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The Daves Next Door
The lives of five strangers collide on a London train carriage, as they become involved in an incident that will change them all forever. A shocking, intensely emotive and wildly original new thriller from Will Carver...
A disillusioned nurse suddenly learns how to care.
An injured young sportsman wakes up find that he can see only in black and white.
A desperate old widower takes too many pills and believes that two angels have arrived to usher him through purgatory.
Two agoraphobic men called Dave share the symptoms of a brain tumour, and frequently waken their neighbour with their ongoing rows.
Separate lives, running in parallel, destined to collide and then explode.
Like the suicide bomber, riding the Circle Line, day after day, waiting for the right time to detonate, waiting for answers to his questions: Am I God? Am I dead? Will I blow up this train?
Shocking, intensely emotive and wildly original, Will Carver's The Daves Next Door is an explosive existential thriller and a piercing examination of what it means to be human ... or not.
A disillusioned nurse suddenly learns how to care.
An injured young sportsman wakes up find that he can see only in black and white.
A desperate old widower takes too many pills and believes that two angels have arrived to usher him through purgatory.
Two agoraphobic men called Dave share the symptoms of a brain tumour, and frequently waken their neighbour with their ongoing rows.
Separate lives, running in parallel, destined to collide and then explode.
Like the suicide bomber, riding the Circle Line, day after day, waiting for the right time to detonate, waiting for answers to his questions: Am I God? Am I dead? Will I blow up this train?
Shocking, intensely emotive and wildly original, Will Carver's The Daves Next Door is an explosive existential thriller and a piercing examination of what it means to be human ... or not.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2022
43 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
July 8, 2022
After hearing so many good things about Will Carver, I was thrilled to get onto the blog tour for this book! Having not read any of Carver's previous books, I had no idea what to expect. Quite simply, even if I had expectations for this book, they would have been wildly incorrect! This is one of the most unusual books I have ever read.
The characters' lives are innocent enough, and I did feel a little like an observer in slow motion waiting for the big finale, seeing people go along with their daily lives nonethewiser. Helpless to stop the events in motion before your eyes.
The characters are many, and it took me some time to get them all clear in my mind. But once they were- wow. Several people's lives come together in the crescendo, but the build up that tells us their stories make us question every moral or opinion we had before. There are constant questions that shocked me with their brutality. There are no holds barred here, and some readers may not like it. But if you keep an open mind, this book will probably stay with you for a long time to come. Unusual, but quite incredible.
The characters' lives are innocent enough, and I did feel a little like an observer in slow motion waiting for the big finale, seeing people go along with their daily lives nonethewiser. Helpless to stop the events in motion before your eyes.
The characters are many, and it took me some time to get them all clear in my mind. But once they were- wow. Several people's lives come together in the crescendo, but the build up that tells us their stories make us question every moral or opinion we had before. There are constant questions that shocked me with their brutality. There are no holds barred here, and some readers may not like it. But if you keep an open mind, this book will probably stay with you for a long time to come. Unusual, but quite incredible.
November 20, 2022
What if a book came out that everyone thought was a work of genius, but you? Its like walking into a modern art museum and wondering what all the hullabaloo is about. The Daves Next Door is avant-garde stream of consciousness, but not exactly a finished novel. Told with an omniscient narrator who thinks he’s God alternating with stories by a handful of brave souls blown to bits by a terrorist in London. Their odd stories include that of the Daves, a shut in with multiple personalities who goes out for his mail once a day, an old suicidal man helps hostage by two squatters, his disconnected son, a man in a hospital bed who can only see in black and white except for the amazing technicolor nurse. As the reader, you flit back and forth between their squalid, depressing worlds and never seem to get much of anywhere.
April 27, 2022
Fantastic as ever. Nobody writes like this except Will Carver
Full review to follow once I've worked out exactly what to say to describe it. I mean I could basically just say READ THIS FOR HEAVENS SAKE but I'll come up with something better later.
Full review to follow once I've worked out exactly what to say to describe it. I mean I could basically just say READ THIS FOR HEAVENS SAKE but I'll come up with something better later.
July 19, 2022
"Separate lives, running in parallel, destined to collide and then explode."
Five strangers' lives collide on a carriage on the London Underground during a shocking event. But was it fate? Did they have the power to change what would happen to them?
Told from multiple points of view over three parts, The Daves Next Door is a sinister, scathing and stylish social commentary that explores the question of fate versus choice and asks if there are such things as good and evil. He makes you question the way you think, examining our prejudices and apathy, potentially changing the way you see the world around you.
"Is there such a thing as destiny? Is the path laid out? The story already written?"
The characters are familiar, flawed and fascinating. They could be our neighbour or the person next to us on the bus. Each of them are richly drawn and complex, allowing us to find compassion for the villain and dislike for the hero in places. The many threads of the story appear unconnected at first but are slowly woven together, keeping the reader guessing at every step. It takes a lot of talent to make a story that opens with references to how it all ends still feel unpredictable, but Carver pulls it off expertly.
Will Carver is a tour-de-force in fiction. His singular style is instantly recognisable, the quirky, intelligent, playful and affecting prose pulling you into the world he created and holding you captive from beginning to end. His original and visionary style make his books absolute must reads.
Fierce, intelligent, atmospheric and unapologetic, The Daves Next Door is a must-read. Add it to your TBR now!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
Five strangers' lives collide on a carriage on the London Underground during a shocking event. But was it fate? Did they have the power to change what would happen to them?
Told from multiple points of view over three parts, The Daves Next Door is a sinister, scathing and stylish social commentary that explores the question of fate versus choice and asks if there are such things as good and evil. He makes you question the way you think, examining our prejudices and apathy, potentially changing the way you see the world around you.
"Is there such a thing as destiny? Is the path laid out? The story already written?"
The characters are familiar, flawed and fascinating. They could be our neighbour or the person next to us on the bus. Each of them are richly drawn and complex, allowing us to find compassion for the villain and dislike for the hero in places. The many threads of the story appear unconnected at first but are slowly woven together, keeping the reader guessing at every step. It takes a lot of talent to make a story that opens with references to how it all ends still feel unpredictable, but Carver pulls it off expertly.
Will Carver is a tour-de-force in fiction. His singular style is instantly recognisable, the quirky, intelligent, playful and affecting prose pulling you into the world he created and holding you captive from beginning to end. His original and visionary style make his books absolute must reads.
Fierce, intelligent, atmospheric and unapologetic, The Daves Next Door is a must-read. Add it to your TBR now!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
July 21, 2022
Firstly, a huge thanks to Orenda and Anne Cater for the invitation to join the blogtour for The Daves Next Door.
So, that was the easy part of this review. You know those books that you start and think “aha I know what’s happening” or the stories that slowly begin to make sense, or the characters that you can see straight through? Well The Daves Next Door is NOTHING like those books.
This is one seriously messed up, highly original, confusing as hell, what the actual f**k stories with a huge “HUH??” after every chapter. If you haven’t read any of Will Carver’s books before than simply expect the unexpected, don’t have any preconceptions and keep a very open mind.
You should, however, prepare to be shocked, surprised, moved, confused, horrified and amused in equal measures.
I’m not even going to bother to tell you what the book is about because a) the blurb above says it so much better than I can and b) I’m still in shock and really don’t know how to put my thoughts down in writing that would make any sense.
I have said in all my previous reviews about Will Carver that he is one sick, twisted bunny and a literary genuis and this book confirms my thoughts once again.
Astonishingly clever, thought-provoking profound and Mr Carver’s unique observational comments are utterly brilliant.
Enough from me… here are some of my favourite Carverisms:
If a butterfly can cause a tornado, if something so small can have such a giant effect, what, then, is the effect of the tornado?
And what’s the deal with people saying things like, ‘I say what I mean, and if you don’t like it then you can fuck off?’ Is freedom of speech now freedom to be a dick?
There is no chance of abolishing religion, but could they not have an update? If your computer or mobile phone starts running slowly, don’t you delete a few files and check for the latest version of the operating system? Could this not be applied to everything?
Do you ever persist with a novel that hasn’t gripped you within the first twenty pages? Is there some intrinsic reward to this persistence? Is it another case of how we all need instant gratification?
Who told the world that chocolate and orange belong together?
Did you know that, in America, six people a year are killed because they were shot … by their dog? Would you wear a T-shirt that said, ‘Guns don’t kill people, dogs do’?
So, that was the easy part of this review. You know those books that you start and think “aha I know what’s happening” or the stories that slowly begin to make sense, or the characters that you can see straight through? Well The Daves Next Door is NOTHING like those books.
This is one seriously messed up, highly original, confusing as hell, what the actual f**k stories with a huge “HUH??” after every chapter. If you haven’t read any of Will Carver’s books before than simply expect the unexpected, don’t have any preconceptions and keep a very open mind.
You should, however, prepare to be shocked, surprised, moved, confused, horrified and amused in equal measures.
I’m not even going to bother to tell you what the book is about because a) the blurb above says it so much better than I can and b) I’m still in shock and really don’t know how to put my thoughts down in writing that would make any sense.
I have said in all my previous reviews about Will Carver that he is one sick, twisted bunny and a literary genuis and this book confirms my thoughts once again.
Astonishingly clever, thought-provoking profound and Mr Carver’s unique observational comments are utterly brilliant.
Enough from me… here are some of my favourite Carverisms:
If a butterfly can cause a tornado, if something so small can have such a giant effect, what, then, is the effect of the tornado?
And what’s the deal with people saying things like, ‘I say what I mean, and if you don’t like it then you can fuck off?’ Is freedom of speech now freedom to be a dick?
There is no chance of abolishing religion, but could they not have an update? If your computer or mobile phone starts running slowly, don’t you delete a few files and check for the latest version of the operating system? Could this not be applied to everything?
Do you ever persist with a novel that hasn’t gripped you within the first twenty pages? Is there some intrinsic reward to this persistence? Is it another case of how we all need instant gratification?
Who told the world that chocolate and orange belong together?
Did you know that, in America, six people a year are killed because they were shot … by their dog? Would you wear a T-shirt that said, ‘Guns don’t kill people, dogs do’?
July 28, 2022
Hey everyone, there’s a brand new book from Will Carver. Its called The Daves Next Door“.
“Yay,” we all cry, eagerly awaiting the twisted delights that lurk within every page.
“Who wants to do the blog tour?”
“Yay,” we shout in unison, “count me in.”
Some time later…..
“How’s that review going?” Uh....
And so, once again, the most testing day of the year is upon me, and my poor inadequate reviewing brain cries out for respite. Will Carver’s writing is the embodiment of a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma with a good dollop of madcap genius, as one of the most truly inventive, unique and off-the-wall writers out there. Never started a review with a spin of a quote from Churchill, so from here on in all standard reviewing procedures do not apply. Let us begin…
Ahem.
So, in a nutshell, the book revolves around a group of disparate people experiencing life in truly different/disturbing/enlightening/tragic/life affirming ways, under the eye of a God/omniscient narrator character who provides us with a mind bending host of questions, that depending on how you perceive them, can make you question the whole futility of not only your own existence but humankind as whole, and who may, or may not, be on the cusp of blowing up a train.
With me so far?
Seriously though, despite the main crux of the book taking us on an existential rollercoaster ride, Carver has an unnerving lack of really homing in on, and addressing the greatest evils of our existence, but equally, those moments of human connection and empathy that separate us from our Neanderthal ancestors. Or Christian fundamentalist gun-toting Republicans. From a nurse struggling with her own self-worth and sense of self discovering what truly lies beneath her chosen vocation, to an old man so riddled with grief that after a futile suicide attempt sees angels in his house, albeit angels with a sinister agenda. There’s a man/men with a debilitating brain condition, a writer who seems to be a vessel of reason and clear thinking, unafraid to challenge the ignorance of others, and a seriously injured sportsman whose new way of seeing goes hand in hand with an awakening of his true self. All this is undercut with the mysterious God/narrator/suicide bomber riding endless loops on the underground whilst boldly and intuitively holding forth on the ills and stupidity of the world, which will ultimately dictate whether to press that destructive button. Or not.
Carver has an innate skill of burrowing deep into the human psyche, ruminating on the small seemingly inconsequential, to some at least, paranoias that haunt some people, to the big, overarching problems of modern existence that blight us all, keeping some of us awake at night or others in a state of blissful ignorance. Combine this with the day to day dilemmas and fears of his compact and unique set of characters, and this is a book that will make you think, make you cringe in self-recognition, make you laugh (albeit in a dark, and quite frankly, disturbing way) but will also, through the trials, tribulations and moments of quite life affirming realisations, immerse you completely in the lives of these people. There’s angels and demons in this one, but who is to say who is what…
Consequently, I always feel that Carver subverts the need to fix his books in one genre or another, as the wide ranging scope and intelligence of his writing really defies categorisation. I usually judge how much a book has engaged me by how may post-its I insert to highlight particular passages I’ve enjoyed.
42.
To some- the meaning of life.
To me- damn, I loved this book with its post-it overload.
The Daves Next Door is not an easy read. It’s not a linear, beginning, middle and end read, but if you want something to challenge, inform, and entertain you in equal measure, and to spark more questions of your own on your place in the world, and what you really think and believe, well, look no further.
It’s just brilliant.
“Yay,” we all cry, eagerly awaiting the twisted delights that lurk within every page.
“Who wants to do the blog tour?”
“Yay,” we shout in unison, “count me in.”
Some time later…..
“How’s that review going?” Uh....
And so, once again, the most testing day of the year is upon me, and my poor inadequate reviewing brain cries out for respite. Will Carver’s writing is the embodiment of a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma with a good dollop of madcap genius, as one of the most truly inventive, unique and off-the-wall writers out there. Never started a review with a spin of a quote from Churchill, so from here on in all standard reviewing procedures do not apply. Let us begin…
Ahem.
So, in a nutshell, the book revolves around a group of disparate people experiencing life in truly different/disturbing/enlightening/tragic/life affirming ways, under the eye of a God/omniscient narrator character who provides us with a mind bending host of questions, that depending on how you perceive them, can make you question the whole futility of not only your own existence but humankind as whole, and who may, or may not, be on the cusp of blowing up a train.
With me so far?
Seriously though, despite the main crux of the book taking us on an existential rollercoaster ride, Carver has an unnerving lack of really homing in on, and addressing the greatest evils of our existence, but equally, those moments of human connection and empathy that separate us from our Neanderthal ancestors. Or Christian fundamentalist gun-toting Republicans. From a nurse struggling with her own self-worth and sense of self discovering what truly lies beneath her chosen vocation, to an old man so riddled with grief that after a futile suicide attempt sees angels in his house, albeit angels with a sinister agenda. There’s a man/men with a debilitating brain condition, a writer who seems to be a vessel of reason and clear thinking, unafraid to challenge the ignorance of others, and a seriously injured sportsman whose new way of seeing goes hand in hand with an awakening of his true self. All this is undercut with the mysterious God/narrator/suicide bomber riding endless loops on the underground whilst boldly and intuitively holding forth on the ills and stupidity of the world, which will ultimately dictate whether to press that destructive button. Or not.
Carver has an innate skill of burrowing deep into the human psyche, ruminating on the small seemingly inconsequential, to some at least, paranoias that haunt some people, to the big, overarching problems of modern existence that blight us all, keeping some of us awake at night or others in a state of blissful ignorance. Combine this with the day to day dilemmas and fears of his compact and unique set of characters, and this is a book that will make you think, make you cringe in self-recognition, make you laugh (albeit in a dark, and quite frankly, disturbing way) but will also, through the trials, tribulations and moments of quite life affirming realisations, immerse you completely in the lives of these people. There’s angels and demons in this one, but who is to say who is what…
Consequently, I always feel that Carver subverts the need to fix his books in one genre or another, as the wide ranging scope and intelligence of his writing really defies categorisation. I usually judge how much a book has engaged me by how may post-its I insert to highlight particular passages I’ve enjoyed.
42.
To some- the meaning of life.
To me- damn, I loved this book with its post-it overload.
The Daves Next Door is not an easy read. It’s not a linear, beginning, middle and end read, but if you want something to challenge, inform, and entertain you in equal measure, and to spark more questions of your own on your place in the world, and what you really think and believe, well, look no further.
It’s just brilliant.
February 2, 2023
“Is every move I make a micro decision that can flutter its wings and create another path towards a different outcome?
Or do all choices lead down separate paths but culminate in a decision delta where everything turns black?
What if there is that final flash of light but, somehow, everybody’s ending is different?”
I’ve read enough of Will Carver’s books by now that I know to expect a novel that’s going to unsettle me somewhat. It’s going to make me question myself, how I think, what my automatic responses are, how I act, what I believe and take for granted. The Daves Next Door is nothing like I have ever read before. Firstly, it contains a lot of questions. In fact, whole chapters by a narrator contain nothing but questions. Each question is a topic in and of itself. Rhetorical in nature, yet serious in reality. Questions that challenge me to reflect on what I just thought about a character in the previous chapter. Questions about things I may have assumed about the story. They were a bit confronting actually and I kinda need to go back to these questions and take another look. Carver definitely puts pay to the cliche that there are more questions than answers in the world.
The Daves Next Door is quite unlike any of Carver’s previous books (although his style is consistent). At first I found it a bit hard to read as it seemed to jump all over the place from character to character with nothing that I could find to tie things together. Carver kinda assumed that the reader might because even that becomes a theme for rhetorical questions in the chapter... “Are you keeping up? Wouldn’t it have been easier to tell each person’s tale in its entirety before moving on to the next?” The Daves Next Door has a diverse array of characters. Carver poses questions like who do you like the best? Why? Who are you rooting for? Why?
As I said earlier, whenever I pick up one of Carver’s books I have to brace myself for what’s coming. I know I don’t finish the same as I started. The Daves Next Door asks me to examine my own prejudices, biases, assumptions, beliefs, innate ways of being. Through the all to close to home lens of terrorism and humanity, the reader is forced to reflect on the existential horror that lies within and the potential empathy and kindness that is possible. Carver highlights the angels that walk among us who bring a rainbow of colour in an otherwise colourless world. Each of us have the Daves inside of us. It could be the Marks next door. The more than one of me that coexists within me.
I found myself while i was reading this book noticing so much more of my day and my actions, my motives and my surroundings. Sitting on the train, noticing the tunnel, the people around me, the thoughts I was having, the things that no one else knows.
Thanks Will Carver. This book is yet another mindfuck that I needed.
Or do all choices lead down separate paths but culminate in a decision delta where everything turns black?
What if there is that final flash of light but, somehow, everybody’s ending is different?”
I’ve read enough of Will Carver’s books by now that I know to expect a novel that’s going to unsettle me somewhat. It’s going to make me question myself, how I think, what my automatic responses are, how I act, what I believe and take for granted. The Daves Next Door is nothing like I have ever read before. Firstly, it contains a lot of questions. In fact, whole chapters by a narrator contain nothing but questions. Each question is a topic in and of itself. Rhetorical in nature, yet serious in reality. Questions that challenge me to reflect on what I just thought about a character in the previous chapter. Questions about things I may have assumed about the story. They were a bit confronting actually and I kinda need to go back to these questions and take another look. Carver definitely puts pay to the cliche that there are more questions than answers in the world.
The Daves Next Door is quite unlike any of Carver’s previous books (although his style is consistent). At first I found it a bit hard to read as it seemed to jump all over the place from character to character with nothing that I could find to tie things together. Carver kinda assumed that the reader might because even that becomes a theme for rhetorical questions in the chapter... “Are you keeping up? Wouldn’t it have been easier to tell each person’s tale in its entirety before moving on to the next?” The Daves Next Door has a diverse array of characters. Carver poses questions like who do you like the best? Why? Who are you rooting for? Why?
As I said earlier, whenever I pick up one of Carver’s books I have to brace myself for what’s coming. I know I don’t finish the same as I started. The Daves Next Door asks me to examine my own prejudices, biases, assumptions, beliefs, innate ways of being. Through the all to close to home lens of terrorism and humanity, the reader is forced to reflect on the existential horror that lies within and the potential empathy and kindness that is possible. Carver highlights the angels that walk among us who bring a rainbow of colour in an otherwise colourless world. Each of us have the Daves inside of us. It could be the Marks next door. The more than one of me that coexists within me.
I found myself while i was reading this book noticing so much more of my day and my actions, my motives and my surroundings. Sitting on the train, noticing the tunnel, the people around me, the thoughts I was having, the things that no one else knows.
Thanks Will Carver. This book is yet another mindfuck that I needed.
July 12, 2022
Review written by Martin Cater
Where does one even begin trying to review a Will Carver book?
To date, my only other experience of Will’s writing style was Nothing Important Happened Today, which left me thinking WTF.
The Daves next Door has probably left me thinking more so.
The delivery of the narrative is very staccato and punchy, reminiscent to me of a ‘Denis Leary’ monologue in its relentlessness, and at times controversiality. I believe someone described it as like being constantly poked with a stick, and that’s a great analogy.
The book revolves around five main characters, all very different and all dealing with their own bizarre ‘life’ stories. These individual stories finally culminating in a clever, tying together through the God/terrorist/ narrator character.
Others have far more eloquently outlined the finer details of the story, and the individuals involved than I could ever imagine doing. Suffice to say, I think this is one of the more memorable books I have read.
It’s strangely captivating in a challenging way. There is nothing conventional about this author’s writing, and he constantly challenges the reader to answer questions in their own mind as they go along – particularly with this one, on prejudice and how quick we are to make snap assumptions.
One character that I could particularly relate to, and to an extent empathise with, was that of Vashti, the disillusioned and uncaring nurse. Having recently been unfortunate enough to have been a guest of the NHS, I saw Vashti’s every day, perfunctorily going about their business, with seemingly little recollection of why they chose that profession – or maybe that’s me being judgmental – see….
The Daves Next Door is another mind bender from Will Carver that pushes boundaries and I’m sure will be once again divisive. Yes, it’s unusual and quite chaotic, but this is what also makes it even more engaging.
I will certainly be catching up with the other Carver novels and urge anyone to do the same.
Where does one even begin trying to review a Will Carver book?
To date, my only other experience of Will’s writing style was Nothing Important Happened Today, which left me thinking WTF.
The Daves next Door has probably left me thinking more so.
The delivery of the narrative is very staccato and punchy, reminiscent to me of a ‘Denis Leary’ monologue in its relentlessness, and at times controversiality. I believe someone described it as like being constantly poked with a stick, and that’s a great analogy.
The book revolves around five main characters, all very different and all dealing with their own bizarre ‘life’ stories. These individual stories finally culminating in a clever, tying together through the God/terrorist/ narrator character.
Others have far more eloquently outlined the finer details of the story, and the individuals involved than I could ever imagine doing. Suffice to say, I think this is one of the more memorable books I have read.
It’s strangely captivating in a challenging way. There is nothing conventional about this author’s writing, and he constantly challenges the reader to answer questions in their own mind as they go along – particularly with this one, on prejudice and how quick we are to make snap assumptions.
One character that I could particularly relate to, and to an extent empathise with, was that of Vashti, the disillusioned and uncaring nurse. Having recently been unfortunate enough to have been a guest of the NHS, I saw Vashti’s every day, perfunctorily going about their business, with seemingly little recollection of why they chose that profession – or maybe that’s me being judgmental – see….
The Daves Next Door is another mind bender from Will Carver that pushes boundaries and I’m sure will be once again divisive. Yes, it’s unusual and quite chaotic, but this is what also makes it even more engaging.
I will certainly be catching up with the other Carver novels and urge anyone to do the same.
August 6, 2022
That had to be the most anti-religion, anti-conservative book I've ever read. Yeah, Will, you hate religion and "right-wing idiots". WE GET IT. Holy crap. Maybe if you had bothered putting the same effort into creating a coherent plot that wasn't full of ignorant, mind-numbing ramblings that didn't advance the plot one iota, there could have been a good story here. Alas, that was not to be. Instead, we're stuck with this mess. I was tempted to DNF at many points but didn't. My bad.
August 19, 2022
There are no other authors writing out of the UK at the moment who write anything like Carver. He’s in a league of his own.
The Daves Next Door is by far his most daring, thought-provoking, genre-bending work to date. It’s definitely a brave book. In terms of content as well as writing style.
Having god/the narrator/a suicide bomber as a central character was definitely a gamble but one that Carver pulls of with his talent and the strength of the story.
I would say this is a spiritual sequel to Nothing Important Happened Today. Both novels pair nicely. In themes and style.
As always, kudos to Carver and Orenda for pushing literary boundaries
5/5 Highly Recommended
The Daves Next Door is by far his most daring, thought-provoking, genre-bending work to date. It’s definitely a brave book. In terms of content as well as writing style.
Having god/the narrator/a suicide bomber as a central character was definitely a gamble but one that Carver pulls of with his talent and the strength of the story.
I would say this is a spiritual sequel to Nothing Important Happened Today. Both novels pair nicely. In themes and style.
As always, kudos to Carver and Orenda for pushing literary boundaries
5/5 Highly Recommended
June 6, 2022
How am I ever going to be able to write this review? Will I do this book justice? Is Will Carver a genius? Or a madman? Both? Why am I asking so many questions? Is The Daves Next Door going to be one of my books of the year?
The answer to some of these questions will hopefully soon become apparent but to respond to perhaps the most important – Will Carver is a mad genius who takes everything you thought you knew about what a crime novel should look like and demolishes it. The Daves Next Door has chapters from an omniscient narrator who may be God, a terrorist or both and if that sounds as if it's going to upset a lot of people, you're right. Some readers will hate this book and I'm certain Will Carver will be absolutely fine with that. It's a challenging novel to read and feels rather like being constantly poked with a stick as the God/terrorist/narrator persistently forces us to examine our prejudices and assumptions. There are moments where I briefly felt smug before a devastating aside or observation prompted me to reconsider what I thought I was reading and how that fits with the world we have been conditioned to live in.
These edgy, disturbing chapters hint that a terrorist attack is imminent – an act we have already been told takes place on 21st July 2022 involving numerous targets in London. We also know that some of the attacks were on various Underground lines but as our narrator rides the Circle Line, observing their fellow passengers and debating whether to press the red button (why is it always red?!), it's not obvious whether the bomb will be activated by a brainwashed terrorist, a disappointed God seeking a reset or not at all.
Meanwhile, Vashti is a nurse who like many in her profession has become disillusioned and apathetic but still takes the time to find crutches for a badly injured sportsman who refuses to use a bedpan. It's this relationship that transforms them both and yet there are signs even before that Vashti still cares, she's just too tired to see it. However, it may be that miracles take place here which means the sportsman who wakes to see everything in black and white still views some colour while another patient is there to inspire Vashti too. These scenes are the most hopeful in the book, suggesting that caring and empathy can engender change but elsewhere, events are much bleaker, reflecting the more avaricious, selfish and detached aspects of society.
The saddest figure is arguably Saul, an old man who can't bear life without his beloved wife, Ada. Desperate to feel nothing, he decides to kill himself but is now in the presence of two young people he thinks might be angels. Of course, we soon discover the truth about them and it's much less virtuous. Nathanial and Lailah are patently unlikable characters; or at least we're manipulated to think of them that way, and again we're compelled to review and modify our presumptions about them. However, as much as Saul's situation evokes our sympathies, his story might not be the most tragic after all and that dubious honour could go to the eponymous Daves of the title. What is real and what is imagined, conjectured or accepted fluctuates constantly during the course of the book and while we discover that Dave possibly has a brain tumour, we are also told that he drinks heavily and lies.
As the storyline alternates between these characters and the endless questions of our potentially unreliable, definitely equivocating narrator, it becomes inevitable that they will somehow be drawn together and the result is a novel that can be accurately described as being both nihilistic and compassionate. The Daves Next Door isn't a book about terrorism; it doesn't preach nor does it offer any consoling platitudes or meaningless consolations but it does demand thoughtful, honest contemplation from its readers. Until now Nothing Important Happened Today has been my favourite of Will Carver's books but this is now a very strong rival. Expertly treading a line between the metaphorical and the literal, it examines humanity as only the most outstanding books can. The Daves Next Door is an exceptional novel; this is risk-taking, provocative fiction that at its absolute finest. An unmissable read.
The answer to some of these questions will hopefully soon become apparent but to respond to perhaps the most important – Will Carver is a mad genius who takes everything you thought you knew about what a crime novel should look like and demolishes it. The Daves Next Door has chapters from an omniscient narrator who may be God, a terrorist or both and if that sounds as if it's going to upset a lot of people, you're right. Some readers will hate this book and I'm certain Will Carver will be absolutely fine with that. It's a challenging novel to read and feels rather like being constantly poked with a stick as the God/terrorist/narrator persistently forces us to examine our prejudices and assumptions. There are moments where I briefly felt smug before a devastating aside or observation prompted me to reconsider what I thought I was reading and how that fits with the world we have been conditioned to live in.
These edgy, disturbing chapters hint that a terrorist attack is imminent – an act we have already been told takes place on 21st July 2022 involving numerous targets in London. We also know that some of the attacks were on various Underground lines but as our narrator rides the Circle Line, observing their fellow passengers and debating whether to press the red button (why is it always red?!), it's not obvious whether the bomb will be activated by a brainwashed terrorist, a disappointed God seeking a reset or not at all.
Meanwhile, Vashti is a nurse who like many in her profession has become disillusioned and apathetic but still takes the time to find crutches for a badly injured sportsman who refuses to use a bedpan. It's this relationship that transforms them both and yet there are signs even before that Vashti still cares, she's just too tired to see it. However, it may be that miracles take place here which means the sportsman who wakes to see everything in black and white still views some colour while another patient is there to inspire Vashti too. These scenes are the most hopeful in the book, suggesting that caring and empathy can engender change but elsewhere, events are much bleaker, reflecting the more avaricious, selfish and detached aspects of society.
The saddest figure is arguably Saul, an old man who can't bear life without his beloved wife, Ada. Desperate to feel nothing, he decides to kill himself but is now in the presence of two young people he thinks might be angels. Of course, we soon discover the truth about them and it's much less virtuous. Nathanial and Lailah are patently unlikable characters; or at least we're manipulated to think of them that way, and again we're compelled to review and modify our presumptions about them. However, as much as Saul's situation evokes our sympathies, his story might not be the most tragic after all and that dubious honour could go to the eponymous Daves of the title. What is real and what is imagined, conjectured or accepted fluctuates constantly during the course of the book and while we discover that Dave possibly has a brain tumour, we are also told that he drinks heavily and lies.
As the storyline alternates between these characters and the endless questions of our potentially unreliable, definitely equivocating narrator, it becomes inevitable that they will somehow be drawn together and the result is a novel that can be accurately described as being both nihilistic and compassionate. The Daves Next Door isn't a book about terrorism; it doesn't preach nor does it offer any consoling platitudes or meaningless consolations but it does demand thoughtful, honest contemplation from its readers. Until now Nothing Important Happened Today has been my favourite of Will Carver's books but this is now a very strong rival. Expertly treading a line between the metaphorical and the literal, it examines humanity as only the most outstanding books can. The Daves Next Door is an exceptional novel; this is risk-taking, provocative fiction that at its absolute finest. An unmissable read.
June 19, 2025
Did I enjoy it? Did I find it a bit like hard work? Was I left thinking 'WTF was all that about? Was I meant to choose my own ending? Was it clever or just pretentious? Should we accuse it of literature? Was it just a carefully timed bandwagon jump? Is this a review or a parody? Who knows? God? The Narrator? You...?
September 11, 2022
Original and challenging thriller that raises questions about humanity and how to live with integrity under the pressures of modern life. This is a deceptively quick read that leaves the reader with plenty to think about, but is also a clever story with unusual and interesting characters.
The mixed bag of characters - disillusioned nurse Vashti, heartbroken elderly widower Saul and his son Ash, an unnamed sportsman who has suffered a horrible injury, the reclusive Daves whose noisy arguments puzzle and irritate their neighbour - find that their parallel lives begin to converge as they head towards a terrifying fate.
This was my first Will Carver novel and I found it so refreshingly different but totally authentic, pushing the reader to question their prejudices and assumptions in an original way that really appealed to me, so I will definitely be picking up more from this author.
The mixed bag of characters - disillusioned nurse Vashti, heartbroken elderly widower Saul and his son Ash, an unnamed sportsman who has suffered a horrible injury, the reclusive Daves whose noisy arguments puzzle and irritate their neighbour - find that their parallel lives begin to converge as they head towards a terrifying fate.
This was my first Will Carver novel and I found it so refreshingly different but totally authentic, pushing the reader to question their prejudices and assumptions in an original way that really appealed to me, so I will definitely be picking up more from this author.
July 22, 2022
Have you ever read a book, when you know the plot, the characters, and what happened, but you can’t really explain it? Have you ever read a great book, but you struggled to write a review in case you wouldn’t do its justice?
This is me at this very moment.
This book is simply mind blowing and Will Carver is a literary genius.
This book follows the lives of few people, including a disillusioned nurse Vashti, who as a nurse witnessed a lot of suffering (but also experienced it herself), and became somewhat jaded and uncaring in her profession. However, something in her changes upon meeting a sportsman who broke his leg and would never play football professionally again.
Saul, an elderly gentleman, who was married to Ada all his life, doesn’t want to live anymore. His beloved wife died of cancer and his life lacks purpose and meaning. He takes some pills to end his life, but he wakes to a sight of two angels, one male and one female, who inform him that he is in the transition phase to the afterlife.
Two Daves share a flat. One of them has an alleged brain tumour and constantly keeps checking the mail box for the letter that never comes. The two Daves keep arguing with each other, much to the dismay of their neighbour, who won’t do anything about it.
Weaved in between those chapters, the reader meets ‘God? Terrorist? Narrator?’ who constantly keeps asking unconventional questions – majority of them ask why as a society we lost empathy, compassion, and even the act of connection with other human beings. God/Terrorist/ Narrator asks whether we have become conditioned by the media/other people to believe in stereotypes and some questions made me pause and wonder. I actually answered ‘yes’ a few times and felt immediately ashamed, as I consider myself an open-minded person.
I loved everything about this book, the characters (God/Terrorist/Narrator was my favourite), the plot, and the layout of the story.
I have never read anything like this before and I urge everyone to read this book, a must read of 2022!
This is me at this very moment.
This book is simply mind blowing and Will Carver is a literary genius.
This book follows the lives of few people, including a disillusioned nurse Vashti, who as a nurse witnessed a lot of suffering (but also experienced it herself), and became somewhat jaded and uncaring in her profession. However, something in her changes upon meeting a sportsman who broke his leg and would never play football professionally again.
Saul, an elderly gentleman, who was married to Ada all his life, doesn’t want to live anymore. His beloved wife died of cancer and his life lacks purpose and meaning. He takes some pills to end his life, but he wakes to a sight of two angels, one male and one female, who inform him that he is in the transition phase to the afterlife.
Two Daves share a flat. One of them has an alleged brain tumour and constantly keeps checking the mail box for the letter that never comes. The two Daves keep arguing with each other, much to the dismay of their neighbour, who won’t do anything about it.
Weaved in between those chapters, the reader meets ‘God? Terrorist? Narrator?’ who constantly keeps asking unconventional questions – majority of them ask why as a society we lost empathy, compassion, and even the act of connection with other human beings. God/Terrorist/ Narrator asks whether we have become conditioned by the media/other people to believe in stereotypes and some questions made me pause and wonder. I actually answered ‘yes’ a few times and felt immediately ashamed, as I consider myself an open-minded person.
I loved everything about this book, the characters (God/Terrorist/Narrator was my favourite), the plot, and the layout of the story.
I have never read anything like this before and I urge everyone to read this book, a must read of 2022!
October 14, 2022
I always find it so difficult to review Will Carver's books as there's so many layers to the story that it's like how do I put this into just a brief review? All I can say is; don't expect a straightforward story.
Two Dave live in a flat together. They think they are dying of a brain tumour and hate to go out of their flat. Vashti is a nurse who is beyond caring. Saul misses his beloved wife and tries to end his life but is rescued by two angels. A sportsman wakes up after a horrific injury only able to see in black and white. This is all set to the backdrop of an impending terrorist attack with the voice of someone who thinks they might be God or the narrator of the story or just a terrorist.
The story is told from multiple points of view, intertwining the stories of strangers together in surprising ways. What I love about this book is that I never once got a character confused for another, which sometimes happens to me when there are so many characters, each one flawed and unique.
As usual with Will Carver's books, there is social commentary running throughout with some powerful themes, like loneliness, grief and the feeling of being in purgatory or losing your reason for being. It may be, at times, a little tough to read, but well worth it.
The only thing missing from the strong a bit of the biting wit and sarcasm that I've come to expect with Will Carver's books, but of course that's just my opinion.
If you love a thriller with strong themes and realistic characters, I would highly recommend The Daves Next Door to you.
Two Dave live in a flat together. They think they are dying of a brain tumour and hate to go out of their flat. Vashti is a nurse who is beyond caring. Saul misses his beloved wife and tries to end his life but is rescued by two angels. A sportsman wakes up after a horrific injury only able to see in black and white. This is all set to the backdrop of an impending terrorist attack with the voice of someone who thinks they might be God or the narrator of the story or just a terrorist.
The story is told from multiple points of view, intertwining the stories of strangers together in surprising ways. What I love about this book is that I never once got a character confused for another, which sometimes happens to me when there are so many characters, each one flawed and unique.
As usual with Will Carver's books, there is social commentary running throughout with some powerful themes, like loneliness, grief and the feeling of being in purgatory or losing your reason for being. It may be, at times, a little tough to read, but well worth it.
The only thing missing from the strong a bit of the biting wit and sarcasm that I've come to expect with Will Carver's books, but of course that's just my opinion.
If you love a thriller with strong themes and realistic characters, I would highly recommend The Daves Next Door to you.
January 16, 2026
Review to follow
July 25, 2022
I did wonder if I should take the title of The Daves Next Door as being a bit close to home - though I'm a David, not a Dave, he doesn't (I think) live next door, and on a close reading I don't seem too be in here, I've learned never to trust Mr Carver's narratives to be what they seem...
Regardless, a return to the Carververse is always overdue, and in The Daves Next Door, we see the same moral noir as in Carver's previous writing (including a few clues to show that yes, this is the same world as that of Nothing Important Happened Today and Psychopaths Anonymous). Reading these books is like being a fly that's incautiously settled into a patch of honey: they pull you in, they'll be the end of you, but oh how sweet the process is.
The Daves Next Door is perhaps a more fractured story that its predecessors, following a number of different characters who are less obviously linked by a location or involvement in ongoing events. Those Daves, sharing a flat and a disease in mutual loathing, a much overworked and put-upon hospital nurse with an adequate boyfriend, an elderly man who thinks he's died and gone to Purgatory, two grifters, a a sportsman brought down by a seemingly random injury, and others - including a suicide bomber, perhaps.
They are though linked, and in two ways.
First, Carver's concern for human motivation, consequences and character comes through as strongly as ever. For example, there's a man here who was devoted to his wife, and bereft since her death. His son, rather than seeing that devotion as the wonderful loving thing it was, is rather resentful, so he's drifted away and won't be there for his dad's torment, which we see depicted here. A little vignette about human nature and a dynamic that's central to one of the plot strands here but also tells us something dark about people, something echoed across all the other mini-stories.
Secondly, one figure - that maybe-bomber - holds the story together, functioning (perhaps) as an all-seeing narrator, recounting the lives of the other characters, so therefore (possibly) a God-like figure or equally (maybe) an Author. Their chapters are composed as questions - such a barrage of questions, from the profound to the trivial, pausing at all stops in between, but especially circling mysteries to which humanity has signally failed to discover answers. The Four Last Things - Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgement - loom over this story, especially, perhaps, Judgement which is passed not only on the characters and the world they inhabit (the world WE inhabit) but also, this being the Carververse, on the reader as well. No other author I know has quite the ability of Carver to involve his readers in the awkward moral failings that he highlights is his stories, though he does it in an utterly disarming, even charming, way. (That's the honey).
He does it, especially, by refusing to let the reader stick the blame on one character or another, even one who has behaved abominably (as many do). There are no neat endings, no convenient resolutions and retribution - people you'd grown fond of have terrible things happen to them, the unpleasant can simply stroll away.
Maybe that's not quite right though. As we would expect, one person who's given an especially hard time here is God, and of course, as They may feature in the story, many of the questions a certain character poses might actually be asked of Themself. (I apologise for the clunky language but given Carver's multi-layered portrayals here, words become rather slippery). This makes for a rather convincing self-prosecution which is genuinely unsettling both in terms of what it implies for the story and as an accusation against religion and those who follow it.
(I have to say that for me, the omnipotent, all-seeing, create-everything-in-seven-days version of God who's in point here is perhaps something of a straw deity. Alternatives are available, and less absurd. But maybe that is slightly mean-minded of me - after all there are plenty of people who hold to this picture).
In short, I'd come to expect from this author, The Daves Next Door is a vivid and thoughtful, and often angry, book that tells a compelling and absorbing story (across its many threads) but comes with a real moral punch, real engagement with ideas, and shines with compassion even at its darkest moments (of which there are quite few).
I'd strongly recommend, whether or not you're read any of Mr Carver's previous books: this is essentially a standalone though with some clear links, thematically and in plot terms, to them.
Regardless, a return to the Carververse is always overdue, and in The Daves Next Door, we see the same moral noir as in Carver's previous writing (including a few clues to show that yes, this is the same world as that of Nothing Important Happened Today and Psychopaths Anonymous). Reading these books is like being a fly that's incautiously settled into a patch of honey: they pull you in, they'll be the end of you, but oh how sweet the process is.
The Daves Next Door is perhaps a more fractured story that its predecessors, following a number of different characters who are less obviously linked by a location or involvement in ongoing events. Those Daves, sharing a flat and a disease in mutual loathing, a much overworked and put-upon hospital nurse with an adequate boyfriend, an elderly man who thinks he's died and gone to Purgatory, two grifters, a a sportsman brought down by a seemingly random injury, and others - including a suicide bomber, perhaps.
They are though linked, and in two ways.
First, Carver's concern for human motivation, consequences and character comes through as strongly as ever. For example, there's a man here who was devoted to his wife, and bereft since her death. His son, rather than seeing that devotion as the wonderful loving thing it was, is rather resentful, so he's drifted away and won't be there for his dad's torment, which we see depicted here. A little vignette about human nature and a dynamic that's central to one of the plot strands here but also tells us something dark about people, something echoed across all the other mini-stories.
Secondly, one figure - that maybe-bomber - holds the story together, functioning (perhaps) as an all-seeing narrator, recounting the lives of the other characters, so therefore (possibly) a God-like figure or equally (maybe) an Author. Their chapters are composed as questions - such a barrage of questions, from the profound to the trivial, pausing at all stops in between, but especially circling mysteries to which humanity has signally failed to discover answers. The Four Last Things - Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgement - loom over this story, especially, perhaps, Judgement which is passed not only on the characters and the world they inhabit (the world WE inhabit) but also, this being the Carververse, on the reader as well. No other author I know has quite the ability of Carver to involve his readers in the awkward moral failings that he highlights is his stories, though he does it in an utterly disarming, even charming, way. (That's the honey).
He does it, especially, by refusing to let the reader stick the blame on one character or another, even one who has behaved abominably (as many do). There are no neat endings, no convenient resolutions and retribution - people you'd grown fond of have terrible things happen to them, the unpleasant can simply stroll away.
Maybe that's not quite right though. As we would expect, one person who's given an especially hard time here is God, and of course, as They may feature in the story, many of the questions a certain character poses might actually be asked of Themself. (I apologise for the clunky language but given Carver's multi-layered portrayals here, words become rather slippery). This makes for a rather convincing self-prosecution which is genuinely unsettling both in terms of what it implies for the story and as an accusation against religion and those who follow it.
(I have to say that for me, the omnipotent, all-seeing, create-everything-in-seven-days version of God who's in point here is perhaps something of a straw deity. Alternatives are available, and less absurd. But maybe that is slightly mean-minded of me - after all there are plenty of people who hold to this picture).
In short, I'd come to expect from this author, The Daves Next Door is a vivid and thoughtful, and often angry, book that tells a compelling and absorbing story (across its many threads) but comes with a real moral punch, real engagement with ideas, and shines with compassion even at its darkest moments (of which there are quite few).
I'd strongly recommend, whether or not you're read any of Mr Carver's previous books: this is essentially a standalone though with some clear links, thematically and in plot terms, to them.
August 10, 2022
Another unconventional but gripping thriller from Will Carver, who is such a highly original but yet very readable author.
We’ve got a group of seemingly unrelated people living their separate lives, who unknowingly, are all going to gather at the same place at the same time and be the victims of a horrifying act. But how do these seemingly random people end up there ? There’s the Daves, one of whom apparently suffers from a brain tumour and incessantly checks the communal mailbox for a letter, while the other Dave remains in the flat drinking and wetting himself. There is elderly Saul who attempts to commit suicide and is now apparently trapped in purgatory being tended too by two angels. The Sportsman had a bright career ahead of him until he suffers multiple leg fractures and now only sees in black and white until the nurse appears and he can see her in vivid hues and tones. The nurse, Vashti suddenly discovers healing powers she never knew she possessed. Lastly there is ‘God’ or the narrator who constantly travels the London Underground waiting for the right time, when the group of people he is waiting for to eventually arrive.
When I first started reading I did wonder what it was I was actually reading but slowly you start to put things together and the stories of the individuals start to pull you in, until I was utterly submerged in each of their stories. You know early on what the final outcome is going to be but it is the ‘getting there’ that I found totally absorbing. There is however a final twist that I didn’t see coming and in truth I had to re-read the particular passage just to make sure I’d read it correctly.
Carver is such an original writer that continues to surprise me, as he pushes the boundaries with each new novel and I also like that he always includes a little reference or character that references his previous work. He is also highly productive and I’m sure I won’t have to wait too long before his next course is served up !
We’ve got a group of seemingly unrelated people living their separate lives, who unknowingly, are all going to gather at the same place at the same time and be the victims of a horrifying act. But how do these seemingly random people end up there ? There’s the Daves, one of whom apparently suffers from a brain tumour and incessantly checks the communal mailbox for a letter, while the other Dave remains in the flat drinking and wetting himself. There is elderly Saul who attempts to commit suicide and is now apparently trapped in purgatory being tended too by two angels. The Sportsman had a bright career ahead of him until he suffers multiple leg fractures and now only sees in black and white until the nurse appears and he can see her in vivid hues and tones. The nurse, Vashti suddenly discovers healing powers she never knew she possessed. Lastly there is ‘God’ or the narrator who constantly travels the London Underground waiting for the right time, when the group of people he is waiting for to eventually arrive.
When I first started reading I did wonder what it was I was actually reading but slowly you start to put things together and the stories of the individuals start to pull you in, until I was utterly submerged in each of their stories. You know early on what the final outcome is going to be but it is the ‘getting there’ that I found totally absorbing. There is however a final twist that I didn’t see coming and in truth I had to re-read the particular passage just to make sure I’d read it correctly.
Carver is such an original writer that continues to surprise me, as he pushes the boundaries with each new novel and I also like that he always includes a little reference or character that references his previous work. He is also highly productive and I’m sure I won’t have to wait too long before his next course is served up !
August 14, 2022
Having read four of Will Carver's previous books, beginning with the outstanding Nothing Important Happened Today at the end of 2019, as well as being mind blowing and unpredictable, they have been nigh on impossible to review! Well, this one is no different. I honestly have no idea were to start.
A summary, I'll start with a summary! A small group of strangers, with no connection, will find themselves inextricably linked. Saul, mourning a lost love and attempting suicide, the sportsman - we never know his name or his sport, Vashti, a jaded nurse who finds herself beginning to care again, the Daves of the title and our narrator, who might be God or a terrorist or just simply our narrator. Or all three. We meet each of them, and a small cast of supporting characters, over the course of a few days, culminating in life changing events for all of them.
The chapters are short and sharp, keeping things rattling along. They are written in the present tense, giving a feeling of immediacy, and in the third person, except those from the point of view of Narrator/God/Terrorist, which are in the second person, addressing the reader directly. I've seen this in the author's earlier books too and it is very effective. Sometimes, it's quite aggressive. Here, our Narrator/God/Terrorist asks constant questions, forcing the reader to really think. About the small stuff - Diagnosis Murder gets a mention, the huge subjects and questions about the story so far.
All the characters are interesting and incredibly well written. Standouts would be Saul, heartbroken after the death of his wife and confused by the angels he finds in his home and Vashti, tired and worn down by her work, as are many of her colleagues and, of course, as are so many of our actual NHS workers. And a shout out for the Daves, the most inspired, in my opinion, of this collection of creations.
The Daves Next Door is brilliantly written - 'Time passes. Haemophilic seconds bleeding furiously into seconds that feel like weeks...', darkly
comic in places and full of fascinating characters. It discusses big issues - racism, religion, radicalisation, apathy, addiction to social media, lack of engagement with the real world, what it is to feel, what it is to be human. It is not an easy, relaxing read. It questions, shocks, confronts and challenges. And it's absolutely worth the effort.
A summary, I'll start with a summary! A small group of strangers, with no connection, will find themselves inextricably linked. Saul, mourning a lost love and attempting suicide, the sportsman - we never know his name or his sport, Vashti, a jaded nurse who finds herself beginning to care again, the Daves of the title and our narrator, who might be God or a terrorist or just simply our narrator. Or all three. We meet each of them, and a small cast of supporting characters, over the course of a few days, culminating in life changing events for all of them.
The chapters are short and sharp, keeping things rattling along. They are written in the present tense, giving a feeling of immediacy, and in the third person, except those from the point of view of Narrator/God/Terrorist, which are in the second person, addressing the reader directly. I've seen this in the author's earlier books too and it is very effective. Sometimes, it's quite aggressive. Here, our Narrator/God/Terrorist asks constant questions, forcing the reader to really think. About the small stuff - Diagnosis Murder gets a mention, the huge subjects and questions about the story so far.
All the characters are interesting and incredibly well written. Standouts would be Saul, heartbroken after the death of his wife and confused by the angels he finds in his home and Vashti, tired and worn down by her work, as are many of her colleagues and, of course, as are so many of our actual NHS workers. And a shout out for the Daves, the most inspired, in my opinion, of this collection of creations.
The Daves Next Door is brilliantly written - 'Time passes. Haemophilic seconds bleeding furiously into seconds that feel like weeks...', darkly
comic in places and full of fascinating characters. It discusses big issues - racism, religion, radicalisation, apathy, addiction to social media, lack of engagement with the real world, what it is to feel, what it is to be human. It is not an easy, relaxing read. It questions, shocks, confronts and challenges. And it's absolutely worth the effort.
July 13, 2022
There are certain things I’ve come to expect from Mr Carver. A richly detailed exploration of society and all its glorious foibles, unusual narration, the shades of grey that sit between good and evil and above all of those a bloody good read that takes my brain and shoves it in a mincer.
How can a premise so bizarre make so much sense? In the mind of Will Carver anything is possible. The questions posed are so out there yet also seem so important. If you could only see in shades of black and white what colour would you miss the most? Would the grass be greyer on the other side? Strange for a book that makes you see everything more clearly. So many topics were covered I half expected the do penguins have knees question to appear.
I seem to have digressed but that is exactly what reading this book does. It takes one train of thought then goes off in random directions. One minute you are sitting on a train with a suicide bomber wondering if he is God the next you are looking up a book that a commuter is reading and purchasing it. Then before you know it you are even asked a question about that, art referencing art. Christ is Will Carver psychic now?
As the train switches tracks between each character you can’t help but ask yourself where the final destination will be and who will get there with you? Is life like this book, just one very strange journey and the passengers we meet on the way?
Maybe it’s time for you to board the Will Carver train and see for yourself the world inside his head!
How can a premise so bizarre make so much sense? In the mind of Will Carver anything is possible. The questions posed are so out there yet also seem so important. If you could only see in shades of black and white what colour would you miss the most? Would the grass be greyer on the other side? Strange for a book that makes you see everything more clearly. So many topics were covered I half expected the do penguins have knees question to appear.
I seem to have digressed but that is exactly what reading this book does. It takes one train of thought then goes off in random directions. One minute you are sitting on a train with a suicide bomber wondering if he is God the next you are looking up a book that a commuter is reading and purchasing it. Then before you know it you are even asked a question about that, art referencing art. Christ is Will Carver psychic now?
As the train switches tracks between each character you can’t help but ask yourself where the final destination will be and who will get there with you? Is life like this book, just one very strange journey and the passengers we meet on the way?
Maybe it’s time for you to board the Will Carver train and see for yourself the world inside his head!
September 29, 2022
Carver is such an inventive writer. His books are chock full of ideas and never stale.
In this story the ceaseless questions (a mix of the sort of reading group questions you get about characters and plot, and asking about your position on the moral and ethical principles raised) fired at you by the narrator / God became unrelenting, as though you were being interrogated as a suspect in the terrorist bombings that the story was building up to. Almost immersive.
In this story the ceaseless questions (a mix of the sort of reading group questions you get about characters and plot, and asking about your position on the moral and ethical principles raised) fired at you by the narrator / God became unrelenting, as though you were being interrogated as a suspect in the terrorist bombings that the story was building up to. Almost immersive.
October 23, 2022
So weird! Not even sure what happened...
January 7, 2023
There aren’t many books that I can say feel hold a truly unique perspective, but this one certainly does! What a way to tackle a ‘terrorist tale’ - I was enthralled with what would occur and how the fascinating characters’ tale would ultimately entwine. Can’t wait to read some more of his work!
September 12, 2024
The strangest, weirdest book I have ever read. Don’t know how I feel about this book.
July 21, 2022
I'd like to say that in picking up a Will Carver novel you know the kind of book that you are going to get, but if I did that I'd really be on the verge of telling the world's biggest porkie pie. The expected is probably the last thing you are going to find in a Will Carver book, generally the literary equivalent of Forrest Gump's box of chocolates. Deliciously unconventional, mind bendingly challenging and utterly compelling reading, there is no denying there is a certain tone that typifies the author's work - demonstrated here so very clearly and cleverly - but it is almost the certainty of the irrationality of the books that make them stand out. This particular skirts around the edges in of the Detective Pace 'not quite a series' series, with nods to some of the previous tomes, but stands alone as a story which will challenge, infuriate and bewilder readers. I quite enjoyed it.
This book certainly didn't feel as angry as some of the author's more recent works, although there is a kind of toned down condemnation of some of the excesses of modern society. Told through the stories of a handful of very diverse, truly memorable characters, the story switches back and forth in terms of point of view in typical Carver style. But, whilst we would normally understand the disposability of some of the characters we meet, it is clear that each and every one of the characters we engage with this time, through their own unique stories, has a very important part to play in what comes to pass. With echoes of Nothing Important Happened Today, and more than a touch of a Hinton Hollow-esque nature to the story, this is a story that takes us into the complicated sphere of a nurse, a widower, a few patients, some abusers, a playwright and a would be terrorist. At least ... they might be.
If you haven't read HInton Hollow or Nothing Important, and it is not vital that you have, then some of the references may pass you by. For those in the know, an wry smile or two are likely. There is almost something comforting in the complex and twisted way in which all these individual stories blend together. And I mean that is a very loose sense of the word 'comforting'. It is clear that one of the characters, the one story told from a first person point of view, is set to be a suicide bomber in the midst of a series of vicious attacks that are set to rock London and so, if the thought of this is likely to cause offence, this might not be the book for you. But the book is not about the attacks, they are a by-product of the real reason we are here and leads to questions around theology, prejudice and how quickly we move to assumptions. It forces you to challenge your assumptions, and speaks to the very nature of apathy that grows ever stronger in society. Whilst some of this book may be very fictional (I assume ...) other elements actually feel depressingly plausible.
This is a very Will Carver book, and those who are familiar with the author's work will know what I mean by that. It's hard to put into words. It's an almost conversational, not quite dismissive but definitely sardonic style of writing. He acts as a mirror, reflecting back on all the parts of modern life that we may well wish to disguise. I won't get into the whole existence of good verses evil, or God verses the Devil, but it we assume that, as in Hinton Hollow, evil really does exist and comes in human shape and form, is it possible that God, or inherent good, is similarly formed? Now the end of the book takes a somewhat unexpected turn - although is there even such a thing in a WC novel - but then I guess that is the very nature of these books. The author never explicitly states a case one way or another as to the veracity of certain claims or assumptions made in those final pages. Did we as reader/voyeur, see what we thought we did or are we as unreliable as the witnesses, each of whom experienced a very different kind of epiphany? And does it even matter. Literature, as in life, all comes down to individual interpretation after all.
Another twisted, unexpected, sometimes upsetting, often challenging novel that just screams of vintage Will Carver. One of the most unique author's in the Orenda stable and we wouldn't have it any other way. Definitely recommended for readers who like their books on the less conventional side.
This book certainly didn't feel as angry as some of the author's more recent works, although there is a kind of toned down condemnation of some of the excesses of modern society. Told through the stories of a handful of very diverse, truly memorable characters, the story switches back and forth in terms of point of view in typical Carver style. But, whilst we would normally understand the disposability of some of the characters we meet, it is clear that each and every one of the characters we engage with this time, through their own unique stories, has a very important part to play in what comes to pass. With echoes of Nothing Important Happened Today, and more than a touch of a Hinton Hollow-esque nature to the story, this is a story that takes us into the complicated sphere of a nurse, a widower, a few patients, some abusers, a playwright and a would be terrorist. At least ... they might be.
If you haven't read HInton Hollow or Nothing Important, and it is not vital that you have, then some of the references may pass you by. For those in the know, an wry smile or two are likely. There is almost something comforting in the complex and twisted way in which all these individual stories blend together. And I mean that is a very loose sense of the word 'comforting'. It is clear that one of the characters, the one story told from a first person point of view, is set to be a suicide bomber in the midst of a series of vicious attacks that are set to rock London and so, if the thought of this is likely to cause offence, this might not be the book for you. But the book is not about the attacks, they are a by-product of the real reason we are here and leads to questions around theology, prejudice and how quickly we move to assumptions. It forces you to challenge your assumptions, and speaks to the very nature of apathy that grows ever stronger in society. Whilst some of this book may be very fictional (I assume ...) other elements actually feel depressingly plausible.
This is a very Will Carver book, and those who are familiar with the author's work will know what I mean by that. It's hard to put into words. It's an almost conversational, not quite dismissive but definitely sardonic style of writing. He acts as a mirror, reflecting back on all the parts of modern life that we may well wish to disguise. I won't get into the whole existence of good verses evil, or God verses the Devil, but it we assume that, as in Hinton Hollow, evil really does exist and comes in human shape and form, is it possible that God, or inherent good, is similarly formed? Now the end of the book takes a somewhat unexpected turn - although is there even such a thing in a WC novel - but then I guess that is the very nature of these books. The author never explicitly states a case one way or another as to the veracity of certain claims or assumptions made in those final pages. Did we as reader/voyeur, see what we thought we did or are we as unreliable as the witnesses, each of whom experienced a very different kind of epiphany? And does it even matter. Literature, as in life, all comes down to individual interpretation after all.
Another twisted, unexpected, sometimes upsetting, often challenging novel that just screams of vintage Will Carver. One of the most unique author's in the Orenda stable and we wouldn't have it any other way. Definitely recommended for readers who like their books on the less conventional side.
June 27, 2022
Will Carver is a writer who never fails to impress me with the originality of his work. I always look forward to seeing what he has in store for us next, and his latest book The Daves Next Door, has left me wondering how on earth Will comes up with his ideas and his characters.
Will’s latest novel is told from the perspective of five individuals, their lives linked in a way unknown to them. The way how Will narrates the scenes told from their perspective is very unique and it draws you into the characters minds very easily. I especially found the chapters intriguing told from the point of view of a person who thinks they’re God.
There is real tension in this book as we get deeper and deeper into the mind set of each character. As one of the characters rides the Underground each day, he contemplates on his own state of existence, wondering if he is God, in control of the lives around him. He thinks about the possibility of a bomb being strapped to his chest. He is aware of all the other characters in this book as he observes their lives while riding with them on the London Underground. It feels as though this person does have a certain control over them. He gets to choose if they live or die. This is a terrifying aspect to this book and it made me think about the potential dangers we face every time we step outside the front door every morning. We know, in the book, that there will be a devastating series of terrorist attacks across London, and this is what turns the tension up a notch.
There is a real skill to the way how Will Carver writes that sets him apart from other writers. This is especially the case with how he tells the story from each different perspective. I got to know each and every one of the characters and they felt like real people. One of the other characters who I found particularly intriguing was the nurse, Vashti, who, in The Daves Next Door, is caring for an injured sportsman. I found these scenes featuring them really engaging and it was interesting seeing things develop between them over the course of the novel and seeing their personalities change.
The Daves Next Door is addictive, thought-provoking, and it makes for a captivating reading experience. Will Carver fans, you do not want to miss this book.
Will’s latest novel is told from the perspective of five individuals, their lives linked in a way unknown to them. The way how Will narrates the scenes told from their perspective is very unique and it draws you into the characters minds very easily. I especially found the chapters intriguing told from the point of view of a person who thinks they’re God.
There is real tension in this book as we get deeper and deeper into the mind set of each character. As one of the characters rides the Underground each day, he contemplates on his own state of existence, wondering if he is God, in control of the lives around him. He thinks about the possibility of a bomb being strapped to his chest. He is aware of all the other characters in this book as he observes their lives while riding with them on the London Underground. It feels as though this person does have a certain control over them. He gets to choose if they live or die. This is a terrifying aspect to this book and it made me think about the potential dangers we face every time we step outside the front door every morning. We know, in the book, that there will be a devastating series of terrorist attacks across London, and this is what turns the tension up a notch.
There is a real skill to the way how Will Carver writes that sets him apart from other writers. This is especially the case with how he tells the story from each different perspective. I got to know each and every one of the characters and they felt like real people. One of the other characters who I found particularly intriguing was the nurse, Vashti, who, in The Daves Next Door, is caring for an injured sportsman. I found these scenes featuring them really engaging and it was interesting seeing things develop between them over the course of the novel and seeing their personalities change.
The Daves Next Door is addictive, thought-provoking, and it makes for a captivating reading experience. Will Carver fans, you do not want to miss this book.
November 7, 2022
I am actually lost for words and have no idea what o just read and how to review 🙈😂.
The strangest book I think I’ve ever read and not sure tbh how I feel about it .. however it’s 3.5 and I’ve rounded it to 4 stars for sheer genius/originality and total bizarreness 😳
The strangest book I think I’ve ever read and not sure tbh how I feel about it .. however it’s 3.5 and I’ve rounded it to 4 stars for sheer genius/originality and total bizarreness 😳
July 21, 2022
How does one even begin to review a book like this one? (Starting with a question is probably rather appropriate 🤔)
Fortunately for me:
… there is a great power in nothingness. In stillness. In silence. In having the right questions rather than pretending to know all the answers.
The year is 2023 and on 21 July 2022, several bombs exploded in the London Underground. Can we take a moment to appreciate the date, i.e. the publication date of The Daves Next Door? Did that make me snort with glee? Well yes, it totally did.
The Daves Next Door takes us back to the months before the explosions in short and snappy chapters alternating between the lives of a bunch of seemingly unconnected people.
Have you stepped back to notice the similarities? Is there a way that all of these people could be linked?
Why yes, I have, thanks for asking 🙄 Concept-wise, I would say The Daves Next Door reminded me most of this author’s Hinton Hollow Death Trip. This time though, it’s not Death who’s speaking to us. But then who is? Is it God? Is it the narrator? (Isn’t the narrator a bit like God anyway?) Is it a terrorist? Riding the tube, wearing a bomb?
Are you keeping up? Wouldn’t it have been easier to tell each person’s tale in its entirety before moving on to the next? How boring would that have been, though? Wouldn’t the stories lose some of their tension? Would your brain have wandered or switched off if you hadn’t had to constantly think and analyse and remember things?
As with every single Will Carver novel, The Daves Next Door is an experience. You don’t just read a Will Carver, you experience it. It draws you in and it not only entertains you, it challenges you. You don’t just get to read an exciting story, although that is of course part of this package deal. But it also asks you questions, it wishes you to be more than a passive bystander, it needs you to be an active participant, it requires you to think, about the characters, about yourself, about the world, it wants to kick your arse into gear and snap you out of your apathy. Is it an entirely relaxing experience? No. But there are other books for that (and often they’re not half as brilliant as this one.)
Apathy is a slow death, but who cares?
(Anyone want to guess if that made me snort too? Place your bets now!)
As always, I loved looking for easter eggs and trying to figure out when in the Carververse The Daves Next Door is situated. Is that necessary to enjoy or understand the story? Not at all. Is it great fun? Hell yes! I love how all the books are linked in some way or another, reference each other and yes, I cheered when my favourite DS showed up.
The Daves Next Door is an absolutely brilliant read. No other writer writes like this, I always count on Will Carver to win all the points for originality and yes sirree, he won them again. I can’t even begin to define this story, it has thrills and drama and a stream of consciousness and it might evoke an existential crisis and you think that would clash but it doesn’t. You know what? Just read it.
Hugest of thanks to Orenda Books for the gorgeous proof copy! All opinions are my own.
Fortunately for me:
… there is a great power in nothingness. In stillness. In silence. In having the right questions rather than pretending to know all the answers.
The year is 2023 and on 21 July 2022, several bombs exploded in the London Underground. Can we take a moment to appreciate the date, i.e. the publication date of The Daves Next Door? Did that make me snort with glee? Well yes, it totally did.
The Daves Next Door takes us back to the months before the explosions in short and snappy chapters alternating between the lives of a bunch of seemingly unconnected people.
Have you stepped back to notice the similarities? Is there a way that all of these people could be linked?
Why yes, I have, thanks for asking 🙄 Concept-wise, I would say The Daves Next Door reminded me most of this author’s Hinton Hollow Death Trip. This time though, it’s not Death who’s speaking to us. But then who is? Is it God? Is it the narrator? (Isn’t the narrator a bit like God anyway?) Is it a terrorist? Riding the tube, wearing a bomb?
Are you keeping up? Wouldn’t it have been easier to tell each person’s tale in its entirety before moving on to the next? How boring would that have been, though? Wouldn’t the stories lose some of their tension? Would your brain have wandered or switched off if you hadn’t had to constantly think and analyse and remember things?
As with every single Will Carver novel, The Daves Next Door is an experience. You don’t just read a Will Carver, you experience it. It draws you in and it not only entertains you, it challenges you. You don’t just get to read an exciting story, although that is of course part of this package deal. But it also asks you questions, it wishes you to be more than a passive bystander, it needs you to be an active participant, it requires you to think, about the characters, about yourself, about the world, it wants to kick your arse into gear and snap you out of your apathy. Is it an entirely relaxing experience? No. But there are other books for that (and often they’re not half as brilliant as this one.)
Apathy is a slow death, but who cares?
(Anyone want to guess if that made me snort too? Place your bets now!)
As always, I loved looking for easter eggs and trying to figure out when in the Carververse The Daves Next Door is situated. Is that necessary to enjoy or understand the story? Not at all. Is it great fun? Hell yes! I love how all the books are linked in some way or another, reference each other and yes, I cheered when my favourite DS showed up.
The Daves Next Door is an absolutely brilliant read. No other writer writes like this, I always count on Will Carver to win all the points for originality and yes sirree, he won them again. I can’t even begin to define this story, it has thrills and drama and a stream of consciousness and it might evoke an existential crisis and you think that would clash but it doesn’t. You know what? Just read it.
Hugest of thanks to Orenda Books for the gorgeous proof copy! All opinions are my own.
October 14, 2022
the most hoity toity book that pretends to conjure abit more meaning than it’s worth told through the stream of consciousness of an omniscient, unreliable narrator disparaging the state of the world…
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