The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver by Shawn Inmon. This book is both strange and enjoyable. Thomas Weaver, a man in his fifties, is unemployed and lives with his mother after his divorce. He decides to take his own life after decades of struggling with depression, which began when he accidentally killed his beloved brother as a child. In 1974, Thomas drove his brother Zack, who had been drinking heavily during a party at a lake. Thomas, sober but hindered by rain, ended up crashing the car, leading to Zack’s death. Thomas never fully recovered from this tragedy, and forty years later, he ends his own life.
The next day, Thomas wakes up as a teenager in the 70s and sees his brother again. The rest of the book unfolds in the 70s, with Thomas reliving his past life and attempting to make it better. For the most part, he succeeds, but complications arise.
Thomas eventually discovers that he’s not the only one reliving another version of his previous life. He befriends another person, Carrie, a girl who has died several times by taking her own life. She is bored with life because each new life is essentially the same, with only minor differences. Despite these variations, the future doesn’t change much. Another character, Michael, enters the story and kills Carrie. Finally, she can die permanently and becomes a sort of angel. The book suggests a higher order or consciousness overseeing all of humanity, adding an interesting touch.
Another aspect I appreciate in this book is the use of music. The author incorporates music and songs from the 70s to convey mood or the state of mind. I find this adds another dimension to the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and there is even a sequel to the novel.