The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days

Beautifully written, moving and elegiac. This is a book that is getting a lot of word of mouth praise - and deservedly so.

I won't ruin it by describing what happens but all I will say is that I read this wonderful description of a life well lived in one mammoth sitting and I was moved and left almost in tears by the time I'd finished.

Please read it. You will not be disappointed.

”But if I were in a state of sin, do you think the Voice would come to me?” - Joan of Arc

Alfred Warner is on his way to meet his granddaughter Brynja for the first time, knowing it’s only a matter of time before he won’t have this chance. He has to do this, no matter how difficult it seems to overcome his fears, he must go to her, tell her everything he knows, everything she needs to know, all of his secrets, the family secrets. He already knows his days are numbered.

He arrives at Berlin’s central train station, Hauptbahnhof, where Brynja is supposed to pick him up. He’s waited, been sitting, waiting, hoping she’d arrive soon, which is where and when he meets Julia. Alfred’s talking to his voices, and Julia asks if she can help him. Soon he’s off to the lavatory while this woman who was a stranger moments ago watches his bag for him, and keeps a watch for a young woman, maybe blonde – he can’t recall – who might be looking for him. Julia takes him under her wing for a bit, helping him to get to Brynja.

He really must speak to Brynja, she needs to understand. He really must let her know.

Alfred is a charming, if seemingly befuddled, man approaching 80 years of life lived on this planet, and he has a story to share. After a time, he starts to worry about not being able to share it with Brynja, about not having enough time, and so he feels compelled to share his story with Julia. Just in case.

This story wanders back and forth through time, and place. Alfred has lived a full life, born in Germany, was not much more than a child when Hitler’s presence began to be felt, and eventually fought for the Germans, briefly. He was interred in Scotland at a POW camp, and following all that, he marries, raises his own family, following the end of the war. He leads his life.

His journey through life, his journey with his voices, is at the heart of this story, how it affected him, how it affected those he loved, and hopefully how, in the end, it will help Brynja. In a similar vein to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Alfred is one of those captivating, charming literary characters, but this really is a bit more than just a sweet, if seemingly baffled and bewildered older gentleman on a questionable quest. This covers mental health issues (or people who hear voices of non-living people, depending on your viewpoint), national issues, and international issues. Death: losing parents, losing siblings, losing children… Loss. So much loss in one lifetime – but this is told in such a way that your focus is never really off of Alfred’s quest for long.

Juliet Conlin is a natural at storytelling, if this book is any indication. I was a bit reluctant to read this at first, I loved Ove, I loved Harold Fry, but I didn’t want a retelling of their stories with a new person. Colin really brings us a unique voice and a unique story, a little darkness, a little light, some heartbreaking moments and some heartwarming ones, as well.

Published: 23 Feb 2017

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Black & White Publishing

'The Uncommon Life' hooked me from the opening pages. The vulnerability of an elderly gentleman travelling alone in an unfamiliar place was recorded exceptionally well and endeared me to Alfred immediately. The tale moves back and forth through the twentieth century to build the story of Alfred's life that he needs to recount to his Granddaughter, a woman he has never met yet. Alfred bears witness to the rise of the Nazis, the loss of loved ones, finding love in Britain and living a humble life. Yet his story is uncommon because he has inherited voices. Voices only he can hear, which his mother heard before him. The voices are troubling, distracting and life saving if not ignored. While Alfred embraced the voices, his Granddaughter has been terrorised by them leaving her dependent on medication and suffering the stigma of mental illness.
This book had the feel of 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'. While it had some shocking moments it was also quite gentle in the pace and development of the story. Melancholy, tender and heartfelt. I really enjoyed this and will be recommending it wholeheartedly.