“Second Best”

  • Author: David Foenkinos (translated from French by Megan Jones)
  • Publisher: Gallic Books (London)
  • US Publication Date: September 5, 2023
  • Genre: Fiction
  • Pages: 240 pages

Synopsis

The novel is a playful and emotive imagining of the fate of fictional boy, Martin Hill, a ten-year-old whose life is shaped forever when he loses out to Daniel Radcliffe for the role of Harry Potter in the film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Devastated, Martin tries to move on with his life. But how can he escape the specter of the most famous film series in the world? In fact, 2023 is a big year for Harry Potter and the series’ fans. It marks the 25th anniversary of the first book!

My Thoughts

Fans of Harry Potter will love this book. If you’re currently not a fan (like me), this book might just make you a bit curious about the boy wizard! I must admit I’m one of those few people left on the planet who never got into the phenomenon. However, at the playful urging of my daughters, who are fans of both the books and films, I took a Harry Potter quiz for fun. After blindly answering a dozen or so questions, it told me I am likely a Hufflepuff (IYKYK)!

But back to the novel… Second Best is a first-rate page-turner! The book is divided into four parts. The first part provides a little background on Martin’s family and how the Harry Potter films came to be. In subsequent parts, readers get to see Martin grow from a young teen to a man in his thirties. During these years, he lives in the constant shadow of Harry Potter and ruminates over what could have been. Without a doubt, these are challenging times for Martin, but he finds hope again when he meets other people who were also “second best.” There’s a surprise at the end, and although it’s pleasant, I found it a bit predictable. Overall, I enjoyed the book!

Trigger warning: abuse (physical/verbal); cancer; depression; divorce; mental health

About the Author

David Foenkinos is a popular writer in France and is the author of 17 novels which have been translated into 40 languages. His novels Delicacy and The Mystery of Henri Pick were made into films (note: the latter was included in the 19th Sacramento French Film Festival in 2020.) Foenkinos has received several prestigious awards including the 2014 Prix Renaudot and Prix Goncourt des lycéens for Charlotte. His latest novel, Second Best (in France: Numéro deux) sold more than 100,000 copies in France in its first month. Foenkinos lives in Paris, France.

Thank you to Gallic Books and Meryl Zegarek Public Relations, Inc. for sending me an advance reading copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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