Monday, March 3, 2014

Frank Cottrell Boyce's Millions...A Book Review

1033693*

The cover of the hardback edition of Frank Cottrell Boyce's Millions asks the hypothetical question: What would you do with a million in cash?

That's a great question.

And it's a great book.

My first experience with this story came via a movie, Danny Boyle's 2004 gem. I didn't know until I was trolling for available library books from the audiobook selection at the Davis County library that this story existed in book form. I checked it out immediately.

It's a quick read, or listen. I think we've all read/listened to books we know from a movie, or the other way around--read the book then saw the movie. That's the most common situation. I wasn't sure if the book could live up the rather large shoes left by the film.

I shouldn't have worried. It did.

If you're unfamiliar with either the book or the film, it's such a fantastic story. A somewhat strange, but beautifully wonderful child comes across a huge sum of money just before England changes their monetary system of pounds for euros. We are told the story through the child's eyes which makes the experience just that much sweeter. There are burglars and single fathers and Christmas plays and even Mormons. That's a winning combination right there!

I remember channel surfing a decade ago and I came across Roger Ebert discussing this film and he said he loved it. I had heard nothing about it, but I was looking for a present one day in the Target store. I saw the film and I bought it. I never do that, buy a film I barely know.

I'm glad I bought the film.

And I'm more glad I found the book.

309773*

* Photos used without permission from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1033693.Millions

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