I like reading the book The Reincarnation of Tom. I would assume it is more suitable for younger readers and it can really inspire their imagination to thrive. The writing style is very concise and one can read at ease. It was an enjoyment to read this book. I had some similar readings such as The Hen Who Dreamed She Can Fly etc., however, they are all translated works, and it is very nice to read a similar genre and theme book that is first written in English.

This book dragged on and on for me. We suffer through hundreds/thousands of reincarnations of Tom as he tries to get his karma right. Then he offends another person who begins stalking him in all of his future reincarnations.

Some parts were slightly humorous. I feel like most of us can relate to having made some regrettable decisions or having missed some opportunities. The book just seemed really long to me.

An innovative, funny narrative that I recommend to all my friends! I will be sure to seek out more of Aden Simpson's writing in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley in response for an honest review. In The Reincarnation of Tom, Tom realizes that he can reincarnate by singing da ba de daba da and proceeds to live short lives as various animals. The book was full of irrelevant humor which likely will be very entertaining for many but wasn't for me. The humor felt like it was trying too hard.

Fasten your seatbelts, because this is a hell of a ride!
But you can take my word: you'll be glad that you tried

To discover what it must feel like to reincarnate as a chicken, a salmon, a few humans or a tree
I wouldn't be amazed if this would be the winner, if there existed a 'Most Original Book' Grand Prix


****************************************

ORIGINAL - INTELLIGENT - FUNNY

This is how the book could be described in 3 words.
But of course there's much more to say about this intriguing story which is like nothing you've ever read before.

As the title already indicates, this book is about the reincarnation of Tom.
Over and over and over again.
Despite the innumerable amount of characters (animals, people, …) in which Tom reincarnates and thus the many different chapters, a beautiful whole is formed by the clever links that are made between all these lives. Masterfully done.

Actually this book would be great material to use in high schools.
In a playful and fascinating way different themes and ethical questions are raised, without coming across as preachy (as is the case in many books today).
Moreover, there are references to so many different fields: periods of history, biology, art, movies,….

Even though the themes may sometimes be a bit more serious, it will never feel too heavy.
Firstly because the harsher things happen mostly out of sight.
Secondly - and above all - because there's lightness brought in by the ubiquitous humour. Some reviewers talk about 'laugh out loud'-funny, but this may not apply to everyone. One thing's for certain though: there's really nice humour in this book, laugh out loud or not.

Do you know the kind of movies that you can watch over and over again?
This book has exactly the same vibes.
There's just so much going on that you can't remember everything.
Every re-read thus includes a new discovery of the story where different details may catch your attention.

The end was satisfying and leaves a door open to a potential sequel.
Who knows?
Daba dee daba daa
(after you've read the book, you'll understand)


ADEN SIMPSON

As the author states himself at the end of the book:
Aden Simpson grew up in Sydney, Australia. He completed a degree in Commerce but then thought:
"Nuts to that, I want to be a successful writer."
He is still working on the "successful" part.

Well, looking at the praising reviews for 'The Reincarnation of Tom', it shouldn't take too long before that success comes his way. It would be totally deserved.

Some people assume this book is a debut, but actually it's the second title of Aden Simpsons hand.
His debut The Illusionists was published in November 2016.
More about the books of this young Australian talent can be found on his interesting website where you can also read some short stories, poems and thoughts & an illustrated story: https://adensimpson.com

Aden Simpson is a unique voice in the book world and really an author to take an eye on.
Whatever the future may bring (really curious about that btw), one thing's for sure: he has a new fan!


*Thanks to NetGalley, author Aden Simpson and the Independent Book Publishers Association for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

this was such a unique read and I really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I had a great time reading this.

The Reincarnation of Tom was a delightful read, that - though being a bit tiring and trying at times - was an overall fresh and breezy read, full of surprises and some nifty writing.

Like many other GR readers, I was interested in the book based on the title and the cover - and it was a good bet! The story is indeed about the reincarnations - yes, there are literally dozens (!) - of Tom, who is a quite unlikable "office guy", who is wasting away his life and existence on nothing.

One day, during his lunch break, he comes across the secret of reincarnation, and remembering all his lives... and from then, the story never looks back. You go along with Tom on what turns out to be quite a roller-coaster of a ride, across his many life forms - chicken, fish, tree, ant, tiger, cow, snake... and humans both male and female - now and then! Another brilliant twist the story has is that time is not a linear concept in the story. The various reincarnations of Tom take him across the human timeline as if moving along a mathematical number line - with the freedom of a random throw of some cosmic dice.

It makes for some really imaginative writing and quite funny reading. There are stretches that looked a bit stretched, but overall the story has a true north that it never quite loses sight of, and relentlessly pursues - through the ages.

The freedom that comes from being "literally any living creature, across time" - is used very well, and as you read along, you also realize that the author has used these life forms to further draw a meandering but sure line to the ultimate goal of Tom's story.

While not quite superlative in my opinion, it is certainly head-and-shoulders above average, and is guaranteed to give you chuckles, and some outright giggles along the way, while sending home a subtle message about the purpose of (your) life.

I can honestly say this is a story like nothing I’ve read before. The author takes you on an entertaining journey with Tom as he lives multiple lives.

This was a quick read due to the format and humor. Each chapter is a new life whether he’s a chicken or a goat or a young woman in the Middle Ages or even a brontosaurus. This book skipped right along at a good pace which I appreciated.

My only complaints were with the Jacinta storyline and the ending. The Jacinta chapter was really the only one where I found myself bored especially towards the end of it, it dragged a little too long. The ending I wasn’t a huge fan of.

With that said this was a solid read. While it had the right amount of satire and wit, it was also full of heart. I would highly recommend this book:

Thank you to NetGalley for making this title available! Quite honestly, the cover of this book caught my eye enough to make me want to dive in. This is a quirky and humorous tale for those in the mood for lighthearted fare.

Tom is in a reincarnation loop, trying to get back to his previous human existence as Tom. He'd also like to spend his second chance in his former life by actively asking out and marrying his office crush, Lily. Throughout it all, Tom learns about the meaning of life from his various reincarnations - chicken, ant, salmon, tiger, other humans, etc.

I do appreciate the clever premise here. Simpson creates a world where reincarnation makes sense and Tom's adventures are humorous and at times heartbreaking (like the death of his handler in the Tiger section). He learns more about himself as Tom the chicken, Tom the tiger than he did as Tom himself and it's a cute set up without being too cutesy, if you know what I mean.

But the premise can only goes so far, and before long I was wondering what major changes were going to happen to Tom. It's funny to read about his life as an ant but subsequent chapters felt more of the same experience; I wished for further variety in the scenarios and obstacles for the character to encounter. I got a bit tired of the premise after about half-way through the story and anxious to get to some further emotional depth.

Still, this is a laugh out loud read. I recommend it for those who are in the need for giggles!

This one started off really strong but I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Very interesting concept though. da ba dee da ba daa

I picked this book up because it looked different from some of the others that I was reading. It did prove that theory right. The book is about Tom. Tom is an average man, harbouring feelings for a colleague and with no guts to tell anyone. He has a lot more about himself to discover in due course.
A chance meeting and a strange suggestion lead him to the path of incarnating into a body every time he dies. This is where I lose the plot a little because it plays out more like a time-slip story than that of actual ‘incarnations’ because here, the bodies of the creatures already exist before he takes over. And he moves forward and backwards in time. This is not a spoiler as such, because despite having these qualms I did like the book around this theory. Tom decides to use the lessons he learns in every life to better the next. I loved the tree life, it made me feel as peaceful as our travelling soul felt. There is one point at which Tom makes a decision, and this leads to a vendetta against him, which culminates in a big showdown. Overall, despite, or maybe because of the odd quirks, it still is a book with parts that can liven up discussions. It boils down to how people define themselves and the appropriate actions that one should take to live up their conscience. There is a lot of action, and some of it is fast-paced while others have more of an anticipatory feel.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

A creative look at how the best of intentions can lead to bad places. Reminded me of the first part of The Sword in the Stone - learning though experiencing life as animals. The author is not afraid of a good pun.

The Reincarnation of Tom by Aden Simpson
Publication Date: April 1, 2020 - Out Now!!!

Description from NetGalley...
“Tom was a daydreaming office schlub. What will he be like as a chicken, cow, tiger, tree and Austrian art teacher from 1896? Napoleon was a pig with dreams of revolution. What will he be like as Joseph Stalin? Shirley was a zoo keeper with a big heart and a weakness for helping others. When will she learn? Sal was a cop. Then a cop. Then a cop several times after that. What will he be like as the leader of a coalition sworn to hunt Tom for the rest of his lives?”

Thank you to @NetGalley and @ibpalovesindies (Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles) for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
I’m so glad I came across this laugh out loud book. I started reading it as soon as I received it. Aside from the ending, that wasn’t really an ending, this was the type of book I needed to read. It was the wit, whimsy, humour and wackiness of the story that made me read it pretty much in one sitting. Don’t expect the deep philosophical view or thought on reincarnation. This is generally a comedic take on a man’s multiple reincarnation journey. It does take on some serious tones toward the end, and the story, alas, had to conclude somehow. I wanted to read more.

The start of this book was hysterical with a capital H!!!! I'm pretty sure I laughed on every page. What would Tom come back as next?! I was also quite impressed with how real-life history was weaved throughout Tom's existences and kept recurring throughout the story. Simpson's style of writing was enjoyable, quick witted and engaging for sure! The plotline was wacky, but the very wackiness of it made for a quality quarantine read! Disappointingly, by the halfway point, the zany events became too outlandish, even for me... This brought the book to an unfortunate plateau. The further I read, the more stars it lost. Overall it was a decent read, but with such a strong beginning, I was disappointed that the level of fun had fizzled out by the story's end.

I received this book from NetGalley. The main reason I picked this book was the cover, it's not everyday you see a chicken called Tom on the cover. The humour in this book is fantastic, sometimes it is a dark humour but as you get further into Tom's story you understand the need for his sarcasm and downward look on the world.

He lives as a tiger, chicken, tree and nearly every other animal you can think of, I don't want to put spoilers into this review as I want readers to experience the feeling I got when all the twists and turns came into play.

The only thing I have which is negative in this book is that it wasn't long enough! I needed more and especially the cliffhanger at the end left me with an empty void where I feel like the story didn't end.

Would 100% recommend this book.

The Reincarnation of Tom (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) was the book I didn’t know that I needed in my life. Tom lives a pretty boring and inconsequential life until he learns of a secret chant to say right before he dies. Soon he is hit by a bus and as he has nothing else to lose he says the chant causing him to wake up after death as a CHICKEN! As he moves from one animal to the next he learns he must work his way back up the natural chain to be a human again. Aden Simpson is an amazing “word writer” (as he claims he is)! I totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or any writing that has you laughing out loud while reading in solitude!

Aden Simpson offers a creative experience in prose form in this unique and thoughtful book. Humor, insight, and questions of existence abound!

I grabbed this book because of the cover and the title. We have chickens and they are so incredibly entertaining. Therefore I must read a book with a chicken on the cover called, improbably, The Reincarnation Of Tom.

And I loved it. Jaded with my usual genres and needing some levity in these days of Coronavirus this was perfect. It was funny, wry and pithy and a lot of fun.. Tom is an uninspiring young man in an uninspiring job who secretly pines after Lily but is too shy to ask her out. One day Tom is hit by a bus. As he lays dying, thinking he has nothing to lose, he uses a chant he has just been given that enables him to be reincarnated and remember previous lives. Then he wakes up as a...

Chicken! And so it goes. Ant, salmon, tiger, a few goes at being a human and so on but he always seems to mess up and other people end up being hurt. And he always, well almost always, get killed by the same people who have a vendetta against him. Can Tom learn anything and find happiness as he journeys through bodies, time and space? Enjoy the journey.

I got this book from NetGalley. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for making this available for review.

The main reason I got interested on this book is the word "Reincarnation' on its title. The cover is weird with that chicken. This is the story of Tom and his many lives as different entities.

I'm very much interested with books that has reincarnation as theme. It started as a very interesting read for me and it was really funny reading the different lives of Tom. But then the novelty wears off as Tom experiences a life being hunted with every reincarnation.

The villain (on my eyes) Sal has his own difficulties but I just felt like he's projecting all his misfortunes to Tom. Some scenes were in my opinion unnecessary and could have been trimmed. I just hoped Tom was more confident and not so impulsive.

All in all, it was an okay read.