The Best of Adam Sharp

By Graeme Simsion

Rating: 4/5 Stairs

I wanted to read The Best of Adam Sharp for a few reasons. The biggest was because of how much I loved The Rosie Project, by the same author. The other reason was the description. The music aspect of this book intrigued me. Music is a big part of my life, and I am the type of person where many memories are associated with certain songs.

When we meet Adam Sharp, he’s in a bit of a funk. He and his wife are more friends than lovers, and he has lost his motivation for his work and his music. One day he gets an unexpected (one-word) email from Angelina, who he hasn’t seen or spoken to in over twenty years. Hi. This simple email from his old girlfriend gets Adam wondering – did he make the right decision all those years ago? If he didn’t, can he fix things now?

The book looks at an interesting question – can you reclaim what you’ve lost? Twenty years later, can you go back? Do you want to go back? Did things end the way they were supposed to? If not, can you fix it? Or do you like where your life ended up? (I guess that is a lot of questions. But all part of the same theme.)

I have mixed feelings on this book. I wanted to like both Adam and Angelina, but honestly by the end I found them unlikeable. Having said that, I still did enjoy the story. I especially liked the way Mr. Simsion wrote the first part, weaving Adam’s recollection of his long-lost summer romance into the drudge of his current everyday life. And I enjoyed the piece that music played. Mr. Simsion even includes a playlist at the end listing the songs featured in the story.

Overall it was a good read; funny at times with an interesting premise and full of great music.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.