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Title: Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, The
Authors: Dugoni, Robert
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 428
Year: 2018
Language: English
Description: Sam Hill's devout mother is convinced he is going to have an extraordinary life. 'Devil boy' to his Catholic school classmates, Sam has a genetic abnormality and is set apart by his unusual eyes. It may be 'God's will', but there are obstacles aplenty for anyone who is different.

Poignant and heart-warming, Sam's examination of his life decades later is a compelling journey of self-discovery, of faith, friends and foe, and accepting one's true self.
Categories: Fiction, Relationships, Religion, Social commentary/perspectives, America, 2021 Titles

Reviews

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By: AUCK 412 2025-07-01 15:09:54
4.5 
Most found this book thought-provoking with regards to Sam's eye condition but also we had quite a discussion on bullying. Some felt the ending was disappointing.

By: PAIHIA 001 2024-04-21 15:09:11
5 
Great read, great discussion - especially with those of us brought up in religious households.

By: CHCH 478 2023-08-07 10:15:17
5 
Well-written, provoked great discussion. Enjoyed by everyone and many topics discussed.

By: HAMIL 029 2022-11-14 10:32:16
4 
We all enjoyed this book and the writer's style of writing. Dugoni deals with an interesting subject - who knew that ocular albinism existed - and has an unusual reason for discrimination and school bullying as well as the usual prejudices. The structure of the book is a bit sprawling, but the story comes to a satisfying end.

By: PUKEKO 001 2022-06-02 18:36:36
3 
An easy and enjoyable read. While some of the characters were well developed we felt that others were not convincing. Some readers felt that the storyline was a bit too tidy but overall we enjoyed it.

By: GORE 001 2022-03-02 12:25:55
4 
A very interesting read, touching on many issues - acceptance, marginalisation, racism, inclusion, forgiveness, religion, bigotry and bullying. Some aspects felt a little superfluous, eg. the relationship and tragic death of Eva, the loss of Sam's virginity, added nothing to the main themes. But overall, a satisfying read, leading to thoughtful discussion.

By: WHAKA 019 2022-02-28 14:05:06
5 
Everyone in the group really enjoyed this book. Well-written and a good read.

By: TEPUK 003 2021-11-30 13:39:07
5 
Everyone absolutely loved the book. Great discussions with the questions. Lots of discussion on school bullying, mentoring etc. Every book club needs to read this.

By: ASHB 027 2021-11-01 09:02:30
3.5 
This book generated a lot of discussion about the various characters. Many of our members felt the end of the book let it down; too neat and in contrast to the slow build up of the beginning. Some of the characters were very stereotypical and the relationships forced, but overall we enjoyed it and the discussion generated by it.

By: FEILD 004 2021-10-20 13:47:04
4.5 
Best book this year. Everyone enjoyed it. Liked the short chapters, not too many characters. A couple thought the ending was a bit rushed. It was realistic and relatable. Gave a great insight into the Catholic faith. Enjoyed the loyalty and family dynamics.

By: ASHH 001 2021-10-18 13:29:16
3.5 
Mixed reactions to this book. Some felt the redemptive tone of the ending wasn't a good contrast with the more acerbic observations earlier. A good discussion regarding childhood bullying formed a significant part of our evening!

By: WHITIAN 001 2021-08-27 12:39:35
4.5 
All enjoyed the book.

By: TAUR 049 2021-05-14 14:53:17
3 
Interesting content enjoyed by most of the group.

By: DUNED 036 2021-03-15 13:18:23
2.5 
An easy read, but did not captivate the group.

By: MAST 005 2021-03-15 11:28:38
4 
"A good read, page turner, interesting plot". Some members thought the characters were very stereotypical - and because we could all relate to them easily we all wanted a happy ending. We were not disappointed.

By: ASHB 004 2020-12-09 14:21:29
4 
We all enjoyed the story of Sam Hell's struggles and survival through ocular albinism. Very readable, some interesting characters and a strong story of a mother's love and fight for her son. Some disturbing insights into the terrible lingering effects of bullying. However we all had the same reaction to the ending. Without giving away spoilers, we thought it detracted from the book...

By: CHCH 312 2020-11-25 13:45:41
4.5 
Those who read this book enjoyed it - the short chapters were great. The characters and story were interesting. This was a well-written story.

By: QUEEN 009 2020-09-30 13:41:27
4 
We all liked the book and found the topic of red eyes fascinating. A lot of us could relate to the attitude of the mother. We didn't like the ending, and felt it was too convenient and "nicely" rounded up so all the loose ends fitted together. It raised some discussion around being different, and how this could alienate you from "normal" society.

 
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