Denny’s story is about love, anger, caring, bullying, prejudice and acceptance. It’s about Denny knowing he’s worthy even when others see his developmental challenges as something to be feared, criticized and pushed away. Denny tells his story in his way, and he does an excellent job of it.

The characters in this book are very believable and real. I don’t know much about the behavioral characteristics and mental processing done by someone who is developmentally challenged, but Holly Kennedy paints a very convincing picture. She was so convincing in telling the story from Denny’s voice that, having not retained that the author’s name is Holly, I was surprised to see at the conclusion of the book that the author’s picture is of a woman! Throughout the book, I heard a man telling his story; Denny was the author!

As a reader, I was initially put off by the frequent asides in Denny’s narration, written within parentheses, explaining the meaning of what he just said or thought. It interrupted the flow of the story. As a human being, I soon realized, however, that the side explanations were part of Denny’s natural thought and speech processes. Once understood, I just “went with the flow” and accepted that the asides were part of who Denny is. The asides illustrated, for me, how taking a little time to understand a situation, attribute or person who doesn’t conform to “the norm” can go a long way towards engaging in a meaningful, positive relationship with that person (or anyone!).

How Denny’s life frequently goes sideways and brings him to his current dilemma of being accused of murder is cleverly revealed through the interweaving of his recollections of how past and present events happened. He has an excellent memory of what occurred and what was said. He doesn’t feel he’s handicapped; he’s a 72. He’s straight forward and tells things as he sees them. This is not a gloom and doom story, far from it. There are moments of humor and moments of, as Denny would say, doing wondering. I feel the reader will root for Denny and also be a bit unsure of the outcome of his trial due to the powers of persuasion and misrepresentations expressed by some of the other characters. Hope is always present that love and understanding will prevail.

This is the first book I’ve read by Holly Kennedy. I would read another one.

4.5 stars

Denny Voss is a 30 year old living in rural Minnesota with his elderly mother and special needs Saint Bernard. He lives a simple life and he doesn’t let the challenges he faces (due to issues at birth) hold him back from feeling fulfilled. He has a great support system of people who love him and a solid routine to keep him grounded. That’s until his third arrest (this time for murder) puts a spanner in the works.

Denny and his loved ones are fantastic characters and the heart of this book is in the relationships between them all. This is such a funny cast and you can tell a lot of thought went into every single characters. I laughed out loud many times and topped it off with a bucket of tears (a win in my books). This book gives you a classic mystery unravelling, but it is very much a character-driven narrative and it breathes fresh life into the genre. There’s a brilliance contrast throughout of the ridiculous (like kidnapping Tom Hanks (a goose named Tom Hanks)) and the sincere as Denny discovers world-changing family secrets.

I am not developmentally delayed or neurodivergent (which Denny’s idiosyncrasies are reminiscent of) so I am not in a position to deem this representation good or bad, but I definitely say flashes of people in my life in Denny. He doesn’t feel like a caricature and I think the author does a great job of exploring the social issues he encounters. For example, Denny’s court-appointed therapist, who guides him through telling the story of the past year, often loses patience and learns he has to make changes to the way he normally communicates with clients to engage in a meaningful way. In Denny’s small community, I like that the author included people who endear and treat him with kindness and people who wish to ostracize him due to his quirks, which is sadly a very realistic reaction.

I love The Sideways Life of Denny Voss because it’s wildly entertaining AND makes you empathise deeply. I highly recommend to fans of Fredrik Backman (the writing reminded me of him), Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine or Molly the Maid.

I absolutely LOVED this book. The characters, the story, everything. We are privileged enough to glimpse this story through the eyes of Denny, a 29 year old, neurodivergent man who is being blamed for a murder. While sometimes stubborn, he is funny and incredibly easy to love.

This is a lovely coming-of-age that will keep you guessing and maybe even make you cry a river of tears at the end. If you loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you are sure to love this too.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. The best I've received!

Sometimes you come across a book and you just KNOW it's going to be a new favorite even before you read the first page. This is exactly what happened with The Sideways Life Of Denny Voss for me. I remember reading the premise last year, and as soon as I did I simply HAD to add it to my shelves straight away and schedule a meeting with Denny Voss. I love quirky and unique books and characters, and I simply couldn't wait to learn more about Denny's story. Words cannot describe just how much I loved my time with this book!

The reason this story works so well has everything to do with its main character Denny Voss. Denny is such a precious soul and the perfect person to show the world that being different doesn't mean you are anything less. The way the author develops his character and tells the story from his POV feels so authentic, and I loved learning more about how his brain works and how he sees the world. His character kind of reminded me of another absolute favorite book (and character) I read last year: Joe Nuthin's Guide To Life. I usually don't like comparing books, but I feel Denny and Joe deserve being mentioned together and they both have a place in my heart.

The Sideways Life Of Denny Voss is a story that mixes lighter moments and humor with more serious topics, creating a multi-faceted story that will keep you engaged along the way. Sure, I did see some of the reveals coming, but it was the journey itself that mattered and it was worth it to see Denny unravel things on his own. The way Denny misinterprets things creats some pretty funny situations, but it also shows us the prejudice of others when someone is a little different. I loved how he has people who stand up for him though, and I especially loved his friendship with the little Theo and his dog George.

There is of course the mystery of why Denny is currently in prison and who is really guilty of the murder, and I liked how it was incorporated into the plot. The answers are partly hidden inside Denny's mind, but it isn't all that easy to get him to reveal them... The stories of why he was arrested before were particularly hilarious by the way. Like I said before, there are also some pretty serious topics incorporated along the way, and definitely make sure you have some tissues at hand for the last part... It all came together in a well balanced story that will stay with me for a long time.

As you might have guessed already, The Sideways Life Of Denny Voss turned out to be an absolute gem of a story and I already know it will end up on my list of 2025 favorites. It's actually my first full 5 star rating of the year, and I cannot recommend it enough!

I loved this quirky book! Denny is 30 years old and developmentally delayed from a birth trauma. He has a heart of gold though. It's a murder mystery about who killed the jerk-face guy running for mayor, and Denny is their prime suspect. There's a whole cast of interesting characters in this small town, and it had me laughing out loud and shedding a few tears before the story ended. I highly recommend this one.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a ARC copy to read and review.

A beautiful, compelling story which made me laugh and cry. Denny is a thirty year old developmentally challenged man. He is honest to a fault and has a loving heart. The story centers mostly on Denny’s arrest for murder and the time he spends in jail preparing for a trial. Denny spends a lot of time with his lawyer and his psychiatrist. He delves into his past and various relationships . He learns a lot about his past and the people around him. A beautiful story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! I am still recovering! I enjoyed this read so much as this novel made me laugh, sad, angry and all the feels in between! Denny is developmentally delayed and Holly Kennedy captures his inner thoughts so well and there is so much to learn from him! The way he is treated by many people leaves so much to be desired. You will route for him all the way to the end! Run don't walk if you want a read that will keep you coming back!

Thank you Net Galley, Holly Kennedy and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to preview this novel. The opinions shared are my own.
The Sideways Life of Denny Voss is expected to be released April 8, 2025.

Denny Voss is one of the most heartwarming, funny, interesting characters I've read in such a long time. He's 29 and neurodivergent. He is trying to start to take a little responsibility for his own life, and boy does it go off the rails.

I laughed and cried (and I rarely cry at books lately). Every single character has depth, feels realistic, and each catbrings something to the novel that I feel would've been less of a great story without them. This includes a precious blind and deaf St. Bernard.

The author captures the "voice" of Denny Voss perfectly. He's not a caricature, but a real man getting through life in his own unique way.

I also loved the author notes at the end of the book. I felt like I understood the author (and suddenly wanted to be her new friend,) and identified with her anxiety, fears, and the manner in which she approached this story.

Denny Voss, and his family and friends (including a goose named Tom Hanks,) are a group I won't soon forget.

Hands down (and yes, I know it's early in the year) this is my favorite book of the 2025. I'd imagine I'll be able to come back in December and still feel the same.

Kudos to Holly Kennedy. Buy this book. Better: preorder it so you have it the day it is published.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheSidewaysLifeOfDennyVoss #LakeUnionPublishing #HollyKennedy #NetGalley

Yeah, so this was interesting. I was intrigued from the start as I've never read a book told from the point of view of a limited person, and for sure it's not a thing we see often. The story itself was emotional and funny. I loved the author's writing, the descriptions and the dialogues were fenomenal! It's such a emotion-provoking book too. I found myself growing angry and frustrated many times but also often the book made me cry and laugh a lot!
One thing is it can be hard to read as the pov can be a bit confusing, nontheless the writing was great!

Denny Voss is arrested while lugging a wagon full of guns to turn into the police station. Denny doesn’t quite know what’s going on, especially as he’s also charged with the murder of Mr. Tesky. Danny is developmentally challenged and Kennedy brings all of his complexities to life beautifully. She writes with an authentic voice, not only for his character but the others as well. This novel had me laughing (especially with Tom Hanks) and crying but through it all gave me hope that we can all be accepted for who we are and still be loved. I loved Kennedy‘s writing. I loved how she included Denny’s blind St. Bernard and Newfie puppy. This is the novel I can’t wait to share with all of my friends and our Library patrons. It is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

I did not like this book.

Oftentimes, during my reading, I found myself growing more agitated than intrigued. While I understand the author's purpose and intent, I do think it, unfortunately, failed in its execution. This IS the first book I read from this author and I intend to read more of their work in the future and hopefully, enjoy it more than this.

In its attempt to share a different perspective, the writing felt confusing because of its simplicity, this was the main reason I grew frustrated. English is not my first language, I got confused many, MANY times trying to understand what was going on and grew frustrated, exhausted and felt myself tap out constantly but powered through to write this review nonetheless. I feel like so much of it could have been done through a third person point of view focusing on different characters, or presenting notes from different perspectives and allowing the reader to have their own understanding and perspective or figure it out. I can think of so many ways in which this story can be presented off the top of my head and this was not it. Denny almost felt like a caricature by the time I finished this which is genuinely unfortunate because I was really looking forward to reading it because of its summary and premise.

I will not be posting this review on my Goodreads or website, but I wish the author the best, the idea behind the book and story is brilliant, the writing and execution in the end was just not my style.

It made me laugh and cry, soften in sympathy and harden in anger, and most importantly, believe. Believe in the ability of Denny Voss to work through the situations in his life. Holly Kennedy has wonderfully captured his complexity and yet conveyed it simply and kindly. Didn’t want this precious book to end!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this sweet ARC.

I was extremely intrigued by the premise of this novel.
We meet Denny Voss, a 29 yr old man from Minnesota. Due to problems with his birth, he has an IQ of just 72, and is neurodiverse.
He tends to keep himself to himself. Generally, he is happy with his life, living with his Mother, Nana and George, his deaf and blind dog.
Through no fault of his own, Denny ends up being caught with a murder weapon and is arrested and charged.

This is well written, the author has spent a lot of effort and time in bringing Denny to life with all of his nuances and complexities.
The book is engaging, but at times can be a little difficult to read. This doesn’t detract in any way from everything as a whole, it makes it more interesting.
I’d definitely recommend this one.

There’s never a dull moment with Denny. I'm intrigued by what might be going through his mind. The question either annoyed Denny or left him unwilling to answer. There’s a lot behind the story, and at times, he simply didn’t want to share it with them. I found his story captivating to read. I felt every emotion he experienced, from heartache to the joy of his adventures and the bonds he formed with his friends. I absolutely love it and highly recommend it. It’s guaranteed to keep you engaged!

Sometimes, a book just doesn’t resonate, and unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

Denny, the main character, was difficult to connect with. While I understand the intention to portray his mental health challenges, his inability to get to the point frustrated not only me but also the characters around him. That made the reading experience feel more like a chore than an enjoyable escape. For me, books need to spark some kind of joy or intrigue, and this one simply didn’t.

I struggled to care about Denny’s journey or even how the story concluded. The one saving grace was George, the dog. As a dog lover, I found warmth in the bond between Denny and George, and I appreciated the heartfelt backstory of how George became a part of Denny’s life. That part was genuinely touching.

Sadly, the rest of the book fell flat, and I was left uninvested. It just wasn’t for me. 1 ⭐.

Denny lives a quiet life and tries to keep to himself. When he is accused of murder he must defend himself the best he can. This book has all the feels, a worthwhile read for sure.

The story took me on a adventure of up and downs. And till the end I couldn't figure out who actually killed Mr. Tesky.

I loved the way all the more 'challenging' words were explained. It make me feel like I was in Dennys head and could see everything out of his eyes. That made it a unique experience.

Denny Voss is neurodiverse. That is, he is developmentally challenged, has an IQ of 72 as a result of problems with his premature birth, and has been raised by his Nana-Jo (grandmother). At thirty, he finds himself in the slammer on a murder charge.

I am in absolute awe of Argus, Denny’s cousin, who lives in 8A opposite the 8B side of the duplex where Denny and Nana-Jo live. He always has the perfect comeback for Denny, said with kindness, patience, and love. His grandmother is the same.

Denny, on the whole, is one very lucky man. Because of those strong kind and loving relationships, he is also kind, thoughtful to others. There are well-developed support characters, too.
Tesky, as the antagonist and victim is despicable. Lydia, another character on the antagonist side of the story, sometimes dropped my jaw with her blatant, often rude, reactions to Denny.

There is a frustration of getting inside Denny’s head and the repeats might become annoying but It’s an emotional story that lands a solid punch to the gut. Softening the pathos are short bursts of humor, twists you won’t see coming.

But, if Denny didn’t kill Tesky, who did? And that’s the fun of the book, isn’t it? This is one you shouldn’t miss and I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Denny Voss, 29, from Woodmont, Minnesota, is neurodiverse, and his IQ is only 72, having been deprived of oxygen at birth. Nevertheless, he is generally cheerful and lives with his elderly mother Nana-Jo and his beloved deaf and blind dog George, his Dad having died early. He has an 18 years older sister Lydia who lives in New York, and a cousin called Angus who wears slogan t-shirts, lives next door and works with him for the council to deal with roadkill.

One day, Denny is caught with several guns on his sled that he was trying to get to a police station. Unfortunately, one of the guns is a murder weapon and so he is arrested for the murder of a local businessman and would-be politician, who generally seems to have been an awful person, more so the more we learn about him. And yes, Denny would have had motive, means and opportunity, like some other people, and this wasn't his first arrest either - he once well-meaningly kidnapped a goose called Tom Hanks and illegally took it to Canada, plus there was the unfortunate incident where he accidentally assisted in a bank robbery. All these scrapes he tells his lawyer and therapist from prison in painfully drawn out sessions.

My main problem with the story is that as kind and lovable as Denny is, his behaviour is also extremely frustrating at times. There is a lot of rambling and going back and forth in the story, and like Lydia, I wanted to frequently say: "Denny, land the plane!" It took me double my usual time to read this book and when I realised that Denny had told his story over the course of several months, I felt that, yes, that's how long it took me too to get through.

Of course we can predict that as surely Denny isn't a murderer he will eventually be released - the story treads too lightly for any other outcome. But there are some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, when Denny discovers some painful truths about his past, and his story is entertaining and told in his own unique voice. However, the constant explaining of words and expressions grated after a while, as did his "he did swimming" way of talking.

But it is clear that Denny has people around him who accept and adore him and who get quite angry when he is mistreated (except maybe Lydia, she is too selfish for that). In my opinion there should be more awareness in general but especially with the police how to deal with someone who doesn't react as you expect and when stressed starts singing the "You've Got a Friend in Me" song from Toy Story!

So I salute this story, not just for being quirky, but also for raising awareness (also for Tourette's that another character suffers from). It didn't grab me as much as it could have, but I appreciate the topics and how they were handled in a touching and simultaneously (at the same time) funny way.

3.5 stars

This is an absolutely exceptional story which really packed a punch, especially as I have children who are neurodiverse so it did hit a nerve.

This story tells us about how Denny Voss got himself arrested and the events leading up to it. It is told through Denny's unique voice so we really get into his head, his thoughts, his views. I felt as though I knew Denny inside and out.

The way the story is told, there are various moments where it makes you doubt Denny or doubt others and wonder 'whodunit??' But not so dramatically that you spend your whole time trying to guess, instead you're swept up in the story.

It's told in a beautiful way. The emotion that builds up is beautiful.

I think this is an exceptional read.