The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud: A Novel

Ben Sherwood

Mar 2004 · Sold by Bantam

About this ebook

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

Luminous, soulful, and filled with unforgettable characters, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud is one of those rare, wise books that reveal the mysteries of the unseen world around us, gently transforming the worst pain of loss into hope, healing, and even laughter. Suspenseful and deeply moving, its startling climax reminds us that sometimes tragedies can bring about miracles if we simply open our hearts.

Ratings and reviews

A great read that was emotional and at times downright confusing - the author Ben Sherwood would only unload a few details at a time. Sometimes it was frustrating not being completely in the know, but after I was put in the know - I was certainly glad that there was a delay in knowing all the facts. After thoroughly confusing you, to be simple - I am glad I read this book before I watched the movie. I always like to read the book first because I would rather a movie be ruined and I love to compare how the director's take the book and translate it onto the big screen. I absolutely love it when I have no idea it is a movie and I get to completely make up what the characters look like, this was not the case as I knew that Zac Efron would be Charlie, but I am interested to see what Tess will look like in the movie. I would absolutely recommend to all who are interested in watching the movie to read this first. This book was definitely on the girlier side of my reading habit. As I will be watching the movie soon, you will see a post reviewing and comparing what I liked and didn't like.

Loved the book.

About the author

Ben Sherwood is the author of The Man Who Ate the 747, a national bestseller that has been translated into thirteen languages. He was an award-winning journalist with NBC and ABC News, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. Educated at Harvard and Oxford, he lives with his wife in New York and Los Angeles, and is working on a new novel.