Book Review: "40" by Travis Thrasher

Summary from Christianbook.com: Plagued by hallucinations, writer Tyler Harrison covers a rock concert in Chicago, where he's told by an "angel" that he'll be dead before his next birthday. Terrified, Tyler reaches out to a famous DJ, who leads him on a downward spiral of temptation. Will he find the peace and redemption he seeks before he turns 40?

There are many people who dread turning 40 because it signifies that you've reached middle age. For Tyler, it means that he when he turns 40, he will die. What would you do if you were told that you only a few months to live and then was taken back on a journey of your life?

I found it interesting at how willingly Tyler chose to believe what was being told to him. Yes, there were times when he had doubts but I thought he gave in rather quickly. Then again, he did see a lot of visions so I suppose if I was in his situation I probably would have as well. Tyler's relationships with others a big part of the story. His relationship with his dad stood out to me the most in the story. The scene that stuck out the most was near the beginning when we first meet him and then the very embarrassing and awkward situation his dad finds himself in. It shows a side of a person that doesn't come out very often but for those who really have love, it comes out in situations like that.

I LOVED that Thrasher threw in so much music throughout the book. And it's not just recent pop culture bands that no one will remember in a few years. There's extensive talk about U2 and The Beatles as well as favorites like Coldplay and Arcade Fire. I knew I was going to love this book when I saw that on the page before the book starts, Thrasher had used a lyric from my favorite Arcade Fire song "Wake Up." Why do I love this so much? Because it shows that you can be a Christian and still listen to good music. I also found the argument about Christian artists and music and getting out of the box and being typecasted to be insanely interesting.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. It's a very thought provoking story. Some of the chapters were very short but it made the story flow very fast because of what took place during those chapters. The ending can be open for interpretation and while sometimes I feel like I need a definite answer, this time it worked for me. It's not your typical Christian read and in fact, I think that the average Christian fiction reader probably will not enjoy this book. This is probably why I enjoyed it so much. Another winner and though provoker from Thrasher and I look forward to more.

40 by Travis Thrasher is published by Faithwords (2011)

This ARC was provided by the publisher