To discuss heavy subjects such as atheism, free will, humanism and politics.

The writings of Kurt Vonnegut provide a framework for the pair Their friendship is is the same vein as that in Rita and Frank in ‘Educating Rita’ (one of my favourite plays)Īnd it develops organically and is not in any way sentimental or tokenistic which I credit Cline for. Peterson has his own problems,Īnd since the death of his wife he wants nothing to do with the outside world.Īlex and Mr Peterson’s friendship heartening frienship is the central theme of the novel and one of the many things I loved about this novel. Shared love for classical music and Kurt Vonnegut. To carry out errands for Mr Peterson and the pair develop an unlikely companionship over their Refuge from bullies in Mr Peterson’s greenhouse, who wrongly presumes Alex is up to no good. The most significant improbable event which happens to Alex is meeting Mr Peterson, an elderly reclusive Vietnam War veteran. Out in his clairvoyent mother’s crystal shop and emailing a meteor expert. Of medication and medication, he consequently misses out on a large portion of secondary school and spends his days reading, helping Forced to stay off school until his fits can be controlled by a combination At the age of 10, he is hit on the headīy a 2.3 kilogram meteorite travelling at 200 miles an hour which leads to Alex developing epilepsy.

On the surface, ‘The Universe Versus Alex Woods’ is a coming of age novelĪbout a naive, quirky misfit teen whose live is shaped by fantastically improbable events. Reader back to the beginnning of the story to see how the events leading up to the final action have Similar to Kurt Vonnegut, Existence exposes us to the action at the end of the story and then brings the When a novel opens with a young adult being stopped by Police at Dover with 113g of pot and an urn full of ashes in whilst having some sort of nervous breakdown, immediately you know this is going to be a very well spent couple of evenings.

The universe versus alex woods