Charlie King is always Totally Fine. Anything life throws at him or anyone asks him about any topic- his standard answer is going to include those magical words. That’s his mantra to get through any difficult situation- no matter how big or small, no matter no trivial or serious.
He tries to keep up by chanting the same over and over again even after his girlfriend and his best mates try to intervene.
They are worried about him as he is not the same person anymore after his accident. He is struggling to sleep, he is bundle of nerves and dealing with anxiety issues, still he keeps on insisting that everything and specifically him is Totally Fine.
So, this novel is all about Charlie’s eventual reconciliation about the ultimate truth about his fatal accident. It’s entertaining to read about the awful behaviour shown by him about his near and dear people, often to shun them for caring about his mental well-being. But it’s equally fascinating to read about his redemption arc once the reconciliation hits home and Charlie finally admits that nothing can be totally fine every single time.
It goes without saying that Charlie comes across as a self-absorbed, perfectionist and stubborn character in this story. At times, readers might admire the patience shown by his best friends even after his appalling behaviour. As he mentions, that thirty years bonding might have played a part in keeping them together as friends. Equally admirable is the character of Annie for being there for Charlie even after his obtuse and obnoxious treatment of hers. Yes, you can say that it is difficult to like a central character like Charlie.
But he tries to win over the readers in the last few chapters after beginning his above-mentioned redemption arc. How much success he gets in this winning over, that depends upon the kind of reader you are. If you are that kind of reader who finds that the story is lagging pace, characters are not well chalked out or the events are getting repetitive then you might struggle to reach to the final chapters like me. But you prefer a book like this which talks about serious issues in lighter tones without diluting its gravitas then it’s a perfect novel for your weekend binge reading session.
Happy Reading!!
*This post is based on the ARC copy provided by NetGalley.