It's called The Time Of My Life by Cecelia Ahern, and on first impressions, I thought this was going to be a really girly book. You know, the type of ones with a happy ending, bit of romance, female fiction type of thing. And that's why I was drawn to it, not only did the pretty design and the pink cover catch my eye, but the synopsis sounded interesting, and I felt as if I would be able to relate. It's about life pretty much, and being me, I'm always interested in reading anything about that.
But as I started reading the book, I was quite surprised as it wasn't what I was typically expecting. In fact, it turned out to be better than I thought it would be, as there was a lot of humour used throughout, but in a way that made you think, and think about life in a deep way. It more or less changes your perspective on things and makes you want to question and re-evaluate your life.
It tells the story of a woman named Lucy Silchester who is basically stuck in a rut due to many circumstances that have happened to her in the past two years - yet she doesn't see it, and refuses to listen to anyone's advice, from her friends or family, and basically denies the fact that she needs help herself. In fact, she doesn't want to be helped, and she is in no rush at all to make any sort of drastic changes to her life to improve it in any way - she's happy, or at least she thinks she is, and content with how her life is at that moment. But she is isolating and deluding herself from everyone, makes up excuses to avoid any uncomfortable confrontation, and tells lie after lie each day to get her out of certain situations.
So when she finally has a meeting with her life, and her life being an actual person, she finds out the ugly truth about her way of living and reality finally hits. The whole idea of Lucy's other half known as 'Life' in the book is a really interesting concept, and as the bond between them grows throughout the pages, we discover how they support each other, how they help each other through obstacles and any challenges that arise, and how really, in the end, how much they need each other.
The whole message of the book really makes you realise how much we actually take our lives for granted, and how in order for you to be happy, you need to look after it, do what you need to do to make it right, and fill it with happiness in order for it to be a good and well-lived one. It also outlines the fact that no matter what you lose in life, friends, lovers, jobs - you will still have your life - and that alone is something to be so grateful for.
Here is my favorite passage from the book:
"As long as you're around, your life is too. So just as you shower love and affection and attention on the husbands, wives, parents, children, and forever friends who surround you, you have to do so equally with your life, because it's yours, it's you, and it's always there rooting for you, cheering you on, even when you feel like you can't do it. I gave up on my life for a while, but what I've learned is that even when that happens and especially when that happens, life never ever gives up on you. Mine didn't. And we'll be there for each other until those final moments when we will look at each other and say, 'Thanks for staying until the end.' And that's the truth."
It is truly an insightful, heart-warming, funny, and altogether great read, and I would recommend it to anyone. I've certainly learnt a lot from it and thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
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