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The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud (Film Tie-in)
 
 
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The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud (Film Tie-in) [Kindle Edition]

Ben Sherwood (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
Print List Price: £7.99
Kindle Price: £3.59 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

The eponymous hero of The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud is a good boy; an American teenager who works hard at school, is good at sport and loves his mum and his little brother Sam. And then one terrible day, tragically, he finds himself responsible for Sam's death. Charlie dies too for a brief moment but is brought back to life by the skill of a paramedic. From that moment on, Charlie makes a sacrificial decision to live his life in the past. Until that is, he meets tough but beautiful yachtswoman Tess and he has to rethink life and death.

Ben Sherwood's novel is an unusual love story set against a background of bereavement and grief. Sherwood is a former TV news producer and journalist so not surprisingly this, his second novel, is perfectly well written, has attractive characters and a compelling story line. Yet, disappointingly, it feels one-dimensional, wholly predictable and ultimately, unsatisfying.

Rights to the film version were sold even before The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud was published and perhaps herein lies the answer. It is easy to visualise on celluloid: a feel-good, light romance with equal measure of tears and smiles, not too demanding. Tess could have been written for Julia Roberts.

Maybe it wasn't written as a film script, but what's missing is what could have made this a great book. After all, the central theme affects us all: what happens after death and, perhaps far more importantly, what happens to the living, left behind to mourn and cope? If you're looking for meaningful insights and serious answers, this is sadly not the place to find them. --Carey Green

Amazon Review

The eponymous hero of The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud is a good boy; an American teenager who works hard at school, is good at sport and loves his mum and his little brother Sam. And then one terrible day, tragically, he finds himself responsible for Sam's death. Charlie dies too for a brief moment but is brought back to life by the skill of a paramedic. From that moment on, Charlie makes a sacrificial decision to live his life in the past. Until that is, he meets tough but beautiful yachtswoman Tess and he has to rethink life and death.

Ben Sherwood's novel is an unusual love story set against a background of bereavement and grief. Sherwood is a former TV news producer and journalist so not surprisingly this, his second novel, is perfectly well written, has attractive characters and a compelling story line. Yet, disappointingly, it feels one-dimensional, wholly predictable and ultimately, unsatisfying.

Rights to the film version were sold even before The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud was published and perhaps herein lies the answer. It is easy to visualise on celluloid: a feel-good, light romance with equal measure of tears and smiles, not too demanding. Tess could have been written for Julia Roberts.

Maybe it wasn't written as a film script, but what's missing is what could have made this a great book. After all, the central theme affects us all: what happens after death and, perhaps far more importantly, what happens to the living, left behind to mourn and cope? If you're looking for meaningful insights and serious answers, this is sadly not the place to find them. --Carey Green

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Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 475 KB
  • Print Length: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Picador (6 Aug 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00486U2O6
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray:
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #8,647 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book! 28 Jun 2004
By Ms. X. Waite
Format:Paperback
When teenager Charlie and his little brother Sam borrow a neighbour's car without her knowledge, the result is a fatal crash and a near death experience for Charlie. Unfortunately his brother wasn't so lucky.
Unable to move forward after Sam's untimely death, Charlie takes a job as caretaker of the cemetary where Sam is buried. He's caught up in the past.
Tess, training for a solo sailing trip around the globe is strong, independant and has always been unable to find true love.
When they meet they feel an over-powering connection. This is a mesmerising story of an unusual romance set against the backdrop of a small New England community.
Issues of grief, remembrance and the afterlife are all explored in this story. Charlie is still tied to his grief and promises made to his brother, Tess is in need of her father's guidance but he's already passed on and is beyond where she can reach him. There's plenty of action too as Tess sails straight into the eye of a storm.
Ben Sherwood's writing is poignant and the tale is told with a magical simplicity. It's a story in which miracles are suddenly possible and the prose tantalises you. I haven't been this swept away by a love story since reading the Bridges of Madison County.
It is a wonderful and moving read.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Death and LIfe of Charlie St. Cloud 27 Mar 2006
By "debbieasha"
Format:Paperback
I read this book six months ago and I still cannot stop thinking about it, in fact I read it in one night. This is a light book but is original, gripping and very moving although I cried alot it left me feeling good about life, on a more personal note I lost my brother a few years ago and maybe this book was wishful thinking on my part. A surprising twist at the end as well, anyway i loved this book and will definately read more books from this auther.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Life and Death 28 May 2007
By D. Byrne
Format:Paperback
This novel is one of the most unusual love stories. It really opens your eyes (and fills them with tears too) to the presence of love in our lives not just the feelings of love for a partner but for our siblings also, whether they are present or absent. It's told in a really tender manner, and although it's a short read (like some of the other critics on this page, I read the entire book in one day whilst on holidays), I remembered this book the most!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I've Read for ages!!! 20 Jan 2006
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
What a joy to find a book that's simple to read. The concepts in it will challenge your beliefs about life after death if you are a non-believer and make you question whether there's a soul mate out there for everyone. This book will make you cry and will make you believe in true love. Well worth a read.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A LITTLE BOOK OF MIRACLES 2 Jun 2005
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book falls into the catergory of "Romance" - a genre I have always avoided being a bloke who likes Stephen King horrors and James Patterson thrillers, but for some odd reason i was drawn to this book and decided to give it a chance. It sat on my bedside cabinet for about three weeks when I reluctantly picked it up and began to read. Five hours later I closed the book with the biggest smile on my face.
This is an excellent story about love and miracles in a small fishing town and Ben Sherwood has written it with such style and charm and has created characters that you genuinely care about. I know for a fact I will read this book again in the near future after all my family and friends have read it.
Buy it now, male or female, body builder or beautician, buy it and enjoy it and let yourself be drawn into the world of Charlie St Cloud and his journey to enjoy life again, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Just a Lovely Read!!!!!! 30 Dec 2008
By Mandy Neale
Format:Paperback
Well i picked this up at a library sale. I thought it would be a nice read in between some of the heavier stuff ive been reading and when i started it i did not want to put it down. Im not going to go on about all the points that occured as there are 20 something more reviews before me that you can get those snippets from so here goes. Basically its just a lovely tale of two brothers (and their dog) that die in a car accident where the eldest is brought back to life after promising his younger brother in the after world he will stay with him. Im not gonna tell you any more but i will say just pick this book up and read the first ten pages and i gaurantee you will not want to put it down. It made me laugh out loud, my eyes all watery and on occasion question what ive done in my life (a little deep i know but what the hell). This book now takes pride of place in my fave books cabinet with others. Well i hope i have been of some help without giving too much away - Just order it, grab a tub of Ben & Jerrys, snuggle up and be engrossed in a great story........You deserve it!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars a great and meaningful story, yes! 27 Aug 2005
By Mrs. Rc Yates
Format:Paperback
There is no need to use more sophisticated words to describe the beauty of this fantastic novel. It speaks for itself. I might be too romantic, but I dont care what cynicals might say about it. What a package! This beautifully written story has a pinch of everything: it is comforting,sweet,romantic,
thrilling,entertaining,spiritual, and even a bit sexy, at one stage!
Yes, it can be predictable, but that does not make it banal or boring, does it? I think its author might have smartly opted for some "predictability" in order to make us utterly part of this magical plot,feeling a little responsible for nearly wishing for what happens. I am sure B.Sherwood didnt want us to put his book down, and he succeeds, no matter how busy we are!
If you,like me,could see what was coming in the many different parts of the story, then it has worked as a great and meaningful novel,despite its simplicity! Why? Because it has brought all of us(readers from different backgrounds and beliefs) back to our basics: the secret desire to love and be loved, and most of all, the wish to believe(even if reluctantly) that there might be something beyond our *water,salt,flesh and blood" frail bodies.
Above all, this story is about love and life.You will catch yourself thinking about where your priorities should really be during your time spent over here, despite what you believe in. Not to be missed!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Breath taking!
one of the best novels I have ever read. it really does make you consider If the after life exists. Such a beautiful story!
Published 2 hours ago by RadiantSoph
2.0 out of 5 stars Couldnt get into it
I started reading this book after reading a couple of Nicholas Sparks books and I just couldn't get into this book at all. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paige Beresford
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Not sure how this will be in film form but the book was very enjoyable and read it in 2/3 sittings. Liked the character Charlie and had a good idea how he looked which is always a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by suzy50
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Sad
Five stars because it was a beautiful and very sad! however I have seen the film before but I think the this book is much better than movie. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sam Robertson
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Speechless. My favourite book, no doubt about it. Even if you have seen the movie, it doesn't affect the book at all. Amazing.
Published 2 months ago by Chioma Onyekwelu
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book when i first read it and it was one of the first...
I loved this book when I first read it and it was one of the first books I downloaded when I got my kindle, film was rubbish though
Published 2 months ago by kathleen haynes
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Loved the film and this tie in didn't disappoint. The emotion and sentiment was all there. Great chick book. worth a read.
Published 2 months ago by VikkiJamesHaydenZac
5.0 out of 5 stars death and life of charlie st cloud
excellent book tears and laughter and many twists and turns a very good read recommend you read it for yourselves ,
Published 2 months ago by manxie
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read.
My daughter saw the film and just had tp read the book....the wrong way round for most and her but good all the same!
Published 3 months ago by J.Hawkes
4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet
This was a really sweet and easy read, my only disappointment was that the film had changed parts of the book, and I actually proffered those changes. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Rachel00
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Popular Highlights

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“Dive for dreams,” he used to say, quoting the e. e. cummings poem. “And live by love.” "e;
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You just have to release your hearts, alert your senses, and pay attention. A leaf, a star, a song, a laugh. Notice the little things, because somebody is reaching out to you. Qualcuno ti ama. Somebody loves you. "e;
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trust your heart if the seas catch fire (and live by love though the stars walk backward) "e;
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