Something To Live For, by Richard Roper
Planet Books Review:
The blurb on this book describes it as ‘heart-breaking, life-affirming, tender, funny, moving, thought-provoking’ and more. Something To Live For is all of that and more.
Andrew is in his forties and a loner who loves model trains and Ella Fitzgerald. He is sad, lonely, damaged from his childhood and scared from the things that have happened to him. His only friends are three members of an online model train group. He works for a local council in London. When someone dies alone, it is the job of the council to arrange their burial if no family can be found. It is Andrew’s job to sort through the deceased’s home to look for any evidence of friends or a next-of-kin and recover possessions that will help with the cost of a funeral. Although not compulsory Andrew also attends the funerals for these people who have no one in their lives to say goodbye. Because he is a loner and doesn’t like to interact with people this is his perfect job.
His co-workers believe that Andrew lives in a big house with his wife Diane and their children, a family he accidently created many years before during his interview for the job. It is so far from the truth but all Andrew wants is to fit in and be normal.
When new trainee Peggy joins the department, she is assigned to job shadow Andrew. She goes with him to inspect houses and attends the funerals. Peggy is married to an alcoholic and has two young daughters. She is friendly and funny and they get along. Andrew would even say that they were becoming friends.
Just as Andrew starts to believe that there is more to life everything that he has carefully built or hoped for is about to come crashing down.
There is so much more to this story. It is hard to convey how invested you become in Andrew and Peggy’s lives and how their friendship develops and helps each of them to find meaning and hope. The book is quirky, funny and sad.
I enjoyed this book very much. A great read for a wet weekend. I don’t really like comparing one book to another, and while I have not read it, the blurb of this book does compare Something To Live For to the very popular Eleanor Oliphant. So, if you loved that book you will love this one. If you didn’t please still give this one a go. It might surprise you.
About the Author
Richard Roper is a non-fiction editor at Headline, where he works with authors such as James Acaster, Joel Dommett, Andrew O’Neill, and Frank Turner. Something To Live For is inspired by an article he read about people whose job it is to follow up after people die alone. It is his debut novel.
Publication Date: 28/05/2019
ISBN: 9781409185604
Publisher: Hachette Australia