In "The Sideways Life of Denny Voss," Holly Kennedy weaves a touching yet amusing tale about life's complexities through the lens of an unconventional hero.

Denny, a 30-year-old man with a developmental delay, lives a quiet life in rural Minnesota with his aging mother and beloved Saint Bernard, George. His world goes haywire when he's charged with murdering a mayoral candidate after a peculiar accident involving a sled full of guns. This scenario raises questions about Denny's innocence and jumpstarts his journey of self-discovery.

The plot unravels as Denny navigates the legal system with the help of his court-appointed therapist. Along the way, we learn about his past mishaps—like trying to kidnap a neighbor's goose and unintentionally getting mixed up in a bank robbery. These incidents illuminate Denny's character: a man who aims to do good but often stumbles into chaos.

Kennedy masterfully creates an atmosphere that balances humor and poignant emotional depth. The rural setting feels both cozy and isolating, reflecting Denny's inner battles. The small-town vibe is enriched by quirky characters—from loving relatives to oddball neighbors—who shape Denny's journey. Emotions oscillate between laughter at Denny's exploits and sobering reflections on family and personal limitations.

Kennedy's writing style is accessible and refined, mixing conversational dialogue with introspective prose, inviting us into Denny's mind. She addresses heavy themes like identity, familial love, and societal views on disability without dampening Denny's lighthearted outlook on life.

"The Sideways Life of Denny Voss" offers heartfelt storytelling that resonates deeply, nudging readers to ponder their own lives while cheering for Denny as he redefines his path amidst chaos.

Unfortunately this story wasn't for me. Ibjust found Denny really frustrating. Whilst I understand he has some mental health delays, I found people around Denny also felt frustrated with him getting to the point. Books for me need to be enjoyable and this wasn't enjoyable, it was hard work. I found I honestly didn't care what happened to Denny or how the story ended. The only aspect of the story that I felt a connection with was George, I adore dogs and it felt heart warming reading the connection between Geoege and Denny. I enjoyed reading the backstory of how George came to be Dennys dog. The rest of the story was hardwork and I didn't care for it

Senseless cruelty and simple kindness are spun into a compelling story with charm, told in a unique voice sure to capture hearts. This was my first time reading Holly Kennedy and I was blown away. The poignant plot unfolds with honesty and warmth. I found myself sneaking every spare moment to spend a few more minutes with Denny and his family.

Told from Denny's perspective, as a thirty-year old developmentally challenged man, the narrative is captivating. Denny lives with his mother and has a job with the DOT removing roadkill and replacing damaged road signs. He adores his Saint Bernard, George, who is blind and deaf. Their relationship is heartwarming. Denny lives a routine yet fulfilling life until he's charged with murder.

Watching Denny grapple with the family secrets he uncovered kept me turning pages and broke my heart. The author kept his voice consistent throughout which was quite a feat given all that transpires. I yearned to see Denny and his family resolve their issues and come to terms with the past. The ending was brilliant and left me teary eyed.

All the Stars!

I absolutely fell in love with Denny Voss. He had a sideways life in a lot of ways but the clear, honest, head on facing of situations was a joy to experience with him.

Overview: A man with the IQ of 72 is accused of killing a man.

Really loved this book. It's hard to nail a specific voice, especially if the story is dependent on sounding less intelligent than the average person, but this author nailed it. Holly Kennedy mentioned she based his character on a neighbor she had and it's clear she had a real personality to mirror from. The story had strong narrative and great pacing. I cried at the end. Really looking forward to whatever else this author might write.

This was a fun and entertaining book! It was entertaining, kept me engaged throughout the whole read, and have lots of funny parts to it, which I loved. It was a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I loved this book so much. The story is told from Denny’s point of view. Denny is a 30-year-old developmentally delayed man who has a heart of gold and is honest to a fault. The authentic way Denny’s dialogue and internal thoughts were written blew me away. I felt that Danny wasn’t given his due as to how smart he really is. And even though his number is 72 he knows what’s what. But don’t fret, even though our main character is developmentally different this story takes on some heavy topics… gun violence sexual assault and class issues to name but a few.

The author writes every aspect of Denny, his relationships and the tough topics in a realistic and sensitive manner in a way I’ve never seen before. She has a real understanding of these issues because she has dealt with them with friends and family and it shows.

By the end of the story I was crying and I just wanted to hug Danny and his family so I ended up hugging the book via my tablet instead. I was thoroughly satisfied with the ending, the way the author could have gone the sickly sweet way but she didn’t and it just made me appreciate the story and its characters that much more. It left me feeling hopeful for Denny and his family and I realized just how lucky Denny is. I can’t recommend this one enough, it’s going on my favourites of the year list. All. The. Stars.

This was a fascinating concept for a murder novel, I thought it worked well as a novel. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and what was happening overall. Holly Kennedy wrote this perfectly and can’t wait to read more.

' “Do better!” she said. “Try acting like a decent human being. It's not that hard.” '

With all the misery in the world we're currently dealing with – the whole of the Middle East (as if bombing and starving people in Palestine isn't bad enough), Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine, you name it... people being ill with ME and LC, misogyny, gun violence, on and on it goes... indeed, I needed a book like this!
This review should be about this book, but I feel like proverbially pounding my fist on the table. Just like Nana-Jo did. Because the lack of people trying to deal with all the mentioned subjects is so painful, it makes me cry very, very often. Oh, the anger of the peri-menopausal woman, but hey the motto suggests 'be the change.'

So the story is of the very kind Denny Voss who hardly raises his voice, not even when being treated unkind to put it mildly. He who hugs and talks to a friend he doesn't want to be scared because he thinks there's nothing worse than being scared. Denny, who goes on a wild goose chase and made me laugh all the way through the book. You just wait until you read about him mentioning Pinky, the mouse.
A book that was made up of people with real-life characters, some of them I would describe as 'quite a piece of work.' This made me appreciate the book all the more for it not being sugarcoated.

To emphasize I want to end this review on a well-deserved positive note (Denny would yell 'Hallelujah'): I hope the book will be published in Dutch, the translator is going to have a field day with Angus' shirts :)