Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, The
Dugoni, RobertSam Hill's devout mother is convinced he is going to have an extraordinary life. 'Devil boy' to his Catholic school classmates, Sam has a genetic abnormality and is set apart by his unusual eyes. It may be 'God's will', but there are obstacles aplenty for anyone who is different.
Poignant and heart-warming, Sam's examination of his life decades later is a compelling journey of self-discovery, of faith, friends and foe, and accepting one's true self.
Pages
428
428
Year
2018
2018
Reviews
22-04-2024
Great read, great discussion - especially with those of us brought up in religious households.
07-08-2023
Well-written, provoked great discussion. Enjoyed by everyone and many topics discussed.
14-11-2022
We all enjoyed this book and the writer's style of writing. Dugoni deals with an interesting subject - who knew that ocular albinism existed - and has an unusual reason for discrimination and school bullying as well as the usual prejudices. The structure of the book is a bit sprawling, but the story comes to a satisfying end.
02-06-2022
An easy and enjoyable read. While some of the characters were well developed we felt that others were not convincing. Some readers felt that the storyline was a bit too tidy but overall we enjoyed it.
02-03-2022
A very interesting read, touching on many issues - acceptance, marginalisation, racism, inclusion, forgiveness, religion, bigotry and bullying. Some aspects felt a little superfluous, eg. the relationship and tragic death of Eva, the loss of Sam's virginity, added nothing to the main themes. But overall, a satisfying read, leading to thoughtful discussion.
28-02-2022
Everyone in the group really enjoyed this book. Well-written and a good read.
30-11-2021
Everyone absolutely loved the book. Great discussions with the questions. Lots of discussion on school bullying, mentoring etc. Every book club needs to read this.
01-11-2021
This book generated a lot of discussion about the various characters. Many of our members felt the end of the book let it down; too neat and in contrast to the slow build up of the beginning. Some of the characters were very stereotypical and the relationships forced, but overall we enjoyed it and the discussion generated by it.
20-10-2021
Best book this year. Everyone enjoyed it. Liked the short chapters, not too many characters. A couple thought the ending was a bit rushed. It was realistic and relatable. Gave a great insight into the Catholic faith. Enjoyed the loyalty and family dynamics.
18-10-2021
Mixed reactions to this book. Some felt the redemptive tone of the ending wasn't a good contrast with the more acerbic observations earlier. A good discussion regarding childhood bullying formed a significant part of our evening!
27-08-2021
All enjoyed the book.
14-05-2021
Interesting content enjoyed by most of the group.
15-03-2021
"A good read, page turner, interesting plot". Some members thought the characters were very stereotypical - and because we could all relate to them easily we all wanted a happy ending. We were not disappointed.
15-03-2021
An easy read, but did not captivate the group.
09-12-2020
We all enjoyed the story of Sam Hell's struggles and survival through ocular albinism. Very readable, some interesting characters and a strong story of a mother's love and fight for her son. Some disturbing insights into the terrible lingering effects of bullying. However we all had the same reaction to the ending. Without giving away spoilers, we thought it detracted from the book...
25-11-2020
Those who read this book enjoyed it - the short chapters were great. The characters and story were interesting. This was a well-written story.
30-09-2020
We all liked the book and found the topic of red eyes fascinating. A lot of us could relate to the attitude of the mother. We didn't like the ending, and felt it was too convenient and "nicely" rounded up so all the loose ends fitted together. It raised some discussion around being different, and how this could alienate you from "normal" society.