The Universe Versus Alex Woods

Gavin Extence

May 2013 · Sold by Redhook

About this ebook

A rare meteorite struck Alex Woods when he was ten years old, leaving scars and marking him for an extraordinary future. The son of a fortune teller, bookish, and an easy target for bullies, Alex hasn't had the easiest childhood.

But when he meets curmudgeonly widower Mr. Peterson, he finds an unlikely friend. Someone who teaches him that that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make it count.

So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the front seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he's fairly sure he's done the right thing . . .

Introducing a bright young voice destined to charm the world, The Universe Versus Alex Woods is a celebration of curious incidents, astronomy and astrology, the works of Kurt Vonnegut and the unexpected connections that form our world.

Ratings and reviews

I've read that some found Alex's experiences to be shallow- I completely disagree. He has his own voice and one that I find believable. He wrestles with humanitiy's darkest moments--not trivially but intensely. Yes, it's a first person narrative, but that doesn't mean he will tell you everything. His quietness, strangely enough, made his voice all the more realistic. Watching Alex battle his demons and forge his moral compass was beautiful and wonderful.

I thought this book was going to be a "comedy", and it did start out that way, although in a somewhat dry and deadpan manner. The book became more serious as it progressed. Had it begun this way, I likely wouldn't have finished it, but the story was engaging, and I'm happy I got to the end. It was worthwhile to ponder, logically and dispassionately, this most fundamental of our human rights.

I liked this book. It didn't feel as weird as the initial set of circumstances would have you believe. It ends up being more about a "what would you do" sort of storyline. Good read.

About the author

Gavin Extence was born in 1982 and grew up in the interestingly named village of Swineshead, England. From the ages of 5-11, he enjoyed a brief but illustrious career as a chess player, winning numerous national championships and travelling to Moscow and St. Petersburg to pit his wits against the finest young minds in Russia. He won only one game.

Gavin now lives in Sheffield with his wife, baby daughter and cat. He is currently working on his next novel. When he is not writing, he enjoys cooking, amateur astronomy and going to Alton Towers.