Silly but it's Fun

'Come Again' by Robert Webb

Well, what a year!  One thing that many of us have found ourselves doing during lockdown is reflecting, thinking 'What if...' and seeing where it takes us.  What if I'd said 'Yes'?  What if I'd gone back to college?  What if I travelled back in time and relived my teenage years?  Well, maybe not the last one... unless you're the lead character in Robert Webb's debut novel, 'Come Again'.

Back for Good?

When Kate's husband Luke - her university sweetheart, the love of her life - dies suddenly in his 40s, her world falls apart.  Consumed by grief, she's lost her job and pushed concerned friends away, not wanting to live a life Luke cannot be part of.  But then Fate intervenes.  A suicide attempt turns into an apparent second chance when she wakes up in the body of her 19 year old self on the day she first met Luke at university.  Kate knows that Luke is already ill, and that an operation would prevent his early and traumatic death.  But can she convince a man she's just met that she knows his future?

Scream if You Wanna go Faster

'Come Again' is the very definition of an emotional rollercoaster.  Not only did I find myself feeling a whole dictionary of emotions - I wept, I giggled, I pined, I gasped - I was also swept through them at high speed until I was dizzy from the experience.  This ought to be a bad thing, but somehow Webb manages to seize you firmly by the hand at the start of the book, and keep pulling you along to the very last page.  

Seeing What Sticks

This is Webb's first novel, and I did wonder if he thought it might be his last, because he appears to have thrown everything at it.  'Come Again' is sad, funny, action-packed - and utterly bonkers.  There is emotional truth at the heart of the novel, but, despite the serious start, the plot is just plain silly.  Taxis working for the Secret Service anyone?  Some readers may find it a bit much, but if you're happy to go along for the ride, I think you'll enjoy it.

A Little Bit of Politics

While I found 'Come Again' to be largely light-hearted, its wings are clipped by its politics.  Whether you agree with the sentiments or not, the fact is the sort of political comments made will date the book, and their presence jars with the madcap nature of the novel.  It's a real shame, as 'Come Again' is such fun that it deserves more longevity.

Overall

Despite the school kid humour of its title, 'Come Again' offers a serious message about love and relationships in an entertaining and undeniably tongue-in-cheek way.  It is funny, sad, but most of all unashamedly, energetically and brilliantly bonkers.  It really is great fun and I thoroughly recommend it to fans of contemporary novels.

Now, what next...?

This review is based on the audio version of 'Come Again' by Robert Webb, read by Olivia Coleman.  It was published in 2020 by Audible and accessed via my local library service.  The physical book is published by Canongate.  A TV adaptation by Firebird Pictures has been announced.