First Person by Richard Flanagan is both incredible and terrifying. There is a level of genius for manipulating language few others can do. First Person was a hard read but in glad I finished it.

The book was archived before our group could download it. We are sure that we would have enjoyed the book judging from the reviews it has received.

Richard Flanagan breaks new ground with each book, which always appeals.
This one has a 'nonfiction novel' feel, one of those stories that happens in life and you work to contain in fiction. Writer becomes a ghost writer for a lying rogue, but Flanagan works to evoke our sympathies, and all characters become real.

This was a clever book but I struggled to keep my interest. I really enjoyed the writing style but felt it was trying to do too much at the expense of simply telling a good story.

Richard Flanagan's First Person is an eloquent, if somewhat uneven, exploration of truth, corporate greed and the idea that the past always catches up with you.

To read my review in full, please visit my blog: https://readingmattersblog.com/2021/11/26/first-person-by-richard-flanagan/

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. It may be one for other readers, but I was unable to finish it.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

When a struggling writer is contacted by notorious conman Siegfried Heidl and offered £10,000 to ghost-write his memoirs in just 6 weeks, it’s too much to turn down. Despite the man’s reputation, despite his odd behaviour and his uncertain character, Kif is drawn under his spell. As the fraudster’s story progresses, the writer has to balance out the pressure from his publisher against the shifting-sands of Heidl in an effort to work.

Firstly, I have to say this book is incredibly well-written. It feels like an important book, and the author has won several writing award. The style is very modern and there’s an autobiographical element to it that gives the novel a sense of authenticity (especially if you know the background to the actual story). And yet I came away with the book feeling cold. It didn’t really work for me. Which is sad because I usually enjoy reading about writers and the literary world. If the novel had been poorly written I’d have little hesitation in urging to avoid it, but in this instance I feel the problem lies with me, not the book.

Struggling novelist Kif Kehlman needs money and celebrated conman Siegfried Heidl needs a ghost writer. Heidl is about to go to prison and offers the chance for Kehlman to help him write his memoir.

As Kehlman enters this shady world, he finds out as much about himself as he does about his subject. Itself written in the style of a memoir, First Person is a fascinating and intricate count of the stories we tell to create the persona we wish to have.
Recommended.

Couldn't put it down, and when I had to, all I could think about was picking it up again! A tour de force from one of the best writers of today!

Beautifully written and often very amusing. A dry, ironic look at the relationships between authors, their subjects, their editors and their publishers.

A ghostwriter, Kif Kehlmann, desperate for his small fee, endeavours to write the autobiography of an elusive and infamous conman, Siegfried Heidl, whose trial for committing a $700m fraud is imminent. Heidl lies and conceals - not wanting to share anything about his life, but wanting his massive fee. Kehlmann struggles to write with no material but also becomes concerned he is being corrupted by Heidl.

This is an interesting book, entirely different to Flanagan's stunning The Narrow Road to the Deep North, but worth a read. It starts quite slowly but picks up after a bit. It gives an insight into the difficulties of writing and the battle with writer's block.

Sorry, not for me. Just couldn't get into it and it seemed like there were new characters coming and going with no backstory at all. Weird.

I never realised before reading this book that the plot is pretty heavily autobiographical, that Flanagan ghost wrote a memoir of a famous conman in the 1990s.
It certainly adds a new dimension to the story!
It is an intriguing, interesting read that i am still undecided upon. Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? No
This is one you will have to make your own minds up about!

I really struggled with this book and ended up giving up part-way through. The blurb makes it sound fantastic, and it certainly has potential to be a great story, but I found that it just droned on and was quite boring. I so very rarely give up books part-way through, but I'm afraid this was one of those that I lost that battle with.

I enjoyed this intriguing story of a writer, Kif Kehlmann, who is offered a contract to ghost write an autobiography of a fraudster, Ziggy Heidl, who is going to jail in six weeks. Ziggy is a complex and dangerous man and Kif very quickly begins to flounder and panic about the deadline he has been set.

This is a novel about the despair many feel when they try to make a living through creativity and writing. We also learn a lot about the vagaries of the publishing industry.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

Gripping, well written book. Would heartily recommend and will now seek out other works by this author.

Not my usual style to read but once I absorbed it, there was no doubt that this author is a very clever writer.
Everything about this novel is brave. The story line is extremely clever, the characters (not sure about using their full names all the time?) solid and the whole premise is thought provoking.

An interesting concept for a novel, and I found his writing style impressive and lucid. However, I did find my interest 'sagged' a little in the middle and I found it difficult to relate to any of the characters, therefore I became a little disengaged. Clearly a very talented writer and I shall look out for his next novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this in return for an honest review.
As such,I have to admit that I did not enjoy the book nor was able to finish it. The story,such as it was,was not gripping and I could not connect with the narrator/protagonist at all. I suspect I am not the audience for this work and fans of his earlier work will enjoy it. But sadly it was not for me.