This is one of the worst books I have ever read in my entire life. I had to force myself to finish it in hopes that maybe it would get better--it did not. I found the descriptions of any female over the age of 30 to be very offensive, (I'm sure back in the day once you hit 30 you were todays equivalent of 85). I also found his love for Alice to be unconvincing at best. Alice herself is an unlikeable character as is Max.

One of the most moving books I've read in ages. It seemed too unbelievable at first. But then by the end of the first short section, I was drawn in and spent each day looking forward to getting back to the story. Tremendously romantic in the strangest of ways. The parallels to real life are many and deep--very thought provoking. Highly recommend.

absolutely loved this book - the story is unique and keeps you enthralled until the very end - highly recommended

The message of the story was conveyed in a beautifully constructed, yet still surprising way. Definitely a must read if you enjoyed "Time Traveler's Wife."

This book made me re-examine my life and the whole idea that our lives proceed on any "plan" whatsoever. Beauty in unexpected places is its chief theme.

Recommended to me by a friend, this is a good book - but not one that really suited my mood this week. It's a melancholy musing on the futility of love.
The narrator, Max Tivoli, was born appearing to be a wizened old man of 70 - and for his entire life, ages backwards, gaining perspective and experience as physically, he becomes younger.
At 17 (when he appears to be an elderly gentleman), he meets the love of his life, Alice. However, she falls in love with Max's best friend, the young and handsome Hughie. Max has an affair with Alice's mother instead, but the two women move away when the elder notices Max's seemingly perverted attentions to her daughter.
Years later, Max rediscovers Alice and, under an assumed identity, marries her. They are happy for a while, but then she leaves him for another man.
Hughie sticks by Max's side, even as he gets younger and younger.
When Max appears to be only 11, he concocts a scheme to infiltrate Alice's life yet again, this time becoming her adopted son.
However, he drags Hughie into this scheme - not considering the emotional ramifications - that Alice has always loved Hughie, and that Hughie, all these years, has actually loved Max.
No one actually ever gets to have and keep what they truly want.

The language of the book is very flowery - some may find it to be a bit much. Max is a rather self-pitying character - not as loathsome as he makes himself out to be, but not that attractive, either.

UNUSUAL PLOT
There are certainly some likeable aspects to this strange tale. Mr. Greer's wry humor and well-sketched characters are entertaining, to say nothing of the inventive nature of his protagonist's plight. Was it my imagination or did the author's ingenuity evident throughout fail him at the denouement? Too many times in telling their stories authors seemingly lose interest and/or their muse at the crucial resolution. This being the only negative in the midst of numerous positives, meet Max Tivoli, a man unlike any you're likely to encounter in or out of literature for quite some time.

I just finished this book and am still not certain how I feel about it. At first it was a bit difficult to follow, though well-written. It was really rather depressing as the main character had no grand effect in life and seemed to only bring misery to those with whom he was involved.

Was a best seller but I couldn't get into it. Oh, well...

Interesting due to the descriptions of the era in which the book is set, although I found it to be a little gimmicky.

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