Chapman w "Innym życiu" (tłum. Szymon Żuchowski) niezwykle sprawnie łączy przejmującą opowieść o dojrzewaniu, klasyczną "love story" w typie nowoczesnego "Romea i Julii".
Jest to książka, która pokazuje dlaczego co roku dostajemy kilkanaście świetnych debiutów z amerykańskiego rynku książki - widać tu przemyślaną konstrukcję, skupienie uwagi czytelnika na dramacie rozgrywającym się między trójką głównych bohaterów, świetnie pomyślane postaci drugoplanowe i nieprzegadane tło społeczne. Gdyby chcieć szukać wzorców tego, jak napisać dzisiaj powieść obyczajową, w której pozornie zużyte motywy mogą zyskać nowe życie, książkę Chapman można traktować jak podręcznik pisania.
- W Wigilię rano mój młodszy brat wyskoczył z okna swojego mieszkania na Manhattanie - przyznajcie, że to niezłe zdanie na początek opowieści. Chapman otwiera powieść zdecydowanie i mocno, by powoli przejść do wspomnień narratora i pewnego upalnego lata, piętnaście lat wcześniej.
Nick i Anna pracują w lokalnym kinie i dość szybko zakochują się w sobie. I choć jest to miłość całkiem namiętna, Anna wyraźnie obawia się w pełni pójść za głosem serca, a blokuje ją oczywiście religia - “Anna wyznawała jedną z tych religii, które gardzą wszystkim, co normalne. Boże Narodzenie, urodziny, upijanie się, seks przed ślubem: mowy nie ma”. Nick czasem znajdował na wycieraczce ulotki zostawiane przez Annę i jej poprzedniego chłopaka.
Zatem mamy konflikt idei i wartości, dorastania, a w tle spory rodzinne, rozwody, przemoc domową i całkiem sympatycznego, młodszego brata Nicka, o imieniu Sal. Wszystkie wątki krążą wokół miłości lub jej braku - miłości ojcowskiej, matczynej, zastępczej, młodzieńczej, erotycznej, jednorazowej, na całe życie. Chapman bardzo sprawnie w tym wszystkim się odnajduje, metoda retrospekcji ułatwia jej prowadzenie narracji tak, by nie zamęczyć czytelnika, a jednocześnie wciąż angażować go w odkrywanie historii Anny i Nicka, którzy po latach znowu będą mieli okazję być blisko siebie. Co z tego wyniknie? To już Państwo sobie doczytają.
Miłość u Chapman nie jest łaskawa. Jest połączona z żalem, bólem, poczuciem winy. To czyni “Inne życie” powieścią nie tylko realistyczną, ale i dużo bardziej skomplikowaną, niż by się to wydawało z samego opisu akcji. Na innym planie jest to też powieść o tym, czy sposoby tworzenia relacji zmieniły się na przestrzeni ostatnich kilku dekad - Nick zdaje sobie sprawę z patriarchatu, w którym wyrastał i próbuje jakoś inaczej budować swój związek. To, że mu się to nie uda nie jest niczyją winą.
Naprawdę nie mogłem się od tej historii oderwać.
---
Za recenzje otrzymałem wynagrodzenie i znajdziecie jej fragment na wyklejce książki wydanej przez Echa i przełożonej przez Szymona Żuchowskiego. Błędny jest tylko podpis pod tekstem, bo z agorowymi "Ksiażkami" od niemal dwóch lat nie współpracuję.
---
Choć nic nie zapowiadało, że książka o nieszczęśliwej, heteryckiej miłości może mi się spodobać, przepadłem na dwa dni w lekturze. Bo jest w powieści Chapman coś niesamowicie przyciągającego, sprawiającego, że czytelnik chce poznać ciąg dalszy tej trochę nostalgicznej, smutnej i uważnie eksplorującej odcienie miłości, książki.
Chapman w "Innym życiu" (tłum. Szymon Żuchowski) niezwykle sprawnie łączy przejmującą opowieść o dojrzewaniu, klasyczną "love story" w typie nowoczesnego "Romea i Julii".
Jest to książka, która pokazuje dlaczego co roku dostajemy kilkanaście świetnych debiutów z amerykańskiego rynku książki - widać tu przemyślaną konstrukcję, skupienie uwagi czytelnika na dramacie rozgrywającym się między trójką głównych bohaterów, świetnie pomyślane postaci drugoplanowe i nieprzegadane tło społeczne. Gdyby chcieć szukać wzorców tego, jak napisać dzisiaj powieść obyczajową, w której pozornie zużyte motywy mogą zyskać nowe życie, książkę Chapman można traktować jak podręcznik pisania.
- W Wigilię rano mój młodszy brat wyskoczył z okna swojego mieszkania na Manhattanie - przyznajcie, że to niezłe zdanie na początek opowieści. Chapman otwiera powieść zdecydowanie i mocno, by powoli przejść do wspomnień narratora i pewnego upalnego lata, piętnaście lat wcześniej.
Nick i Anna pracują w lokalnym kinie i dość szybko zakochują się w sobie. I choć jest to miłość całkiem namiętna, Anna wyraźnie obawia się w pełni pójść za głosem serca, a blokuje ją oczywiście religia - “Anna wyznawała jedną z tych religii, które gardzą wszystkim, co normalne. Boże Narodzenie, urodziny, upijanie się, seks przed ślubem: mowy nie ma”. Nick czasem znajdował na wycieraczce ulotki zostawiane przez Annę i jej poprzedniego chłopaka.
Zatem mamy konflikt idei i wartości, dorastania, a w tle spory rodzinne, rozwody, przemoc domową i całkiem sympatycznego, młodszego brata Nicka, o imieniu Sal. Wszystkie wątki krążą wokół miłości lub jej braku - miłości ojcowskiej, matczynej, zastępczej, młodzieńczej, erotycznej, jednorazowej, na całe życie. Chapman bardzo sprawnie w tym wszystkim się odnajduje, metoda retrospekcji ułatwia jej prowadzenie narracji tak, by nie zamęczyć czytelnika, a jednocześnie wciąż angażować go w odkrywanie historii Anny i Nicka, którzy po latach znowu będą mieli okazję być blisko siebie. Co z tego wyniknie? To już Państwo sobie doczytają.
Miłość u Chapman nie jest łaskawa. Jest połączona z żalem, bólem, poczuciem winy. To czyni “Inne życie” powieścią nie tylko realistyczną, ale i dużo bardziej skomplikowaną, niż by się to wydawało z samego opisu akcji. Na innym planie jest to też powieść o tym, czy sposoby tworzenia relacji zmieniły się na przestrzeni ostatnich kilku dekad - Nick zdaje sobie sprawę z patriarchatu, w którym wyrastał i próbuje jakoś inaczej budować swój związek. To, że mu się to nie uda nie jest niczyją winą.
Naprawdę nie mogłem się od tej historii oderwać.
---
Za recenzje otrzymałem wynagrodzenie i znajdziecie jej fragment na wyklejce książki wydanej przez Echa i przełożonej przez Szymona Żuchowskiego. Błędny jest tylko podpis pod tekstem, bo z agorowymi "Ksiażkami" od niemal dwóch lat nie współpracuję.
April 16, 2022
Para mí, ha ido de menos a más. Tardé en entrar en la lectura, y mira que la narración es excelente, fluida y directa. Historia de vida, de amor, de familia, de padres y abuelos (sí, aquellos que nos marcan de por vida), de renacer, de religión y de tantos otros temas que nos acompañan durante nuestro crecimiento. Un libro precioso, lleno de sentimientos y de varios personajes que aportan algo en la lectura, no sobra ni uno. Super apto si eres fan del Arsenal ;-)
September 20, 2021
2.5 stars overall. I so wanted to enjoy this book after the good reviews on Between the Covers. I struggled with it and found it in turns depressing and annoying. There were too many occasions where the estranged main characters ‘just happened’ to bump into each other again. I wasn’t overly keen on any of the characters and there were so many family tragedies. It started well but by about mid-way through, I was finding it all a bit of a drag. Didn’t really think much of the poems or addition of emails either.
December 29, 2021
Este libro va de cabeza a uno de mis favoritos de este año.
Una manera de narrar con muchísima calidad, unos personajes fieles a sí mismos a pesar de las dudas, reflexiones sobre la vida, trayectos hacia la madurez, recuerdos, vivencias, reencuentros... Tiene tanto que ofrecer y lo hace de una manera tan buena que te introduces en las vidas de los personajes casi como si fuesen tus conocidos de toda la vida.
Dividida en seis partes que nos cuentan seis etapas en la vida de Nick, pero con diversos saltos en el tiempo que consiguen crear un retrato impresionante del personaje.
Y a pesar de que el libro se basa sobre todo en los personajes de Nick y Anna y en cómo transcurren sus vidas, no estamos ante una historia de amor, si no ante una historia sobre el amor. Porque hay amor romántico, por supuesto, pero también amistoso y familiar, en el que hay momentos felices pero también tragedias, problemas, ausencias y todo lo que puede contener la vida.
Nick y Anna son de esas parejas que se conocen jóvenes y a los que les separan más cosas de los que las unen. Parece que para ellos nunca es el momento adecuado para estar juntos pero el amor siempre ronda en torno a ellos.
¿Tendrá más fuerza ese primer amor que se vive con gran intensidad o las diferencias e inconvenientes que lleva cada persona en su propia mochila?
Una manera de narrar con muchísima calidad, unos personajes fieles a sí mismos a pesar de las dudas, reflexiones sobre la vida, trayectos hacia la madurez, recuerdos, vivencias, reencuentros... Tiene tanto que ofrecer y lo hace de una manera tan buena que te introduces en las vidas de los personajes casi como si fuesen tus conocidos de toda la vida.
Dividida en seis partes que nos cuentan seis etapas en la vida de Nick, pero con diversos saltos en el tiempo que consiguen crear un retrato impresionante del personaje.
Y a pesar de que el libro se basa sobre todo en los personajes de Nick y Anna y en cómo transcurren sus vidas, no estamos ante una historia de amor, si no ante una historia sobre el amor. Porque hay amor romántico, por supuesto, pero también amistoso y familiar, en el que hay momentos felices pero también tragedias, problemas, ausencias y todo lo que puede contener la vida.
Nick y Anna son de esas parejas que se conocen jóvenes y a los que les separan más cosas de los que las unen. Parece que para ellos nunca es el momento adecuado para estar juntos pero el amor siempre ronda en torno a ellos.
¿Tendrá más fuerza ese primer amor que se vive con gran intensidad o las diferencias e inconvenientes que lleva cada persona en su propia mochila?
March 16, 2025
I wanted to like this more than I did.
December 26, 2021
El inicio fue muy bueno. Después se me fue diluyendo un poco y hubo partes en que no me convencía para nada. Pero no estuvo mal.
February 2, 2022
Me costó mucho la lectura. Nick me enloqueció con su hermetismo y me angustió tanto drama. Pero es una historia redonda, donde todo finalmente se logra comprender.
July 15, 2021
Un tempo ti conoscevo d’estate ed era la cosa più dolce
Questo non è un romanzo facile e certo non racconta una storia di cui ci si innamori a prima vista, una di quelle storie che ti fanno galoppare il cuore fin dall'inizio. Diciamo che richiede pazienza per poter essere poi premiati.
In effetti, la sensazione che ho avuto durante la lettura, quanto meno nella prima parte, è stata quella di un forte straniamento. Le vicende partono spezzettate, si continua a saltare dal presente al 2003 e poi agli anni '90 e poi ancora al presente, per cui bisogna utilizzare una certa pervicacia nel rimanere ancorati a Nick e alla sua famiglia, comprendendo il corretto svolgimento degli eventi.
Tutto questo finché la storia non mi ha portato a riflettere sul titolo, su quegli "esercizi di ricostruzione" che i personaggi sono costretti a fare su stessi, e allora mi è arrivata come un'illuminazione.
Quella dei fratelli Mendoza è una famiglia sui generis, i cui membri sono legati dall'affetto, ma anche dall'egoismo delle proprie personalità: la madre è quasi soverchiata da un marito che persegue i propri interessi, Sal è acerbo e impulsivo, Nick fatica a esternare le proprie emozioni, però nessuno è davvero una cattiva persona. Questo va detto: tutti i personaggi hanno difetti banali, se vogliamo, senza una connotazione veramente negativa.
L'unico vero nemico qui, l'unico vero ostacolo alla serenità, è il destino, la banalità della disgrazia, la malattia, la depressione che può colpire chiunque, la mancanza di un vero sogno da perseguire, il possedere doti che ci fanno rimanere nella media collettiva, senza mai farci emergere.
E perciò la vita di Nick è un continuo assorbire i colpi, assestarsi e ripartire; tanto che non possiamo fargliene una colpa, se poi lui stesso non riesce a decidersi, se trascina relazioni in cui non crede, se si lascia sfuggire i rari colpi di fortuna...
L'estate del 2003 è una sorta di crocevia, un punto di svolta tra ciò che è stato prima e ciò che sarà dopo: in quell'unica stagione di giovinezza Nick ha conosciuto Anna, una ragazza che tenta di dividersi tra la quotidianità e gli obblighi derivanti dalla propria dimensione religiosa familiare. C'è un'influenza autobiografica in Anna e infatti anche lei è un'altra anima lacerata, una che sta tentando disperatamente di trovare un baricentro.
La vita, dopo, tornò alla normalità. Non fu così difficile, in fondo ci eravamo visti solo per l’estate. Una sola estate. Saranno novanta giorni sugli ottomila e qualcosa che ho vissuto.
Novanta giorni equivale all’uno per cento della mia vita. Si dovrebbe notarli a stento.
Ricostruirsi non è facile: ci vogliono anni, ci vogliono decenni. La Chapman, forse, vuole suggerirci proprio questo: la nostra esistenza non è che il risultato di tanti eventi, incontri, sciagure, passioni, che ci hanno segnato.
Basta una parola non detta, una decisione non presa, una porta non dimenticata aperta oppure non essersi voltati in tempo per cambiare in un soffio la combinazione e farci ritrovare in un punto piuttosto che in un altro.
Anna e Nick lo imparano sulla loro pelle, noi li leggiamo e ci riflettiamo sopra.
Sono quattrocento pagine che vanno lette sino in fondo, proprio perché il finale è la somma di tutto ciò che è stato. E, a intervalli, troverete dei bellissimi sprazzi di poesia.
Ma non puoi negare di avermi dato la tua lingua
La carne morbida che leggo come il braille
I fiori stanno per morire e forse non sbocceranno più
Dio, odio l’inverno Ma una speranza c’è
Non ti ho mai conosciuto in primavera
Questo non è un romanzo facile e certo non racconta una storia di cui ci si innamori a prima vista, una di quelle storie che ti fanno galoppare il cuore fin dall'inizio. Diciamo che richiede pazienza per poter essere poi premiati.
In effetti, la sensazione che ho avuto durante la lettura, quanto meno nella prima parte, è stata quella di un forte straniamento. Le vicende partono spezzettate, si continua a saltare dal presente al 2003 e poi agli anni '90 e poi ancora al presente, per cui bisogna utilizzare una certa pervicacia nel rimanere ancorati a Nick e alla sua famiglia, comprendendo il corretto svolgimento degli eventi.
Tutto questo finché la storia non mi ha portato a riflettere sul titolo, su quegli "esercizi di ricostruzione" che i personaggi sono costretti a fare su stessi, e allora mi è arrivata come un'illuminazione.
Quella dei fratelli Mendoza è una famiglia sui generis, i cui membri sono legati dall'affetto, ma anche dall'egoismo delle proprie personalità: la madre è quasi soverchiata da un marito che persegue i propri interessi, Sal è acerbo e impulsivo, Nick fatica a esternare le proprie emozioni, però nessuno è davvero una cattiva persona. Questo va detto: tutti i personaggi hanno difetti banali, se vogliamo, senza una connotazione veramente negativa.
L'unico vero nemico qui, l'unico vero ostacolo alla serenità, è il destino, la banalità della disgrazia, la malattia, la depressione che può colpire chiunque, la mancanza di un vero sogno da perseguire, il possedere doti che ci fanno rimanere nella media collettiva, senza mai farci emergere.
E perciò la vita di Nick è un continuo assorbire i colpi, assestarsi e ripartire; tanto che non possiamo fargliene una colpa, se poi lui stesso non riesce a decidersi, se trascina relazioni in cui non crede, se si lascia sfuggire i rari colpi di fortuna...
L'estate del 2003 è una sorta di crocevia, un punto di svolta tra ciò che è stato prima e ciò che sarà dopo: in quell'unica stagione di giovinezza Nick ha conosciuto Anna, una ragazza che tenta di dividersi tra la quotidianità e gli obblighi derivanti dalla propria dimensione religiosa familiare. C'è un'influenza autobiografica in Anna e infatti anche lei è un'altra anima lacerata, una che sta tentando disperatamente di trovare un baricentro.
La vita, dopo, tornò alla normalità. Non fu così difficile, in fondo ci eravamo visti solo per l’estate. Una sola estate. Saranno novanta giorni sugli ottomila e qualcosa che ho vissuto.
Novanta giorni equivale all’uno per cento della mia vita. Si dovrebbe notarli a stento.
Ricostruirsi non è facile: ci vogliono anni, ci vogliono decenni. La Chapman, forse, vuole suggerirci proprio questo: la nostra esistenza non è che il risultato di tanti eventi, incontri, sciagure, passioni, che ci hanno segnato.
Basta una parola non detta, una decisione non presa, una porta non dimenticata aperta oppure non essersi voltati in tempo per cambiare in un soffio la combinazione e farci ritrovare in un punto piuttosto che in un altro.
Anna e Nick lo imparano sulla loro pelle, noi li leggiamo e ci riflettiamo sopra.
Sono quattrocento pagine che vanno lette sino in fondo, proprio perché il finale è la somma di tutto ciò che è stato. E, a intervalli, troverete dei bellissimi sprazzi di poesia.
Ma non puoi negare di avermi dato la tua lingua
La carne morbida che leggo come il braille
I fiori stanno per morire e forse non sbocceranno più
Dio, odio l’inverno Ma una speranza c’è
Non ti ho mai conosciuto in primavera
December 21, 2021
Ugh. This was frustrating. I had such high hopes but it just didn’t deliver. I kept wondering when it would make sense and when it would become a story that I cared about… the answer is never.
On one hand I feel like the marketing team should be praised for getting this book to be included in so many lists, which is probably how I found it. On other, they deserve every expletive I can think of for comparing this pile of nonsense to One Day or The Time Traveler’s Wife
On one hand I feel like the marketing team should be praised for getting this book to be included in so many lists, which is probably how I found it. On other, they deserve every expletive I can think of for comparing this pile of nonsense to One Day or The Time Traveler’s Wife
September 20, 2021
I am definitely too old for such a long book of navel gazing by such tedious and annoying characters. Couldn’t wait for the freedom of finishing it. I learnt nothing I didn’t know about the human condition or the Jehova Witnesses.
The book is as dull as the town it is largely set in, Ashford, a town I have the misfortune to know and always try to avoid.
The book is as dull as the town it is largely set in, Ashford, a town I have the misfortune to know and always try to avoid.
April 19, 2021
I really enjoyed following Nick and Anna on their journeys both separately and together. The ultimate love story with many twists and turns in the road along the way.
This is not just a love story, it is so much more. It’s friendship, it’s family, it’s pain and it’s love. It’s written seamlessly from multiple points in time and from Nicks point of view.
It had a great pace and kept me hooked from the beginning. The language and narrative was comfortable and relatable.
This is not just a love story, it is so much more. It’s friendship, it’s family, it’s pain and it’s love. It’s written seamlessly from multiple points in time and from Nicks point of view.
It had a great pace and kept me hooked from the beginning. The language and narrative was comfortable and relatable.
May 8, 2024
ugh the rollercoaster of emotions was real with this one.
January 6, 2023
Czym jest "Inne życie"? Jest tęsknotą, miłością, trudną relacją. Jest ciekawym spostrzeżeniem świata, walką o siebie i ze sobą. To w końcu skomplikowane ludzkie słabości i uniesienia. To jest życie.
Jodie Chapman stworzyła bardzo ciekawą fabułę. To dobrze napisana powieść, która przyciąga uwagę czytelnika. Historia dla tych co lubią się zagłębić w miłości Romea i Julii. Czy z innym zakończeniem? To jest do odkrycia. Jednak autorka nie skupia się tylko na miłości partnerskiej. W tej książce są też relacje rodzinne, będące poszukiwaniem przeszłości i przyszłości. To co tu spotkamy wydaje się być banalne ale ta książka ma swoje drugie dno. Konflikt idei, wyznawanych wartości, doświadczanej wiary. Okres dorastania, skomplikowanej miłości ojcowskiej, braterskiej. To bardzo dobrze utkany misz masz emocji o przeróżnym podłożu. Smakuje i doświadcza.
Ja lubię takie historie. Lubię książki o życiu, które w końcu nie należy do łatwych i prostych jak ta droga ekspresowa. Są w niej dziury, kałuże, wyboje, raniące kamienie. Ja uwielbiam się w czymś takim zanurzyć, poczuć i kibicować tym, którzy są i których czuję.
Bardzo podobał mi się wątek brata (jak dla mnie bardzo ciekawa postać), relacji rodzinnych ( coś co pachnie tajemnicą). Niestety to główny bohater, dość zagubiony, pogmatwany choć pozornie stabilny, mnie irytował. Z jednej strony gdzieś tam w podświadomości rozumiem go ale drażni mnie jego obrany styl życia i wyborów jakich dokonuje.
Jestem bardzo zadowolona z lektury. Wywołała ona we mnie wiele sprzeczności i przyciągała. Dobrze napisana, świetnie poprowadzone wszystkie wątki, bardzo realistyczni bohaterowie. Lubię to.
Jodie Chapman stworzyła bardzo ciekawą fabułę. To dobrze napisana powieść, która przyciąga uwagę czytelnika. Historia dla tych co lubią się zagłębić w miłości Romea i Julii. Czy z innym zakończeniem? To jest do odkrycia. Jednak autorka nie skupia się tylko na miłości partnerskiej. W tej książce są też relacje rodzinne, będące poszukiwaniem przeszłości i przyszłości. To co tu spotkamy wydaje się być banalne ale ta książka ma swoje drugie dno. Konflikt idei, wyznawanych wartości, doświadczanej wiary. Okres dorastania, skomplikowanej miłości ojcowskiej, braterskiej. To bardzo dobrze utkany misz masz emocji o przeróżnym podłożu. Smakuje i doświadcza.
Ja lubię takie historie. Lubię książki o życiu, które w końcu nie należy do łatwych i prostych jak ta droga ekspresowa. Są w niej dziury, kałuże, wyboje, raniące kamienie. Ja uwielbiam się w czymś takim zanurzyć, poczuć i kibicować tym, którzy są i których czuję.
Bardzo podobał mi się wątek brata (jak dla mnie bardzo ciekawa postać), relacji rodzinnych ( coś co pachnie tajemnicą). Niestety to główny bohater, dość zagubiony, pogmatwany choć pozornie stabilny, mnie irytował. Z jednej strony gdzieś tam w podświadomości rozumiem go ale drażni mnie jego obrany styl życia i wyborów jakich dokonuje.
Jestem bardzo zadowolona z lektury. Wywołała ona we mnie wiele sprzeczności i przyciągała. Dobrze napisana, świetnie poprowadzone wszystkie wątki, bardzo realistyczni bohaterowie. Lubię to.
March 24, 2022
Me ha gustado mucho. Me han cautivado muchas cosas: la estructura con diferentes líneas temporales que hacen que todo vaya encajando poco a poco, los personajes tan humanos y reales, la maravillosa pluma de la autora, que es reflexiva y profunda pero fluida y sencilla a la vez, y la gran cantidad de frases y reflexiones que ya me guardo para siempre. Aun así, creo que no es un libro para todo el mundo; la sinopsis puede dar la idea de que es una historia de amor, pero no es solo eso, va más allá. Es la historia de una persona, Nick, a lo largo de los años, en los que vemos cómo son sus relaciones familiares y amorosas, y cómo los sucesos que ocurren en su vida, repercuten en su forma de relacionarse con el mundo. Hay historia de amor, sí, pero está contada de manera muy muy sutil y solo es una más de las muchas otras que aparecen en la novela y que, en su mayoría, tratan el amor familiar y su complejidad. "Otra vida" es una novela en la que parece que no suceden muchas cosas pero en la que, en realidad, lo que está sucediendo es LA VIDA. Increíble que esta sea la primera novela de la autora, porque el nivel está altísimo, no me quiero imaginar cómo serán las siguientes, pero sí sé que las querré leer.
March 19, 2023
Very good. A story of complicated love, complicated family, emotionally troubled people.
Nick and Anna fall in love one hot summer in 2003 when they are young, but it’s complicated by her religion as a Jehovah’s Witness and his emotionally scarred behaviour. Back in the 80s and 90s we uncover fragments of Nick’s life as a child, with a bastard of a dad and a mother who disappears - the truth is slowly revealed. In 2018, Nick’s younger brother Sal has attempted suicide and Nick flies to New York to care for him.
The story moves back and forth across all these timelines in Nick’s life, and his love for Anna, his mother and later Laura are all sensitively written, believably complex and compelling to read. Time after time Nick and Anna reconnect over the years, but will there ever be a right time for them to be together?
Nick and Anna fall in love one hot summer in 2003 when they are young, but it’s complicated by her religion as a Jehovah’s Witness and his emotionally scarred behaviour. Back in the 80s and 90s we uncover fragments of Nick’s life as a child, with a bastard of a dad and a mother who disappears - the truth is slowly revealed. In 2018, Nick’s younger brother Sal has attempted suicide and Nick flies to New York to care for him.
The story moves back and forth across all these timelines in Nick’s life, and his love for Anna, his mother and later Laura are all sensitively written, believably complex and compelling to read. Time after time Nick and Anna reconnect over the years, but will there ever be a right time for them to be together?
July 7, 2021
Quando mi è stato proposto di leggere questo romanzo, ho capito subito che la storia era intensa e coinvolgente, e leggendolo non solo ho avuto la conferma, ma ha superato la mia aspettativa.
Nick ha una vita difficile, una situazione familiare complicata. Il fratello Sal è un ragazzo fragile, segnato da un evento tragico che lo ha cambiato per sempre. Il padre ha un carattere difficile, l'incomprensione con i figli, specie con Sal è inevitabile a mio avviso. Eppure Nick trova la forza di proteggere il fratello, di dargli le attenzioni che merita. L'incontro con Anna darà un pò di luce alla sua vita, ma i problemi ci sono sin da dubito.
"Però le famiglie dovrebbero essere maneggiate con cura. Perchè, come so bene, hanno la tendenza a rompersi."
Anna viene da un mondo diverso, dove la religione sin da bambina la prepara alla fine del mondo, le impone tanti divieti, come il sesso prima del matrimonio, eppure quando incontra Nick e prova sentimenti forti che non ha mai provato per nessuno, quello che ha imparato entra in contrasto con ciò che prova. Sarà difficile per lei non cedere alla passione, limitarsi ad amarlo platonicamente. Nick ha tanta pazienza con lei, cerca di capirla eppure non riesce a compiere quell'unico passo che potrebbe risolvere i loro problemi.
"E poi si strinse a me e premette la bocca sulla mia, e io ero consapevole di giocare con il fuoco, ma a volte non riusciamo a resistere al calore."
Quando le loro vite si separano, ognuno prende la propria vita e continuano ad andare avanti. Per Nick sarà sempre più difficile, dovrà affrontare situazioni molto pesanti, un dolore che gli spezzerà il cuore. E, a distanza di anni, quando si ritroverà con Anna, tutto sarà ancora più complicato. Eppure l'amore, quello vero, resta dentro nonostante tutto.
Un romanzo che tiene incollato alle pagine dall'inizio alla fine. La storia di Nick e Sal, della loro situazione familiare, ci è resa chiara grazie a dei salti nel passato, dei flashback che l'autrice usa per farci comprendere gli eventi che hanno portato i due fratelli a vivere situazioni dolorose. E' una storia che entra piano piano sottopelle e ci coinvolge nella sofferenza dei protagonisti, in alcuni punti mi sono commossa, ho spesso avuto il magone. Con una scrittura fluida e d'impatto, l'autrice ci racconta una situazione familiare difficile, di legami forti ma dolorosi, di come l'amore può aiutare a rialzarsi. Mi sono affezionata ai personaggi, specialmente a Sal, è lui quello che mi ha spezzato il cuore. E adesso non posso che consigliarvi questa bellissima lettura.
Nick ha una vita difficile, una situazione familiare complicata. Il fratello Sal è un ragazzo fragile, segnato da un evento tragico che lo ha cambiato per sempre. Il padre ha un carattere difficile, l'incomprensione con i figli, specie con Sal è inevitabile a mio avviso. Eppure Nick trova la forza di proteggere il fratello, di dargli le attenzioni che merita. L'incontro con Anna darà un pò di luce alla sua vita, ma i problemi ci sono sin da dubito.
"Però le famiglie dovrebbero essere maneggiate con cura. Perchè, come so bene, hanno la tendenza a rompersi."
Anna viene da un mondo diverso, dove la religione sin da bambina la prepara alla fine del mondo, le impone tanti divieti, come il sesso prima del matrimonio, eppure quando incontra Nick e prova sentimenti forti che non ha mai provato per nessuno, quello che ha imparato entra in contrasto con ciò che prova. Sarà difficile per lei non cedere alla passione, limitarsi ad amarlo platonicamente. Nick ha tanta pazienza con lei, cerca di capirla eppure non riesce a compiere quell'unico passo che potrebbe risolvere i loro problemi.
"E poi si strinse a me e premette la bocca sulla mia, e io ero consapevole di giocare con il fuoco, ma a volte non riusciamo a resistere al calore."
Quando le loro vite si separano, ognuno prende la propria vita e continuano ad andare avanti. Per Nick sarà sempre più difficile, dovrà affrontare situazioni molto pesanti, un dolore che gli spezzerà il cuore. E, a distanza di anni, quando si ritroverà con Anna, tutto sarà ancora più complicato. Eppure l'amore, quello vero, resta dentro nonostante tutto.
Un romanzo che tiene incollato alle pagine dall'inizio alla fine. La storia di Nick e Sal, della loro situazione familiare, ci è resa chiara grazie a dei salti nel passato, dei flashback che l'autrice usa per farci comprendere gli eventi che hanno portato i due fratelli a vivere situazioni dolorose. E' una storia che entra piano piano sottopelle e ci coinvolge nella sofferenza dei protagonisti, in alcuni punti mi sono commossa, ho spesso avuto il magone. Con una scrittura fluida e d'impatto, l'autrice ci racconta una situazione familiare difficile, di legami forti ma dolorosi, di come l'amore può aiutare a rialzarsi. Mi sono affezionata ai personaggi, specialmente a Sal, è lui quello che mi ha spezzato il cuore. E adesso non posso che consigliarvi questa bellissima lettura.
February 1, 2023
"Cisza to też język. A ty po prostu masz nadzieję, że druga osoba też nim mówi."
Gorzej jeśli nie. Jeśli nie rozumie żadnego braku dźwięku. Jeszcze gorzej, gdy ta druga osoba do braku rozumienia tego języka ciszy się nie przyznaje.
Anna i Nick. Nick i Anna. Młodzi ludzie, których połączyło żarliwe uczucie. Takie, którego wcześniej nie doznali. Które nie zdarza się często. Wyjątkowe, niezwykłe, jedyne. Tych dwoje pochodzi jednak z różnych światów. Dosłownie, nie w przenośni. Każde z nich zostało ukształtowane przez środowisko, w którym dorastało. I tak, Anna, której życie zdominowane przez religię, zabraniającej wielu rzeczy, stara się wyzwolić spod zakazów. Nick natomiast wie, że małżeństwo nie jest dla niego. Można przecież życie razem bez wiążących ślubów składanych przed ołtarzem.
Połączeni uczuciem, rozdzieleni wizjami przyszłości rozstają się i wiodą osobne życie z nowymi partnerami. Tragedie życiowe i pogmatwane losy zakochanych sprawiają, że jest dane im spotkać się ponownie... Co z tego wyniknie?
INNE ŻYCIE opowiada o miłości dwojga młodych ludzi. Oboje wiedzą, czego chcą, ale miłość potrafi być trudna. Dla mnie to opowieść o ciszy, o niedopowiedzeniach, o niekompletnej komunikacji. Niby się znają, kochają, wiedzą, czego pragną, ale uczucie to za mało. Zabrakło wyznań. Zabrakło obietnic. Zabrakło chęci do zmian i kompromisów. Miłość zeszła na dalszy plan, a grać miała pierwsze skrzypce.
Ogromnie podobała mi się ta historia. Drażniło mnie poświęcenie Anny dla religii, ale rozumiałam, że tak została ukształtowana. Irytujące wybory lub braki wyborów sprawiały, że czytelnik wsiąkał wręcz w życie bohaterów. Nick wiele doświadczył i jego życie rodzinne nie należało do łatwych. Anna dotknięta ranami z poprzedniego związku też lekko nie miała. Dwoje zakochanych, szczęśliwych i zarazem nieszczęśliwych ludzi... piękna to opowieść o INNYM ŻYCIU, a jednak tak dobrze nam wszystkim znanym.
Gorzej jeśli nie. Jeśli nie rozumie żadnego braku dźwięku. Jeszcze gorzej, gdy ta druga osoba do braku rozumienia tego języka ciszy się nie przyznaje.
Anna i Nick. Nick i Anna. Młodzi ludzie, których połączyło żarliwe uczucie. Takie, którego wcześniej nie doznali. Które nie zdarza się często. Wyjątkowe, niezwykłe, jedyne. Tych dwoje pochodzi jednak z różnych światów. Dosłownie, nie w przenośni. Każde z nich zostało ukształtowane przez środowisko, w którym dorastało. I tak, Anna, której życie zdominowane przez religię, zabraniającej wielu rzeczy, stara się wyzwolić spod zakazów. Nick natomiast wie, że małżeństwo nie jest dla niego. Można przecież życie razem bez wiążących ślubów składanych przed ołtarzem.
Połączeni uczuciem, rozdzieleni wizjami przyszłości rozstają się i wiodą osobne życie z nowymi partnerami. Tragedie życiowe i pogmatwane losy zakochanych sprawiają, że jest dane im spotkać się ponownie... Co z tego wyniknie?
INNE ŻYCIE opowiada o miłości dwojga młodych ludzi. Oboje wiedzą, czego chcą, ale miłość potrafi być trudna. Dla mnie to opowieść o ciszy, o niedopowiedzeniach, o niekompletnej komunikacji. Niby się znają, kochają, wiedzą, czego pragną, ale uczucie to za mało. Zabrakło wyznań. Zabrakło obietnic. Zabrakło chęci do zmian i kompromisów. Miłość zeszła na dalszy plan, a grać miała pierwsze skrzypce.
Ogromnie podobała mi się ta historia. Drażniło mnie poświęcenie Anny dla religii, ale rozumiałam, że tak została ukształtowana. Irytujące wybory lub braki wyborów sprawiały, że czytelnik wsiąkał wręcz w życie bohaterów. Nick wiele doświadczył i jego życie rodzinne nie należało do łatwych. Anna dotknięta ranami z poprzedniego związku też lekko nie miała. Dwoje zakochanych, szczęśliwych i zarazem nieszczęśliwych ludzi... piękna to opowieść o INNYM ŻYCIU, a jednak tak dobrze nam wszystkim znanym.
October 13, 2021
The beginning of this book was promising. The middle was boring. The end was frustrating.
I feel so sorry for Nick. What a sad, lonely, frightened man. I’m assuming Chapman wanted readers to feel empathy for Nick, to long for him to finally have the happy ending he deserved. But I didn’t believe he deserved a happy ending and I’m incredibly annoyed that he got one.
Regardless of what his family life had been like growing up, he ruined and wasted years of Anna & Laura’s lives. It was hard to read how selfish and pathetic he was. And at the expense of two selfless, loving, lively women.
Sal was a great character, I would have loved this novel if it focused on his experience with mental health. It would have been fascinating to explore how his relationships were impacted by his relationship with his father. So much could have been unpacked and it was disappointing that, instead, we followed Nick’s empty life.
Anna and Laura were both interesting and loveable characters. I was filled with sadness as I read about the relationships they both had to endure with a self absorbed and apathetic man.
Overall, I was invested in the futures of all characters. I loved a few. I wanted to cry a few times. It was a very easy read. I enjoyed the addition of poems and emails, as well as the back and forth timeline. 3 stars, but would have been 5 if the same story had been narrated by a different character. Bloody Nick. Poor Nick. What a miserable man.
I feel so sorry for Nick. What a sad, lonely, frightened man. I’m assuming Chapman wanted readers to feel empathy for Nick, to long for him to finally have the happy ending he deserved. But I didn’t believe he deserved a happy ending and I’m incredibly annoyed that he got one.
Regardless of what his family life had been like growing up, he ruined and wasted years of Anna & Laura’s lives. It was hard to read how selfish and pathetic he was. And at the expense of two selfless, loving, lively women.
Sal was a great character, I would have loved this novel if it focused on his experience with mental health. It would have been fascinating to explore how his relationships were impacted by his relationship with his father. So much could have been unpacked and it was disappointing that, instead, we followed Nick’s empty life.
Anna and Laura were both interesting and loveable characters. I was filled with sadness as I read about the relationships they both had to endure with a self absorbed and apathetic man.
Overall, I was invested in the futures of all characters. I loved a few. I wanted to cry a few times. It was a very easy read. I enjoyed the addition of poems and emails, as well as the back and forth timeline. 3 stars, but would have been 5 if the same story had been narrated by a different character. Bloody Nick. Poor Nick. What a miserable man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2021
From the first few pages, I knew that this book was special. I am in fact struggling to find the right words to explain how this book has made me feel. When I finished the final page I was truly speechless.
From the character development, relationships, twists, the plot, this story just completely captivated me and I cannot stop thinking about it.
The characters are so well written, believable and likeable. I found it refreshing that this love story did not spark between two perfect teens who lead unrealistic lives and never seem to slip up. Instead, Nick and Anna’s story is something a lot of us can relate to.
Jodie Chapman’s writing in Another Life is also just exquisite. I felt like I was in the world of the book from the outset. The changing time period at first I thought I would find jarring as I have in other books, but in Another Life, I found that going back and forward actually helped me to understand the characters more and why they act the way they did, while also keeping a few secrets for the end of the book.
This isn’t your typical love story. It is gut wrenching, sad, painful and honest. However, in my opinion this is the truest depiction of love there is.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I would go as far as to say this is the best book I have ever read. I know it will always have a special place in my heart.
(Copy of the Ebook courtesy of NetGalley)
From the character development, relationships, twists, the plot, this story just completely captivated me and I cannot stop thinking about it.
The characters are so well written, believable and likeable. I found it refreshing that this love story did not spark between two perfect teens who lead unrealistic lives and never seem to slip up. Instead, Nick and Anna’s story is something a lot of us can relate to.
Jodie Chapman’s writing in Another Life is also just exquisite. I felt like I was in the world of the book from the outset. The changing time period at first I thought I would find jarring as I have in other books, but in Another Life, I found that going back and forward actually helped me to understand the characters more and why they act the way they did, while also keeping a few secrets for the end of the book.
This isn’t your typical love story. It is gut wrenching, sad, painful and honest. However, in my opinion this is the truest depiction of love there is.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I would go as far as to say this is the best book I have ever read. I know it will always have a special place in my heart.
(Copy of the Ebook courtesy of NetGalley)
December 7, 2023
Este libro ha avivado en mí un torrente de sentimientos y recuerdos que resulta difícil expresar con palabras. Al entender la trama desde mi experiencia como ex-testigo de Jehová, no puedo evitar valorar este libro como uno de mis favoritos, de mi vida. Anna podía haber sido yo.
Pero no es solo una historia de amor imposible y caótico, lleno de diferencias y dificultades, sino también del amor fraternal, del amor de hermanos, del amor de una madre, el “amor” de un padre. Incluso del amor propio.
Desde el primer capítulo, la narrativa se sumerge en una tristeza que puede resultar abrumadora para algunos, con cambios temporales que podrían desafiar ciertos gustos, pero personalmente, admiro la habilidad de la autora, al igual que la de Márquez, para comenzar por el "final". Ese toque siempre me cautiva.
Para resumir, todo el mundo debería leer este libro, porque es bonito y porque te enseña. Porque no todo el mundo sabe vivir, no todo el mundo tiene una vida feliz, no todo el mundo sabe expresarse. No todos tenemos la misma vida, ni percepción de ella. No se, de verdad, léanlo.
Un besito.
Pero no es solo una historia de amor imposible y caótico, lleno de diferencias y dificultades, sino también del amor fraternal, del amor de hermanos, del amor de una madre, el “amor” de un padre. Incluso del amor propio.
Desde el primer capítulo, la narrativa se sumerge en una tristeza que puede resultar abrumadora para algunos, con cambios temporales que podrían desafiar ciertos gustos, pero personalmente, admiro la habilidad de la autora, al igual que la de Márquez, para comenzar por el "final". Ese toque siempre me cautiva.
Para resumir, todo el mundo debería leer este libro, porque es bonito y porque te enseña. Porque no todo el mundo sabe vivir, no todo el mundo tiene una vida feliz, no todo el mundo sabe expresarse. No todos tenemos la misma vida, ni percepción de ella. No se, de verdad, léanlo.
Un besito.
May 3, 2023
Te destroza de mil maneras y aún así sigue siendo maravilloso.
April 30, 2021
Painted in subtle shades throughout, with a quiet strength and maturity which belies 'Another Life''s debut status, here is a book of nuance and lives lived, remembered and imagined. The 'what if' moment which we all have, bounces back and forth between the now and the then of Nick and Anna's lives.
I have to admit to putting down the book, walking away and then coming back to it because it had me bursting completely unexpectedly into tears. It taps into a rich vein of emotion where you can completely relate to both Anna, and Nick, for their very different lifestyles, one who lives in the boundaries of a religious community, and the other who lacks certainty and support.
The fact that they meet in their jobs at the cinema is such a lovely concept, as a background to their relationship, they have a backdrop of idealised, perfect, Hollywood endings and yet, as we all know, life is never that simple which is why we look to the escapism of the movies in the first place.
As a reader, you surrender yourself to this impeccably created narrative and give yourself to the feelings in a way that I have not felt in way too long.
I felt humbled at the way this novel created such an escape, at this particular time in my life, and grateful for the opportunity to read it. Huge thanks to Ella Watkins for my gifted review copy and huger apologies for my delayed review. Unfortunately, life is becoming increasingly difficult these days to be able to push aside and dive into a book. I am endlessly grateful to anyone who takes the chance on me to review their books and never take it for granted. Thank you and again, apologies to Jodie, Ella and Michael J Books.
I have to admit to putting down the book, walking away and then coming back to it because it had me bursting completely unexpectedly into tears. It taps into a rich vein of emotion where you can completely relate to both Anna, and Nick, for their very different lifestyles, one who lives in the boundaries of a religious community, and the other who lacks certainty and support.
The fact that they meet in their jobs at the cinema is such a lovely concept, as a background to their relationship, they have a backdrop of idealised, perfect, Hollywood endings and yet, as we all know, life is never that simple which is why we look to the escapism of the movies in the first place.
As a reader, you surrender yourself to this impeccably created narrative and give yourself to the feelings in a way that I have not felt in way too long.
I felt humbled at the way this novel created such an escape, at this particular time in my life, and grateful for the opportunity to read it. Huge thanks to Ella Watkins for my gifted review copy and huger apologies for my delayed review. Unfortunately, life is becoming increasingly difficult these days to be able to push aside and dive into a book. I am endlessly grateful to anyone who takes the chance on me to review their books and never take it for granted. Thank you and again, apologies to Jodie, Ella and Michael J Books.
June 18, 2021
Nick and Anna work at their local cinema one hot, heady summer. When Anna, who's mysterious and beautiful, comes into Nick's life, he falls passionately in love. Their summer ignites with first love, cigarettes and music.
But Anna is afraid to give up everything she's ever believed in, and everyone she's ever loved - and going public with Nick would see her ostracised from the community she's belonged to her whole life. She chooses the security of the familiar, and Nick doesn't stop her.
When, following a tragedy, Anna reappears in Nick's life, rekindling their relationship leaves Anna and Nick facing a terrible choice between a love that's endured, and the promises they've made to others since.
'Another Life' is a wonderful story, complete with believable, empathetic characters who will stay with me for the rest of my life. Anna and Nick, as well as the supporting characters, are distinct and drawn perfectly. I can't stop thinking about Sal, Nick's brother, in particular. Even the "antagonists" of this novel (if they can really be called that) have their redeeming features and that's what makes what Jodie Chapman has written so perfectly real.
Told through a dual timeline, I found myself transported back to 2003 when Anna and Nick met for the first time and genuinely felt returned to my life at that time. Jodie Chapman has managed to capture the essence of that summer perfectly as well as the obsession of first love and forbidden fruit.
The themes of 'Another Life' range from love in all its forms - whether familial, romantic or religious - to grief, guilt and betrayal. Chapman has created a complex, believable world that leaps off the page with all the twists and turns of real life. The emotions in this book are so raw that I physically ached at times.
Absolutely perfect.
But Anna is afraid to give up everything she's ever believed in, and everyone she's ever loved - and going public with Nick would see her ostracised from the community she's belonged to her whole life. She chooses the security of the familiar, and Nick doesn't stop her.
When, following a tragedy, Anna reappears in Nick's life, rekindling their relationship leaves Anna and Nick facing a terrible choice between a love that's endured, and the promises they've made to others since.
'Another Life' is a wonderful story, complete with believable, empathetic characters who will stay with me for the rest of my life. Anna and Nick, as well as the supporting characters, are distinct and drawn perfectly. I can't stop thinking about Sal, Nick's brother, in particular. Even the "antagonists" of this novel (if they can really be called that) have their redeeming features and that's what makes what Jodie Chapman has written so perfectly real.
Told through a dual timeline, I found myself transported back to 2003 when Anna and Nick met for the first time and genuinely felt returned to my life at that time. Jodie Chapman has managed to capture the essence of that summer perfectly as well as the obsession of first love and forbidden fruit.
The themes of 'Another Life' range from love in all its forms - whether familial, romantic or religious - to grief, guilt and betrayal. Chapman has created a complex, believable world that leaps off the page with all the twists and turns of real life. The emotions in this book are so raw that I physically ached at times.
Absolutely perfect.
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