Chris Limb – Comeback

‘Comeback’ by Chris Limb is a contemporary fiction book that is definitely contemporary! It felt like I had stepped into another world and rather a surreal one too.

Genie is our main character and she has it all. A BRIT award that she has gained through her singing career tons of media attention and her beautiful boy, Oliver by her side. Then he dies and we see Genie collapse in grief, not just for the loss of Oliver. Her grief is also from the loss of Wendi, her friend, helper and lover. All of this takes over and her insecurities are at the fore. Her fear of being exposed as a fraud is very real. The question is how far is she willing to go to fix things?

Well, this is definitely a story that is guaranteed to give you a shock, or two. A book that really makes you feel like you are on a different plane to the world you are living in. A star with everything to hand, a glamourous life, fame and esteem from her fans and other famous people! What else could be needed? Then, look a bit closer and see the fragile girl she really is, broken, fearful and lost with her drugs and drink lifestyle. To top it off her beautiful boy has just died and she loses the plot there and then.
Genie realises that she would do absolutely anything to spend time with Wendi, not Oliver, again. This includes going straight to hell and back. She does just that! I loved the inclusion of the Underworld and the mythological strands to this story. I love anything like that and when I got to the point of Oliver dying and it wasn’t the run of the mill whodunnit?

The story went off on a tangent that I thought was highly original and entertaining. We are taken on the bumpy road of deals with the devil and the outcome. It is also a story of possibly learning from your mistakes and maybe having a second chance in life. Could it be fixed? You need to read the book to find out.

A story that highlights the darker side of the fame game and shows how easy it is for the stars to lose the real them while striving for the top. The characters show their vulnerabilities and jump out of the page to you. Their rawness and fragility there for all to see. This had me reflecting on the real stars of today and the tragedies that have made the news over the last few years. There is a certain star that comes straight to my mind as I read this book and I ended up feeling so sad. The pressure on them all these days is second to none. Social media, newspapers… there is no escape from one mistake.

A book that isn’t all happiness and sunshine but one that shines a light on redemption and second chances in the most unexpected way.

Thank you to Emma at Damp Pebbles and Unbound publishers for my digital copy of the book.