Blog Tour: Last Bus To Coffeevile by J. Paul Henderson

Title: Last Bus To Coffeeville
Author: J. Paul Henderson
Published: 23rd April 2014
Publisher: No Exit Press

Review

Last Bus to Coffeeville, despite it's sad pretext, was actually a really fun, quirky novel that I could not get enough of. I had seen that it had been compared to The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (and breathe!) which I loved and wondered how it would be similar. So when it started to reflect back over history, I saw the link and knew that I was going to enjoy this.

You can tell instantly through the writing that the author has really thought about this novel and done lots of research to make it the enriching novel that it is. As a reader we get introduced to a fantastic array of characters, each with their own quirkiness and striking personalities. We get really in-depth knowledge and background into each of the characters by being introduced to them and their stories in each having a chapter dedicated to them. The characters I really warmed to though was Bob and Eric. I liked Bob's straight talking and his slang and with Eric, I found him endearing and felt sorry for him, despite laughing hysterically at one of his ordeals in a church!

Last Bus to Coffeeville covers a range of key points of history from Slavery to the Vietnam War. I felt like I was getting a history lesson but in a much more fun and interesting way :). Please don't be put off by the books' history element as it is what makes the novel so good and J.Paul has incorporated brilliant funny aspects to it that really make it stand out. J.Paul clearly has a fantastic imagination as well with the scenarios that we come across in the book and he managed to make the book lighthearted and enjoyable.

What I really appreciated was that this was an American based novel written by a British man. It is so detailed and culture focused that you really cannot tell the author is not American- brilliant!

This was a fantastic debut, that I really appreciated the the time and effort that had clearly gone into it. I am definitely looking out for more from J.Paul Henderson.