Lucy Burns works as a facilitator, leading unredeemable sinners to hell. And the working conditions aren’t the greatest. Sure she gets a wish fulfilled every birthday and can eat all the chocolate she wants without gaining weight, but she can’t see her family, have a boyfriend, or live any kind of normal life. She’d love to quit, but she doesn’t know how - until a fellow facilitator tells her about a little-known loophole…This is a really clever, quirky read with a well thought-out mythology and an appealing protagonist. While it does feel a bit on the short side – I would’ve liked to see her “at work” a bit more and seen more interaction with her sister Ellen (the heart of the story) – it covers all the important points to make the story resonate on both a purely enjoyable level as well as a deeper, more thought-provoking level.
My only minor quibble: I didn’t really think it was necessary to make Lucy’s love interest blind. I kept asking myself for example how as a creative writing professor he was able to read his students’ writing and write his own novel (included excerpts of which also seemed superfluous in such a short novella).
THE SINFUL LIFE OF LUCY BURNS is out in hardcover now. Find out more about the book and download the first chapter at the publisher's website.
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15 comments:
This does sound like a fun read, but that is odd that the author would make a creative writing professor blind.
This looks like such a cute concept for a novel. I may have get my hands on it.
This sounds fun! Even the title and cover are fun : I'm glad to hear the text is, too.
I actually have to disagree with you on the blind love interest. I think that it was really good that he was blind... because he came to love her for who she was, not because of the way she looked. That was important because she was so physically gorgeous.
But, I really liked the book, overall. I thought it was really different from the other books I've read this year.
Thanks for review.
Say "hi" to the kittehs for me~
Sheri
I would've liked to see more of her work, too. But altogether I quite enjoyed it!
I really enjoyed this book as well. I'm glad you liked it.
~ Popin
Maybe he has a TA who reads everything to him? You're right that it doesn't really make sense. Sounds like an interesting novel though. :)
This sounds like an interesting read. I've never heard about this side of mythology. Hmm... I'll have to look into it.
Sheri - I got the impression he knew she was hot anyway, so that aspect of it was lost on me.
Amee - Could be. But if so, it would've helped (me at least) to know that!
Melanie - I meant the mythology the author creates. Although you should check out FAUST.
I've been reading some good things about this one.
I've read a lot of good stuff about this one lately. There's a big ad for it in Booklist Magazine with some blogger's being quoted about it!! Yahoo for book bloggers. I have to read this one!!
I enjoyed this one but I agree, I'm not sure why he needed to be blind either.
This sounds like a unique, interesting premise.
I had heard this book mentioned somewhere a few months ago, and thought it sounded really interesting. I am glad you reviewed and liked it. I will have to try to get a chance to read it, it sounds like a really fun book.
This one sounds like a fun, quick read.
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