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If Only It Were True
by: Marc Levy

Used Price: £2.07

Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780743276849
ISBN: 0743276841
Label: Atria Books
Manufacturer: Atria Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 240
Publication Date: May 17, 2005
Publisher: Atria Books
Studio: Atria Books
Sales Rank: 327008

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
Steven Spielberg has bought the film rights to Marc Levy's debut novel, If Only It Were True. He was so enthusiastic about the idea for the story that he handed over the cash ($2 million) before seeing the manuscript. And it is a great story. A young architect, Arthur, moves into his apartment and finds a girl in his closet. But Lauren Kline isn't an ordinary girl. She has been in a coma for six months after crashing her open top Triumph--her "heart is beating in one place" but her "spirit is alive somewhere else." And that somewhere else is with Arthur; he's the only one who can see, hear and touch her.

The book is unashamedly romantic, the couple fall in love, stroll through San Francisco, smooch on the sea shore and contemplate the true meaning of life and love. It's all about: "Recognising happiness when it's lying at your feet, having the will and the courage to reach down and take it in your arms, and to hold on to it." But Lauren's life support machine is about to be turned off and Arthur must save his invisible girl because "each second with you is worth more than any other second."

The dialogue is intense, soul bearing and perhaps slightly naive. This is a compelling story and the novel's tone allows for endless speculation about the style of the eventual film. It would make a fine screwball comedy, or a medical drama--ER goes Oprah. Spielberg could exploit the living dead angle: a zombie rom.com, a sort of Re-animating Baby. Perhaps it will star Meg Ryan and be wistful and wide-eyed. And surely there's only one possibility for the soundtrack: The Smiths' "Girlfriend in a Coma"? --James Barry

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- very different from the movie
having seen the movie first and been slightly disappointed by it, wasnt expecting very much from this book but it surprised me. not as good as nicholas sparks the notebook but still a great story bout the power of love. how how the love between two people albeit one is a ghost can help let the fears, hurts etc of the past go.

Rating:

- What a wonderful story
I loved this - simple, escapist and just a really good story.

Suspend your disbelief and go with the flow of the story. I thought it was a clever idea well executed. The simple writing style worked for me. A real mixture of happy-sad, bitter-sweet moments with some not too heavy life lessons mixed in.

Rating:

- Reads like a chick lit written by a man
i had seen the film and couldnt wait to read the book. Unfortunately i cant understand why its an 'international bestseller' because it reads like a chick lit written by a man. I agree with one previous reviewer, it could have been aimed at the teenage market. The writing is simple, it reminds me of Cecelia Ahern's books. The idea for the story is lovely but i thought the film was better.

Rating:

- Suspend Your Disbelief
I read this book before the film came out and I loved it (I have not heard good things about the movie and probably won't bother with it). It's a story for which you have to suspend your disbelief and as long as you can do this, you should fall in love with it. I disagree with some of the reviewers that the writing is too simple - it's captivating because it's NOT written with any air of 'I'm a literary genius'. It's just a simple, beautiful, unique love story with a twist and it's one that I shall certainly read again and again.

Rating:

- Fantastic 5*
After seeing the film in January (I absolutely loved it) i thought why not read the original book? (originaly published as 'If Only It Were True'). For anyone not familiar with the plot a young and successful doctor (Lauren) is involved in a car crash, some weeks later architect Authur moves into Laurens apartment and soon discovers her occupying a closet in his bathroom. As the only person who can see Lauren a very special bond begins to grow. But can they get Lauren back into her living form?
I bought the book on the friday morning and had finished it by the saturday evening, i couldnt put it down, the film is nothing compaired to the book!! The plot is slightly changed for reasons best known to the screenplay writer(s)as the book is ... Read More:

Books : If Only It Were True