4.5 Extraordinary Stars!

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL by ROBERT DUGONI is a touching, uplifting, heartwarming and an absolutely wonderful novel that had me totally engrossed and interested throughout this entire book. I was totally captivated and immersed with the voice of Sam and his story as he looks back on his life, making this novel extremely hard for me to put down. Sam totally touched my heart!

ROBERT DUGONI delivers an inspirational and beautifully written story here with wonderful characters and short chapters to make this a quick and easy read. The relationships, love and support that Sam had here with his family and friends is what makes this novel so special. Sam was truly extraordinary and through his journey we really seen the struggles he faced as he was figuring out his purpose of life. I thoroughly enjoyed following along with Sam, his family and friends and all the wisdom, love, and themes shared within the pages of this book made this a powerful and memorable read!

To sum it all up it was an interesting, insightful, unforgettable, emotional, and an enjoyable read with a satisfying ending. Would highly recommend!

Publishing Date: April 24, 2018

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Robert Dugoni for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced eGalley of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.

Sam Hell was born with a rare eye condition: ocular albinism. Red eyes.

As a young boy, growing up in the late 60’s, attending a Catholic school (where his eyes invoke both fear and unwanted attention), he faces a number of challenges: bullying, ignorance, exclusion, and an overall sense that he is, somehow, completely unacceptable to the world in which he abides.

While he has the unwavering strength and advocacy of his mother to guide him through, he still encounters a lifetime of emotional and psychological pain.

He never truly feels at peace, nor is he confident that he’ll ever be loved in the way he wishes to be loved.

“The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell” takes us through the ups and downs of Sam’s life, over the course of several decades. The chapters intermittently alternate between the then and now.

We get a firsthand look at Sam as he goes from bullied first grader to barely accepted high schooler.

By the time he’s a grown man, he’s endured a lot of heartache, but he’s forced to endure even more as a man.

Honestly, even I started to wonder how much more hell he’d be forced to endure.

I enjoyed the presence of his mother. Maddy Hill was perfection from the start.

She consistently advocated for her son, and never allowed him to succumb to the self-doubt he continually faced along the way.

Her strength, more than anything, played a huge role in Sam’s growth.

The love story between him and Mickie was also adorable. It isn’t at the forefront of the story, but you always sense her presence in Sam’s life.

Overall, it’s a story about faith, and having belief in a power beyond yourself. It falls short of being “religious”, but only by a hair.

Sam’s belief in “God’s Will” is as much a plot-driver as his red eyes.

That said, I don’t think it’ll turn off non-believers or agnostics because it’s simply a good story. And who
doesn’t love a good story?

5 most touching extraordinary stars!

At times you walk away from a book with feelings and emotions and then an hour, a day, a week later, you have forgotten all that you have read. However, there are some book that when you finish them, you know in your heart that they will never leave you. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell was just so a book.

We meet a wonderful cast of characters, characters we would like to know, characters we would love to have as parents, friends, and neighbors, characters that we could love. From Sam, the boy born with red eyes suffering from a rare disease, ocular albinism, nicknamed the devil boy, to his amazing and loving parents we learn as Sam grows the emotional love and concern they share for each other. Sam's friends Ernie and Miki, themselves outcasts, join forces to provide Sam with support and love that he is desperately seeking. Sam is shunned in his Catholic school environment but it is through his mother's strong faith in both Sam and her Catholic faith coupled with his father's wonderful wisdom that Sam grows into adulthood. His road is never easy as he comes against prejudice and hate. He is tormented by his nonacceptance into a world where he is taught that things are God's will. He is belittled, held back, and faced with obstacles that try to defeat the spirit that his parents try so hard to engender in him for they believe that their son is extraordinary and he deserves his extraordinary life. His two lifelong friends bring to Sam love, compassion, and a strong bond that provides him a place to go when his life becomes onerous.

This book transported this reader into a world where one can find that which seems to be escaping from our world today, that of human kindness, forgiveness, and love. I can not recommend this book more highly as it brings one a world of peacefulness, tears, love, and the telling of a story that moves one's heart and soul.

Thank you to Robert Dugoni for writing such a extraordinary book and to Lake Union and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.

I’m used to Robert Dugoni for the Tracy Crosswhite series. This book isn’t even a mystery. Instead, it’s the story of a young man growing up with a genetic abnormality, ocular albinism. It’s a heartwarming tale as Sam struggles to avoid school bullies, including the nun who is the principal at the catholic elementary school. But it’s also the story of best friends and the lengths they go to help each other out. There are some laugh out scenes that had me guffawing in the middle of an airplane.

The story also gives us Sam as an adult forced to confront the same bully and the choices he makes color the next ten years of his life.

Dugoni tells the story with a brisk writing style using short chapters. It’s a fast, wonderful read that connects with all the emotions. It makes some very poignant points about faith, love and forgiveness. Make sure to read the Acknowledgements at the end of the book. For those who think of Dugoni only as a mystery writer, I urge you to give this one a chance. It really spoke to me.

My thanks to netgalley and Lake Union for an advance copy of this novel.

This book brought out so many feeling in me and I'll be thinking about it for a very long time. It's such a different book from Dugoni's other books, which I enjoy and I enjoyed this one too, despite how different it is from his usual books. After I finished the book, the author tells us what led him to write this book and I appreciated getting to read his reasons, also.

Sam has so much, parents who love him unconditionally, two true, life long friends, the will and ability to excel in his studies, but he was born with eyes that were different and that sets him apart from "normal" kids. He has to deal with bullies, prejudices, the fear of those who can't deal with those who are different, while having a mom who knows he will be extraordinary.

Sam searches for why things are the way they are and his search leads him away from faith and towards faith. Family and friendship is so much a huge part of this book and while my heart hurt for Sam and others who are treated cruelly, I was also so aware of how much Sam had in his life. All that happens to Sam makes him the man he is at the end of the book. I very much recommend this book.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

From the synopsis and the title of this book, I was looking forward to a tale of an extraordinary man doing extraordinary things. Robert Dugoni writes well, but the story never reached beyond the ordinary. The plot gimmick of ocular albinism which gave Sam his red eyes soon lost its capacity to astonish. Frankly when I researched further out of curiosity, I learned an individual with the lack of pigment required for ocular albinism would probably also have other physical characteristics that would set him apart. However that didn't seem to be the case in this story. Think average kid with red, rather than blue or brown irises.
There were several powerful forces driving the action in this story -- the judgmental townspeople, especially those associated with the Roman Catholic church and the vicious bully who dogs Sam's every step. Aligned against them is Sam's mother whose religious faith borders on fervor.
Sam drifts through life in somewhat of a fugue state, the perfect student, loving son and pitiful outlier to life. Rarely does his sense of injustice rise beyond lukewarm. I kept hoping the worm would turn and that his mother's axiom that it was all God's will would play out in a dramatic fashion. Unfortunately the resolution was so long in coming, I had really lost interest in Sam and his red eyes. The author's message was obviously well-intentioned and driven by his own religious convictions, but I could not share the faith that directed him on a pilgrimage to Lourdes and the hope of a miracle.

I enjoyed several previous books written by Robert Dugoni, so I was excited to see he had written a new book. I wasn’t sure I would like it since it is very different from his typical mystery/thriller type books I have read. I kept casting this book aside, I stead reading my typical psychological thriller. I decided I wanted a change of pace and finally picked up Sam Hell. I was shocked how quickly I was sucked into the book, engaged in every word. Sam was born with a form of albinism that only effects his eyes making the red. As a kid, he is tormented by his classmates and physically assaulted by one child, David, in particular on multiple occasions. His mom Maddy insists on her son attending catholic schools, even though his classmate call him “Devil Boy”. Throughout the book, his mom reiterates that everything is “God’s will” and happens for a reason. The book juxtaposes Sam’s childhood and life as an adult where he is still friends with his childhood friends Mickey and Ernie and working as an optometrist. Overall, an engaging and interesting read.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Dugoni’s latest novel is best described in one word “extraordinary”. “The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell,” is a true work of art. This is a story of a boy with the faith and strength of his mother became an amazing man. Sam is born with a rare condition and no matter how many obstacles that were put in his path he persevered and kept a level of compassion that is a rare commodity. Mr. Dugoni is a master with words and he somehow puts them together to create a story that the reader soon finds themselves deeply entrenched. I bow to his greatness. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni, Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

In his latest standalone novel, Robert Dugoni shows just how versatile he can be with his writing. His dazzling prose and wonderful ability to convey a story will warm the heart of many readers throughout this powerful novel. Sam Hill was born just outside the Bay Area to two loving parents. As he tells in the early part of the story, the love his parents showed him was unlike anything else in the world. However, Sam was born with a unique feature—red irises, called ocular albinism—which would come to haunt him in the years to come. Though it did not affect his ability to see, Sam was scorned by other young children and faced a significant issue trying to get into the local Catholic school. However, his persistent mother never lost the faith and Sam was soon enrolled alongside the other pupils. His eyes did cause many an issue, helping him develop the moniker, Sam Hell. This did not deter him, though kept the other children from playing alongside him. Friends with Ernie Cantwell, a young black boy—the only in the school—Sam discovered that some children take things to extremes and was severely bullied. As hew grew, Sam and Ernie remained the best of friends, soon adding Michaela ‘Mickie’ Kennedy to their brood. As the story progresses, the reader learns of Sam’s older years and how things developed for him, allowing life lessons and personal epiphanies to shape his way of life. With each part of the book flashing forward to 1989, the reader is able to discover a ‘modern’ narrative and how Sam has used all those lessons to shape what came to be his greatest moments, influenced deeply by his mother. Those fans of Dugoni’s work will marvel at this personal story that has all the ingredients his police procedurals as well. Those seeking a touching story that does not get too sappy will also love this and may develop a love of Robert Dugoni’s writing in general.

I have long loved the writing that Dugoni puts out and find myself completely captivated by his current series set in Seattle. However, it is wonderful to see an author step away from his/her comfort zone and develop an ability to write with an entirely new set of characters and plots. Dugoni does this so effortlessly and pulls the reader in the middle of an emotional story that holds the reader’s attention until the very last phrase. Sam Hill is a wonderful character whose maturation is a fundamental part of the story. His backstory and ongoing character development provides the reader with a rich understanding of the issues that he faces as a child with a physical trait that distinguishes him from others. Secondary characters, such as Ernie and Mickie provide a wonderful flavour for the story and are offset by the more grounded Mr. and Mrs. Hill, who have their own quirks. The vignettes that occur within each part of the larger story provide a wonderful collage of moments that, when sewn together, provided a powerful set of characters that convey a powerful message. I almost could not tell that this was Dugoni, so used to his mystery and police stories, though I am blessed to have seen how detailed he made the entire experience. Dugoni offers up some wonderful themes throughout the piece and arcs them together effectively, touching the reader at just the right moments. The short chapters help push things along and the spiritual nature of the narrative does not create a Christian inculcation, but surely serves as an effective theme in Sam’s life and the reader’s experience with this novel.

Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for such a powerful book. I can only hope to read more standalone novels of this calibre in the years to come.

This is an extraordinary story! The author takes us on a journey, a journey with Sam Hill through his life from birth to middle age, and the challenges of being a “little different”. I cannot say enough good things about this book. The writing is excellent, the story never lags and it just gets better the farther you get into it. It is told in first person by Sam, I laughed out loud with him, I cried and I felt his pain and sadness when the school kids were so mean to him.
After I finished the last paragraph, I closed my eyes and thought of all this book touched, it touches the life of a child that is belittled and bullied because he has red eyes. It touches the love of a mother who loves her child unconditionally and knows he can overcome the hurdles he will encounter, her support, wisdom and faith gave Sam wings. But most importantly it touches the love in a marriage between Max and Maddie, the love they possess will be life changing not only for Sam but for his two best friends. Last but not least, it touches the value of friendship, the three “outcast” friends in this story support and hold each other up through their entire lives.
This book has it all, love, laughter, sadness, discrimination, wisdom, abuse, and determination. I absolutely loved it. One of those hard to put down and couldn’t wait to get back to it books.
I thank Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Highly, highly recommend!!!

I absolutely loved this book! I am a huge fan of Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series, so I was excited to get an advanced copy of this. Not knowing what to expect, I was immediately drawn into the story and the complexity of the characters. So different from his other books but so worth the read.

Wow! What a beautiful story! It's times like this when I wish I had a bigger talent for expressing myself in words, just to be able to write a review worthy of this novel. Some reviewers seemed to be surprised by the telling of this story by Mr. Dugoni. I wasn't, not at all, because I've read the Acknowledgments in his previous books and have been very touched by the content as well as the emotion. In my opinion, he is one of the greats at stringing together words in such a fashion.

Sam's story is one of many things, but mostly it's about being with the ones you love most, being loyal and faithful to them and to your God. I highly recommend this book. If you enjoy it even half as much as I did, it will have been well worth your time.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Mr. Dugoni for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reader copy, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by awesome author, Robert Dugoni in exchange for an honest review. From the first page, the voice of Sam captured me and held me spellbound as he looks back on his life. Most significant was being born into a loving, Catholic family with an eye condition, resulting in red eyes (ocular albinism). From kindergarten through age forty, I could not stop turning the pages as Sam tries valiantly to figure out his purpose in life. His mother always told him he was going to lead an extraordinary life but Sam struggles with himself, relationships, faith and religion, bullies, prejudice, and insecurity. I loved the depth of Dugoni’s characters from best friends Ernie and Mickie, his religious mother and introspective, wise father, to a thoroughly evil bully. Life is not always easy for Sam and his journey is dramatic, honest, and insightful. Such a very special book about an extraordinary guy and his supportive family and superb friends! Don’t miss Dugoni’s Author Acknowledgments at the end, they always mean so much to me; I get great, warm feelings from such a wonderful author, thanks for another great, inspirational book! Highly recommended!!!

Robert Dugoni has over the last few years emerged as one of my absolutely favorite authors. This book takes a solid step away from the mysteries I have enjoyed in the past, telling us a tall of the boy with red eyes, Sam Hill, also called Sam Hell, his life, his friendships, his enemies, his family and the consequences of certain actions. While this wasn't at all the story I expected it to be, but I really liked it. It's a heart-warming story that tells us that the contents of one's character is far more important than what you appear to be on the surface, such as when you have red eyes.

Loved the story! Sam Hill is born with ocular albinism - he has red eyes. Now I've never heard of anyone with red eyes so I had to look it up and I couldn't find anything that said someone with this problem would have red eyes, so I guess it is just inventive or maybe I didn't do enough research. Anyway, having red eyes caused Sam to be bullied and teased all the time. Other kids at his Catholic elementary school in Burlingame, California, called him the "devil boy" and "Sam Hell" and played mean pranks on him. Sam only made one friend, Ernie Cantwell, who was also ostracized at school because he was the only black child in the school. Rober Dugoni is the worst bully in the school and Sam is afraid of him. Sam's very religious mother always told him that he was extraordinary and special to explain his red eyes. This is the story of Sam's life and how he comes to terms with his unusual condition. The characterization and the plot are very good and the story moved at a good pace. At times it's a very emotional book and I felt empathy for Sam and what he was enduring.

Thanks to Robert Dugoni and Lake Union Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

4.5 Extraordinary Stars

I absolutely adored this book. What a beautifully simple, yet extraordinary man Sam Hill was. And he lead a small, but extraordinary life. The writing was breathtaking and heartfelt. Sam Hill was mocked and bullied for being different, but through amazing friends and the support of a loving and accepting family who allowed him to accept who he was and who we could be, he rose above to become a truly extraordinary version of himself.

You can never go wrong with Dugoni, and this book just proves it. A masterful tale, superbly crafted and sure to evoke a plethora of emotion.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#TheExtraordinaryLifeOfSamHell #NetGalley

5 Stars for this beautifully written story about the life of Sam Hill, aka "Sam Hell", the kid born with ocular albinoism or "red eyes". You follow his life, from his early years at Catholic school where he is bullied and called devil boy- to meeting Ernie & Mickie, his 2 closest friends who show him what true friendship really is. And even though Sam deals with some horrible people along the way, he also has some wonderful people who have his back.
I loved everything about this book- especially the characters and relationships. It shows love & respect and overcoming life's obstacles, all while still being a good person! And although it made me tear up a few times, I found it to be a feel good book that left me smiling at the end! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, loved it!

Completely captivating. Found myself unable to put this book down. The writing flowed in a natural way which made this book an easily digestible read. What a wild ride of a plot too. Bildungsroman at its best.

Sam's story is at once uplifting, sad, and heartbreaking. I'm not a religious person but I was raised in a church environment and this book brought back a lot of memories.

This book was captivating and I didn’t want to put it down. The time jumps frustrated me a bit, as I would get really into a time jump and then it would leave for a few chapters, but otherwise I loved reading about Sam and all that he went to. The love interest felt predictable and I wanted him to figure it out already but otherwise I gasped a few times at some developments.