Replay

In 1988 Jeff Winston, a middle-aged, tired, unhappily married man dies, suddenly, during a phone call to his wife.....and wakes up in 1963, a younger version of himself but with all his memories intact. So begins the first of Winston's “replays” in Grimwood's thought-provoking novel.

Given his knowledge of the future Winston easily makes money, drops out, builds a business empire, marries.....and dies aged 43 in 1988. Back to 1963 we go. Grimwood tells a fascinating, gripping tale of a man given the opportunity to live his life over and over again, or at least a portion of it. Winston's various approaches (hedonistic nihilism, sensible business tycoon, reclusive loner) bring different experiences and lessons, until he finds another “replayer” in the person of one Pamela Phillips. They eventually join forces, fall in love and both die to be reborn.

But there's a problem. Pamela is replaying her life in shorter chunks (the skew, as she calls it), meaning Winston has to wait for her to appear. This brings a new set of problems in terms of existing relationships and family circumstances.

As their time together grows shorter and their deaths come quicker and quicker, they come to realise that life is what they make of it, regardless of circumstances. The power to change their lives has always been theirs, they just needed the belief in themselves in order to do it. The replays have given them that and so much more.

Do they end up together? That would be telling. But this is a brilliantly written, deeply rewarding novel of time, life, love and change. It will stay with me for quite some time, I think.

Recommended.