My thanks to Fairlight Books for an eARC via NetGalley of Edward Vass’ ‘Milton in Purgatory’ in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-six year old Milton Pitt lives an unremarkable life in Oxford. One morning on his way to the job he despises, he is hit by a speeding car and finds himself hovering over his dying body. From there Milton relates his increasingly bizarre after-death experiences.

This isn’t an easy book to review given its inherent strangeness. I was initially drawn by its striking cover art that suggested that its pages contained something very unusual. It is part of a series of novellas published as Fairlight Moderns.

That the title references both John Milton and Dante’s ‘Inferno’ indicates that this is more than a fantasy romp: it is darkly comic, surreal, and hallucinogenic with philosophical and religious themes woven throughout.

I found it delightful and was almost weeping with laughter in places. For example, just after his death Milton finds that he has changed into a butterfly and fluttering about asks himself why he is speaking human English. Or is he a butterfly with an inbuilt translator?

Its quirky humour certainly appealed to me and it is a book that I likely will reread in order to further appreciate its nuances. As my reading group often enjoys unusual books that offer plenty of discussion points, I expect to propose ‘Milton in Purgatory’ to them.

I feel that Vass is a very talented writer; who has created a heartwarming, funny, strange, literary tale of one man’s experience of the afterlife and a meditation upon the meaning of life.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Highly recommended.

When I first heard of this one, I saw a lot of reviews likening it to Virginia Woolf, and having read it now I can say that that description is a gross misunderstanding and doesn’t at all do this wonderful novella justice, especially with its humour and specific tone. It reads as though Simon Rich wrote The Good Place, both of which I already love, and so it was really great to be able to read something similar to these two as I think they are so unique in and of themselves.

An entertaining and completely bonkers novella from Edward Vass, Milton in Purgatory wasn’t what I expected and I mean that in the best possible way. From a 26 year old man lamenting his hangover and talking to his hamster to a serious reflection on his life and actions, this is a short and up to date version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol but infinitely more fun!

An entertaining and well written novella. I loved the character development, the humour and the plot.
I look forward to reading other works by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

As I first read the book description of Milton in Purgatory, I instantly became curious about the story. I was also very intrigued by the book’s cover and I immediately had several questions. Is there something evil going on with the sharp-looking objects above the person in the chair? Speaking of which, do people get comfortable-looking chairs like that in purgatory? Also, what’s going on with that butterfly in front of that person’s obscured face? Are there butterflies in the afterlife? I’m not too keen about butterflies as it is, so will I have to continue to deal with the nasty little things after I die?

My personal feelings about butterflies aside, I decided to press on and see what this book was all about. And I’m so very glad that I did. I can honestly say that I’ve never read anything quite like Milton in Purgatory before. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

This is one of those books that is quite difficult to say too much about without giving away too many things about the plot. It’s a very clever and highly original story and I feel that readers of it would be best served by not knowing too much about it before they begin reading it.

And they should definitely read it. You, the person reading this review right now, you should be part of the “they” that I just mentioned. If you read Milton in Purgatory, you’re going to be experiencing some very good writing from author Edward Vass, who is an incredibly talented writer. In this book, he gives us a unique story that is all over the place. It’s funny. It’s dark. It’s surreal. It’s uplifting.

A book has to be very special for me to already want to re-read it, directly after I read it for my first time, but that’s exactly how I feel right now about Milton in Purgatory. I think it’s brilliant. I loved it.

*I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair review.

This novella was just too crude and repellent for this reader though I'm sure others with stronger stomachs will enjoy it. DNF.

Another Fairlight book I enjoyed :) It's becoming a publisher I reach out every now and then.

It's a rather strange one, but equally entertaining. It starts with an accident that causes Milton Pitt to die, and the rest is the journey into afterlife with a lot of characters dropping in.
I was lost in this book because of many reasons. It has a dark humor, but at the same time lovely and witty. It's very thoughtfully constructed and insightful.
I really think you should read it for yourselves.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

A rather amusing and unexpectedly sweet book, that starts on the last day of Milton Pitt's life, but truly begins when our hero is unceremoniously knocked down by a car while on his way to a job he despises. From there on in the story transforms into a sardonic and surreal roller coaster ride, with a range of memorable, as well as madcap characters dotted along Milton's journey into the afterlife and beyond.

While the dark humour and originality throughout was terrific, what made Milton in Purgatory standout was its very real heart at the story's centre. There was some genuinely lovely commentary that felt quietly sincere within the tale, and its inclusion made it much more than simply a fun, throwaway read.

Highly recommended.

Milton in Purgatory, part of the latest batch of releases in the Fairlight Moderns novella series, is a black comedy about the afterlife dripping in sardonic British wit. Milton is a disaffected main character, stuck in blunt routine, working day after day at a vague office job emailing unpleasant people back and forth. This all changes one day when Milton, nursing a hangover, is struck and killed by a car. What follows is a surreal adventure through the afterlife where he meets his "Narration" (a being that transcribes your every move throughout life), gets a lesson on Jesus' true (and hilarious) nature, and reflects on what it means to actually live. At turns irreverent, crass, and genuinely heartwarming, Edward Vass' take on purgatory is a great way to spend an afternoon reading session.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Fairlight Books..**

Milton in Purgatory was a fun, amusing read. The story followed a serious of violent and eventful twists as Milton tried to come to terms with his death and afterlife, pursuing the path to his final destination. There was something decidedly British about this work too--something in the style of the dry, black humour that felt like 'home' to me. This novella was a quick, entertaining read that held my attention and kept me chuckling throughout. I would definitely read more from this author in the future, and I recommend Milton in Purgatory to readers looking for a quirky literary fiction read that can be read and enjoyed in a single sitting. A solid four stars.