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Product Description
Mail on Sunday
‘A wonderfully unsettling psychological thriller … An oddly beautiful journey into the darkest corners of the human soul’
Review
'A remarkable suspense novel: tart, mysterious and wrenching' Anthony Minghella, Academy Award-winning director 'This is a wonderfully unsettling psychological thriller ... An oddly beautiful journey into the darkest corners of the human soul' Mail on Sunday 'Shocking, moving and beautifully written, The Ninth Life Of Louis Drax is an extraordinary novel about family mystery and medical marvels' Image 'A gripping psychological thriller with a gothic flavour ... unputdownable ... The Ninth Life of Louis Drax contains many heart-stopping moments where the tension is cranked up almost to breaking point' Daily Telegraph
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of the best literary thrillers I have read. Sparse and atmospheric, Liz Jensen has the nerve to hold suspense longer than most authors, yet at the same time evoke the very real confusion of the human heart. Her concept is one that immediately appeals. A precocious young boy is in a coma after a family cliff top accident. His mother finds the one doctor in France who might have the expertise to cure him, but with the cure will come stories perhaps better left secret.
In the hands of film director Anthony Minghella I expect Louis Drax will become a thought-provoking movie.
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A heart-stopping thriller hallmarked by Jensen's powerful and unique style. A friend recommended 'Ark Baby' - a comic tour de force - and I've been a fan of her work ever since. Jensen's versatility makes her a difficult writer to categorise, and I was curious to see how she would approach the thriller genre. This is yet another brilliant book; subtle, ingenious and beautifully written. The narrative fizzes and crackles with the customary energy of Jensen's prose. The story of accident-prone Louis Drax, and Dannachet, the doctor who looks after him, had me in its grip from the first paragraph to the last with many unexpected detours, blind alleys, and twists. It's difficult to reveal much about the book without unravelling a sophisticated and complex plot, so I won't, but this is the most tense and exciting thriller I've read in a long, long, time. What makes this book stand out is the sheer quality of the writing, the powerful, sinister atmosphere, and the fascinating characters. Jensen has a gift for voice and the dual narrative of Drax and Dannachet exploits this to full effect. Her descriptions of the Provencale landscape and the oppressive and turbulent weather reflect the inner turmoil of the characters' lives. It's an unforgettable story with writing of the highest order. And for those who claim 'literary thriller' is a contradiction in terms, here's my advice: READ THIS!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The premise of this book piqued my interest to say the least - a boy in a coma is a most unusual storyline and offered something abit different. I found neither of the main characters particularly likeable - Louis was prone to disturbing outbursts and bitter anger, while Dr Dannachet came across as weak and often foolish. As I think of it now, there were question marks over most of the characters in some way. This was the beauty of the book, there were niggling doubts about the characters and the secret that underpined them all always seemed just a page away.
I found Louis and his imagination unsettling, but the actual story was gripping and revealed the many folded weaknesses of humanty. Although others have commented that the style of writing supposedly reflecting a nine year old wasn't quite right, I disagree. Louis was no normal child - he is often described as brilliant as well as disturbed and this provides the justification for the writing style. It reflected the personality of Louis well - often suddenly turning the banal into the unsettling.
Ultimately, it was a tragedy and I still find myself plagued by thoughts of that unusual little boy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Clever idea
Louis Drax is a very accident prone boy. One day, during a picnic by a cliff with his mother and father, he plunges over the edge into a ravine and ends up in a coma. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Nicola
Highly recommend this one
Louis Drax is a 9 year old French boy and self-labelled "Disturbed Child". Called Wacko Boy at school his mother sends him to a therapist to whom he feeds outrageous lies, so that... Read more
Published 3 months ago by R. A. Davison
"We Need to Talk About Louis"
Louis Drax is a precocious nine year old boy who has experienced a suspicious number of accidents culminating in a clifftop plunge during a family picnic. Read more
Published 7 months ago by P. Lowther
Louis Drax - a unsettling but intriguing read
This was one of those books which seemed a quick read but took me a couple of weeks to get through.I did enjoy it, but kept finding myself lost in the ramblings of the author, who... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Manda Moo
A very strange life indeed
This is a very strange book. And to some extent it's also very uncomfortable to read. But that's not to say it's not a GOOD read. Read more
Published 9 months ago by madaboutbooks
Predictable and tedious with unlikeable characters
I have to say I almost exercised the "rite of disposal" on this one. I had little sympathy for Natalie Drax and her hamster murdering son had as they played out their bizarre love... Read more
Published 10 months ago by TurvyAxe
An entertaining read, but ultimately unsatisfying
Written from the two different perspectives of a boy in a coma and his doctor, this is an unusual novel. How did Louis come to fall into a ravine? Read more
Published 16 months ago by Phil O'Sofa
Sizzling but not 'great'
I quite enjoyed this. My abiding memory of this book is the way in which the author manages to capture the ferocious heat of southern France. Read more
Published 21 months ago by John Moseley
My first Liz Jensen read and certainly not my last!
I bought this book as a random treat to myself after Amazon's recommendation and am really pleased that I did! Read more
Published 23 months ago by Keeley
Definitely Different
This is a pretty weird book dealing with the psychology of a disturbed child and his parents. It didn't grip me - I didn't feel the need to sit up all night race reading to get to... Read more
Published on 28 April 2009 by Jenta
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