The Devil and George Bailey

I'm not a huge movie buff, but It's a Wonderful Life is one of those classics that I've seen many times over the years and have always enjoyed. So I was curious to read this book - and when I finally sat down and started, I couldn't put it down. The preface establishes the narrator - who accidentally discovers that George Bailey (the hero from It's a Wonderful Life) really did exist. Not only did he exist, but the miracle in Bedford Falls as told in the movie really did happen. The first chapter picks up with the very last scene of the movie and this is when the story really takes off. The characters become more realistic than you ever experienced them in the movie, and much darker than you'd ever expect. Over the course of the book, "the miracle" starts to look more and more like a curse, and the characters - as they are fleshed out by the author - become darker and their world grittier. The first thing I liked about the book is the way the writer slowly reveals details about the characters and keeps you wanting more. Every time you think they cant' go further - they do. Secondly, I simply love the idea of building new lives out of characters we already know. This really blew my mind - because I already have a certain character image - in this case James Stewart as George Bailey - built in my mind - and now the writer has taken control of him and is turning him into someone so real and different. He's been taken from classic hollywood fluff - to the mean streets of reality TV - and it's shock to the senses. Overall I highly recommend this book - it's like nothing you've read before, and I think it could be the catalyst for a new genre .

An amazing work

The iPad (iBook) version of this book is so much better than the competition

Don't let the size of the book intimidate you, you'll get totally lost in the plot. Amazing read.

This book rocks

I bought this ibook on a recommendation by a co-worker, who was raving about it. I figured okay I'd give it a shot, maybe just read a few chapters. So I opened it up and the next thing I knew I was already 200 pages in! The story is nothing less than spectacular, with a style that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go. This book deserves five stars and then some. Now it's me doing the recommending!

Romantic, suspenseful, offbeat and thrilling. This book is shockingly good from cover to cover.

This novel is more than a sequel to an old classic. In fact, there's really nothing to compare it to. It's big. It's brash. It's smart and sexy. And it kept me guessing the whole way through, which isn't easy to do. I'm glad I found it.

When I opened this book, I had no idea what I was in for -- what a ride! Once you start it, hang on tight!

I've never read anything quite like this novel. Classic narrative structure fused with modern-day prose and sensibilities. Unique mix. Unique results.