Life! Death! Prizes!
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Review
`I loved this book for its touching, truthful - sometimes shocking - and painfully funny portrayal of two brothers struggling to stay together after the death of their mother. It's a paean of praise for the other side of contemporary youth, the side that, with all its foibles and failures, is still driven by love and connection'
--Mavis Cheek
`Life! Death! Prizes! is a raw, funny and heartfelt book, full of surprising tenderness and hope - a fine achievement'
--A. L. Kennedy
'I LOVED Life! Death! Prizes! Really, really loved it. I was gripped, utterly held and then I felt bereft - having to leave Billy and Oscar to their lives - which, for me, is the sign of a great novel. This is a tender, funny book with the sharp-eyed observation of David Nicholls and the verve of Kate Atkinson. Brilliant.'
--Suzannah Dunn, bestselling author of The Confession of Katherine Howard
`Full of surprises, this acutely observed story of grief and love begins bleakly, ends up full of compassion and has great deal to say about modern families and the world we live in en route. It's a real achievement, and introduces Stephen May as a talent to be reckoned with'
----Melvin Burgess
`Gritty, witty, uplifting, sharp - I think what we have here is the new Nick Hornby' ----Kate Long
`Stephen May's writing is muscular, tender and touching'
----Willy Russell
`A heartbreaking tale, propulsively told. By turns bleak, funny, and tender, LIFE! DEATH! PRIZES is an intoxicating gulp of a novel'
----Christopher Makling
'A raw, funny and heartfelt book, full of surprising tenderness and hope - a fine achievement' ----A.L. Kennedy
'I loved this book for its touching, truthful - sometimes shocking - and painfully funny portrayal of two brothers struggling to stay together after the death of their mother. It's a paean of praise for the other side of contemporary youth, the side that, with all its foibles and failures, is still driven by love and connection' ----Mavis Cheek
'I don't know how he does it, but Stephen May manages to balance hilarity and sadness in nearly every sentence of this deftly comic, completely engaging and at times absolutely hair-raising novel. Life! Death! Prizes! deserves every one of its exclamation marks' ----Suzanne Berne, author of the Orange Prize-winning A Crime in the Neighborhood
'Echoes of J.D. Salinger and Dave Eggars, this is a book about boys, brotherhood, teenage heroism and confusion. It is happy, sad and good. Stephen May is a major new talent, sharply observant of the human condition' ----Monique Roffey, author of White Woman on the Green Bicycle, shortlisted for Orange Prize
'I loved Life! Death! Prizes! I read it over a weekend, barely putting it down, and when I'd finished and had to leave Billy and Oscar to the rest of their lives, I felt bereft. Stephen May has the sharp eye of David Nicholls and the verve of Kate Atkinson' ----Suzannah Dunn, author of The Confession of Katharine Howard
'A heartbreaking tale, propulsively told. By turns bleak, funny, and tender, Life! Death! Prizes! is an intoxicating gulp of a novel' ----Christopher Wakling, author of What I Did
'Full of surprises, this acutely observed story of grief and love begins bleakly, ends up full of compassion and has great deal to say about modern families and the world we live in en route. It's a real achievement, and introduces Stephen May as a talent to be reckoned with' ----Melvin Burgess
'Gritty, witty, uplifting, sharp - it reminded me of Nick Hornby in its portrayal of modern family in all its glorious chaos' ----Kate Long
'Stephen May's writing is muscular, tender and touching' ----Willy Russell
--Mavis Cheek
`Life! Death! Prizes! is a raw, funny and heartfelt book, full of surprising tenderness and hope - a fine achievement'
--A. L. Kennedy
'I LOVED Life! Death! Prizes! Really, really loved it. I was gripped, utterly held and then I felt bereft - having to leave Billy and Oscar to their lives - which, for me, is the sign of a great novel. This is a tender, funny book with the sharp-eyed observation of David Nicholls and the verve of Kate Atkinson. Brilliant.'
--Suzannah Dunn, bestselling author of The Confession of Katherine Howard
`Full of surprises, this acutely observed story of grief and love begins bleakly, ends up full of compassion and has great deal to say about modern families and the world we live in en route. It's a real achievement, and introduces Stephen May as a talent to be reckoned with'
----Melvin Burgess
`Gritty, witty, uplifting, sharp - I think what we have here is the new Nick Hornby' ----Kate Long
`Stephen May's writing is muscular, tender and touching'
----Willy Russell
`A heartbreaking tale, propulsively told. By turns bleak, funny, and tender, LIFE! DEATH! PRIZES is an intoxicating gulp of a novel'
----Christopher Makling
'A raw, funny and heartfelt book, full of surprising tenderness and hope - a fine achievement' ----A.L. Kennedy
'I loved this book for its touching, truthful - sometimes shocking - and painfully funny portrayal of two brothers struggling to stay together after the death of their mother. It's a paean of praise for the other side of contemporary youth, the side that, with all its foibles and failures, is still driven by love and connection' ----Mavis Cheek
'I don't know how he does it, but Stephen May manages to balance hilarity and sadness in nearly every sentence of this deftly comic, completely engaging and at times absolutely hair-raising novel. Life! Death! Prizes! deserves every one of its exclamation marks' ----Suzanne Berne, author of the Orange Prize-winning A Crime in the Neighborhood
'Echoes of J.D. Salinger and Dave Eggars, this is a book about boys, brotherhood, teenage heroism and confusion. It is happy, sad and good. Stephen May is a major new talent, sharply observant of the human condition' ----Monique Roffey, author of White Woman on the Green Bicycle, shortlisted for Orange Prize
'I loved Life! Death! Prizes! I read it over a weekend, barely putting it down, and when I'd finished and had to leave Billy and Oscar to the rest of their lives, I felt bereft. Stephen May has the sharp eye of David Nicholls and the verve of Kate Atkinson' ----Suzannah Dunn, author of The Confession of Katharine Howard
'A heartbreaking tale, propulsively told. By turns bleak, funny, and tender, Life! Death! Prizes! is an intoxicating gulp of a novel' ----Christopher Wakling, author of What I Did
'Full of surprises, this acutely observed story of grief and love begins bleakly, ends up full of compassion and has great deal to say about modern families and the world we live in en route. It's a real achievement, and introduces Stephen May as a talent to be reckoned with' ----Melvin Burgess
'Gritty, witty, uplifting, sharp - it reminded me of Nick Hornby in its portrayal of modern family in all its glorious chaos' ----Kate Long
'Stephen May's writing is muscular, tender and touching' ----Willy Russell
Review
A raw, funny and heartfelt book, full of surprising tenderness and hope - a fine achievement A.L. Kennedy I loved this book for its touching, truthful - sometimes shocking - and painfully funny portrayal of two brothers struggling to stay together after the death of their mother. It's a paean of praise for the other side of contemporary youth, the side that, with all its foibles and failures, is still driven by love and connection Mavis Cheek I don't know how he does it, but Stephen May manages to balance hilarity and sadness in nearly every sentence of this deftly comic, completely engaging and at times absolutely hair-raising novel. Life! Death! Prizes! deserves every one of its exclamation marks Suzanne Berne, author of the Orange Prize-winning A Crime in the Neighborhood Echoes of J.D. Salinger and Dave Eggars, this is a book about boys, brotherhood, teenage heroism and confusion. It is happy, sad and good. Stephen May is a major new talent, sharply observant of the human condition Monique Roffey, author of White Woman on the Green Bicycle, shortlisted for Orange Prize I loved Life! Death! Prizes! I read it over a weekend, barely putting it down, and when I'd finished and had to leave Billy and Oscar to the rest of their lives, I felt bereft. Stephen May has the sharp eye of David Nicholls and the verve of Kate Atkinson Suzannah Dunn, author of The Confession of Katharine Howard A heartbreaking tale, propulsively told. By turns bleak, funny, and tender, Life! Death! Prizes! is an intoxicating gulp of a novel Christopher Wakling, author of What I Did Full of surprises, this acutely observed story of grief and love begins bleakly, ends up full of compassion and has great deal to say about modern families and the world we live in en route. It's a real achievement, and introduces Stephen May as a talent to be reckoned with Melvin Burgess Gritty, witty, uplifting, sharp - it reminded me of Nick Hornby in its portrayal of modern family in all its glorious chaos Kate Long Stephen May's writing is muscular, tender and touching Willy Russell This is a wonderful, wry novel, looking at brotherly love and grief in a tender and humorous way Psychologies Stephen May's voice is original, funny and poignant as he marries sharp imagery with the brothers' beautifully realised relationship. Unmissable Marie Claire If you're in the mood for a good bout of sobbing and your own life is just too nice to make you cry, this will definitely do it ... one is inevitably reminded of Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius ... it's a warm novel, written with a wry wit, and the end is as uplifting as a good bra -- Kate Saunders The Times Stephen May's rites-of-passage novel is a painfully raw examination of the effects of loss and grief, and the confusion and difficulty of trying to be a male role model when you've never had a proper one yourself Daily Mail
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This novel provides a gritty, realistic portrait of life in Britain today, but is never too bleak or too depressing. There is humour mixed with the tragedy and the hero, Billy, is a very engaging character. He is bright, sharp, funny and kind-hearted. Sometimes he seems to be mature, even wise, for his years; at other times he seems to be a typical teenager, with the interests and preoccupations of a typical teenager. But Billy is not typical. His mother is killed during a mugging and Billy, at only 19 years old, is left with the responsibility of looking after his 6 year old brother, Oscar. He takes on this task willingly and whole-heartedly and does his utmost to care for Oscar. But this is a task which is too much for Billy and gradually life for him and Oscar slides into chaos. Billy ignores the growing squalor in the house and the pile of unpaid bills which grows ever larger. He buries his head in the sand and tries to ignore the chaos. Even little Oscar, as much as he loves his big brother, knows that he needs some domesticity and stability in his life. Eventually the outside world is forced to intervene.
This is a lovely book which I enjoyed very much. In spite of the somewhat dark subject matter, the novel is heart-warming and life-affirming. The reader will not be depressed after reading it - but will be uplifted. It is many, many years since I read "Catcher in the Rye" by J D Salinger but I felt there were some similarities between Billy and Holden Caulfield. Certainly both characters are memorable.
Altogether this is a great read and I am happy to recommend it.
This is a lovely book which I enjoyed very much. In spite of the somewhat dark subject matter, the novel is heart-warming and life-affirming. The reader will not be depressed after reading it - but will be uplifted. It is many, many years since I read "Catcher in the Rye" by J D Salinger but I felt there were some similarities between Billy and Holden Caulfield. Certainly both characters are memorable.
Altogether this is a great read and I am happy to recommend it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a terrific story that grabs you on page one and keeps you reading right to the last sentence. Stephen May's portrayal of 19-year-old Billy trying to be a 'dad' to his little brother after their mum's murder is beautifully realised. May gets straight to the heart of the story in unflinching detail. His prose his clear, poetic and he manages to inject humour, drama and tremendous pathos into this sharply observed contemporary story. The narrative has such drive that you simply have to read it in as few sittings as possible. TV producers, listen up - this would make a great screen drama.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
It's rare nowadays that I pick up a book which is so well-written that it keeps me gripped throughout, but this novel is an example of this. I was intrigued to read that it was author, Stephen May's second book, with talent like this you'd be mistaken in think he'd be better known than he currently is.
The plot of the novel centres on Southwood resident (a fictionalised Essex town), nineteen-year-old Billy Smith, whose mother, Suzanne is murdered by a local hoodlum in a bungled mugging. Billy has to juggle the care of his six-year-old half-brother, Oscar with the wants and needs of his Aunt Toni and Oscar's estranged father, Dean plus the hierarchy of the PTA mothers at the school. Also, his job at the local museum and on/off relationship with Lucy Avis, a teacher adds to his worries as he seeks out the truth behind his mother's demise.
If the title of the book is somewhat confusing it concerns a fictional magazine along the same lines as `Take a Break', `Chat' or `That's Life' - you know the ones, full of true life stories of death, births, misery, puzzles and prizes. The dialogue and social comment in this book are fantastic and at 275 pages it was the perfect length. The characterisation was brilliant too; May really brings his characters to life, which is fairly ironic when you consider how rounded the late Suzanne appeared to be on the page.
To conclude: a brilliant novel, recommended to anyone who enjoys a stonking good read allied with a social conscience.
The plot of the novel centres on Southwood resident (a fictionalised Essex town), nineteen-year-old Billy Smith, whose mother, Suzanne is murdered by a local hoodlum in a bungled mugging. Billy has to juggle the care of his six-year-old half-brother, Oscar with the wants and needs of his Aunt Toni and Oscar's estranged father, Dean plus the hierarchy of the PTA mothers at the school. Also, his job at the local museum and on/off relationship with Lucy Avis, a teacher adds to his worries as he seeks out the truth behind his mother's demise.
If the title of the book is somewhat confusing it concerns a fictional magazine along the same lines as `Take a Break', `Chat' or `That's Life' - you know the ones, full of true life stories of death, births, misery, puzzles and prizes. The dialogue and social comment in this book are fantastic and at 275 pages it was the perfect length. The characterisation was brilliant too; May really brings his characters to life, which is fairly ironic when you consider how rounded the late Suzanne appeared to be on the page.
To conclude: a brilliant novel, recommended to anyone who enjoys a stonking good read allied with a social conscience.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Works well on more than one level
I read the reviews on this and thought it might be worth a try - it was! Meet Billy - 19 and Oscar - 6 who have just lost their mother. Read more
Published 1 day ago by totnes_nigel
More subtle than Essex....
A review drove me to buy this one the following day. I wasn't disappointed. Despite being a relatively short book allbeit in a large format it packs a decent punch. Read more
Published 6 days ago by karen bennett
Brotherly Love
A brilliant novel, properly heartrending without ever lapsing into sentimentality, it somehow magically manages to combine funny, funny, funny, with some very dark places indeed. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Megan Taylor
A beautifully funny and yet moving novel.
What a glorious book! I defy anyone to be left unmoved at the story of Billy and Oscar. The writing is beautifully observational and, despite reading this novel whilst away on... Read more
Published 18 days ago by Bonedrum
Full of all emotions
Billy and Oscar's mum has died tragically and they are both working hard to stay together in their family home. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Janie U
Absolutely superb!
Fantastic writing. Wonderful believable characters. That old cliché "it made me laugh, it made me cry" thoroughly appropriate. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Joanne Marie E. Molloy
So warm-hearted, so moving, so funny
Here's something really fresh that I am convinced will end up on all the prize lists this year. And then it'll be a massive hit film. At it least blooming well should be! Read more
Published 18 days ago by Carole Grace
Touching but never mawkish
When Billy's mother is killed in a bungled street robbery, the now orphaned nineteen year old boy is determined to look after his six year old step-brother Oscar, despite the... Read more
Published 26 days ago by Benjamin
A surprising but excellent book!
Firstly, the surprise factor of this book is incredible. From my first being told about it and reading the blurb I thought this book would tell a dark and depressing tale. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jason Tomlinson
A Gem
From the very first page of 'Life! Death! Prizes!' I was hooked. (Not many writers can make a funeral both funny, heart-rending and oh, so REAL. May pulls it off brilliantly. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Griffiths
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