Pepper Roux has his whole life ahead of him. If he’s lucky, that’s 14 hours by the hall clock. Without wanting to annoy, he would much prefer not to die. But can you sidestep Fate? Step sideways into a different life? Join him on the run – if you can keep up.

Review: Ever since he can remember, Paul (or Pepper to his friends and family) has known he would die on his fourteenth birthday. Why? Because his formidable Aunt Mireille had seen it in a dream the night before he was born. Devout and morbid, Aunt Mireille has groomed Pepper for his death by taking him to confession, reading him the bible and generally making his life thoroughly miserable! There is a great description of Pepper’s mother and his aunt. …'the two of them leaned in against Pepper’s life like a pair of bookends- big ponderous women and so full of tragedy that they could barely make their corsets hook up.'

With Pepper’s father away at sea, there is no one to question this assertion that Pepper will die so soon and so he accepts his fate. Until his fourteenth birthday comes and he remains alive! Such is Pepper’s despair that he has failed in achieving his predicted demise that he takes his father’s identity as a sea captain and flees the disappointment of his family. What follows is a funny, at times quite dark, but thoroughly enjoyable adventure whereby Pepper experiences a number of adventures as he continues to wrong foot fate and avoid dying until he gradually learns to actually enjoy the thrill of living.

This is a charming, strange story written in a unique style. The French setting adds to the mystery and quirkiness of the story that would suit readers who are experimenting with different genres of novel and would certainly lend itself to being read aloud.

2010-01-28