Hendrik Groen - On The Bright Side

Rating: 2/5

Review:
A disappointment

I'm sorry to say that I didn't get on with On The Bright Side.  I have not read Hendrik's first Secret Diary but on the basis of  all the rave reviews I was expecting to enjoy this very much.  I'm afraid I didn't.

I recognise that the book tackles important issues about ageing and the treatment of older people, and that it does this in a spirit of wit and determination.  These are issues which are important to me and which I genuinely care about.  The trouble is that I just found the book thoroughly dull.  I didn't find it funny, neither Hendrik nor the other characters seemed very real to me and his thoughts and antics didn't tell me much that I didn't know or inspire me to do more than I already do.  There is an awful lot of this book (440 pages) and having struggled to about half way, I gave up. 

I am sorry to be so critical of a book which has a noble purpose, but it wasn't for me.  Many, many others have enjoyed Hendrik Groen so don't let me put you off, but this really wasn't for me.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)