Extence
2015 Longlist

The Universe Versus Alex Woods

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ABOUT
THE BOOK

A tale of an unexpected friendship, an unlikely hero and an improbable journey, Alex’s story treads the fine line between light and dark, laughter and tears. And it might just strike you as one of the funniest, most heartbreaking novels you’ve ever read.

Alex Woods knows that he hasn’t had the most conventional start in life.
He knows that growing up with a clairvoyant single mother won’t endear him to the local bullies.
He also knows that even the most improbable events can happen – he’s got the scars to prove it.
What he doesn’t know yet is that when he meets ill-tempered, reclusive widower Mr Peterson, he’ll make an unlikely friend. Someone who tells him that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make the best possible choices.
So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at Dover customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the passenger seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he’s fairly sure he’s done the right thing . . .

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Gavin
Extence

Gavin Extence lives in Sheffield with his wife, children and cat. He has written two previous novels, The Universe Versus Alex Woods and The Mirror World of Melody Black. His third novel The Empathy Problem was published in August 2016.

Gavin Extence lives in Sheffield with his wife, children and cat. He has written two previous novels, The Universe Versus Alex Woods and The Mirror World of Melody Black. His third novel The Empathy Problem was published in August 2016.

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NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

A story of two lonely people who meet to fill each other’s lives with colours. A moving story about an extraordinary friendship. A story where the main characters are trying to tell us to what extent one has the right to make decisions concerning life and death. A story about dignity and the essence of humanity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date published
31/01/2013
Author
Publisher
Hodder and Stoughton

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