Review: You will fall in `like' with this book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2011
I am not normally a fan of first person narratives, pseudo memoirs parading as fiction or `road-trip' literature. Yet this narrator's infectious and heart-warming voice drew me into this compelling narrative as he journeyed to Canada with the delightful Gertrude.Robb's personality jumps up from the page and makes the most mundane topic of conversation seem vital - he could write a chapter on paint drying and it would still hypnotise the reader. Whether he is talking about his ex's `Chernobyl breakdowns' or not telling the story about his Bulgarian celebrity barber, Robb's charm and wit seduces the reader with ease.The dialogue between Gertrude and Robb is nothing short of spectacular - their chemistry jumps right off the page. If only Hollywood would employ someone like Robb to write the dialogue in their romantic comedies...Throughout Strangers On A Bus, Rob constantly undercuts himself by pointing out that certain stories that he tells are not true. This device is employed in the most devastating manner possible at the very end of the book, a real lump in your throat moment.Read this book and allow Robb to take you on a humorous but bittersweet journey that will stay with you long after you have read Strangers On A Bus.