Select delivery location
See All Buying Options
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Charlie Laidlaw
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Things We Learn When We're Dead: A modern fairytale of love and loss that weaves together the inner conflicts of a young woman’s life. Paperback – September 21, 2017

by Charlie Laidlaw (Author)
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 346 ratings
See all formats and editions
Intriguing and compelling... a tale that grips until the very last page - Jodi Taylor, bestselling author of The Chronicles of St Mary's. The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is about how small decisions can have profound and unintended consequences, but how we can sometimes get a second chance. On the way home from a dinner party, Lorna Love steps into the path of an oncoming car. When she wakes up she is in what appears to be a hospital – but a hospital in which her nurse looks like a young Sean Connery, she is served wine for supper, and everyone avoids her questions. It soon transpires that she is in Heaven, or on HVN, because HVN is a lost, dysfunctional spaceship, and God the aging hippy captain. She seems to be there by accident… or does God have a higher purpose after all? Despite that, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is neither sci-fi nor fantasy. It is a book about memory and how, if we could remember things slightly differently, would we also be changed? In HVN, Lorna can at first remember nothing. But as her memories return – some good, some bad – she realises that she has decisions to make and that, maybe, she can find a way back home. “Clever and compelling... this book is hugely original and well worth a read…hugely enjoyable.” Book Bag “A gem of a book…a really good book about life and growing up.” Book Lore Charlie Laidlaw was born in the west of Scotland and is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. He has been a national newspaper journalist and worked in defence intelligence. He is married with two grown-up children. Visit www.charlielaidlawauthor.com
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    397 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    September 21, 2017
  4. Dimensions
    5.06 x 1 x 7.81 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1786150352
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1786150356
  7. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Accent Press; UK ed. edition (September 21, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 397 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1786150352
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1786150356
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 1 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 346 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Charlie Laidlaw

Charlie Laidlaw

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

www.charlielaidlawauthor.com

F: charlielaidlawauthor

T: @claidlawauthor

I’m the author of five novels, Being Alert!, Everyday Magic, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead, The Space Between Time, and Love Potions and Other Calamities.

I was born and brought up in the west of Scotland and graduated from the University of Edinburgh. I still have the scroll, but it’s in Latin, so it could say anything.

I then worked briefly as a street actor, baby photographer, puppeteer and restaurant dogsbody before becoming a journalist. I started in Glasgow and ended up in London, covering news, features and politics. I interviewed motorbike ace Barry Sheene, Noel Edmonds threatened me with legal action and, because of a bureaucratic muddle, I was ordered out of Greece.

I then took a year to travel round the world, visiting 19 countries. Highlights included being threatened by a man with a gun in Dubai, being given an armed bodyguard by the PLO in Beirut (not the same person with a gun), and visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave in Samoa. What I did for the rest of the year I can’t quite remember.

Surprisingly, I was approached by a government agency to work in intelligence, which just shows how shoddy government recruitment was back then. However, it turned out to be very boring and I don’t like vodka martini.

​Craving excitement and adventure, I ended up as a PR consultant, which is the fate of all journalists who haven’t won a Pulitzer Prize.

​I'm also married with two grown-up children and live in East Lothian. And that’s about it.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
346 global ratings
A peculiarly sweet read
5 Stars
A peculiarly sweet read
This started out as a pretty peculiar read. The science flummoxed me, until I realised I didn’t need to understand the science behind space travel! The memories of Lorna’s life kept me turning page after page. God as an alien? Or is he? Is he God? Are all of Lorna’s boyfriends hopeless?I started out thinking this was a three star read, but it definitely turned into a lovely five star read. A delicate story about an ordinary person, despite her access to a Porsche. I can happily recommend this one.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Proud Book Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew sci-fi and religion could mix so tantalising well?
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
So this one was a little confusing to follow as it jumped between various stages of Lorna’s life. We begin at the end of her life on the night that she dies, and then jump to what feels like her teenage years before jumping to the “present”. I got the sense that the whole point of this was for Lorna to choose life, to choose to be the person she always wanted to be but lost in the journey that is becoming an adult. That journey from “I want to save the world” to “I need to just pay the bills”.

I really liked that we learnt about Lorna’s past by her reliving her memories and then being with her while she reevaluated those memories with the perspective of hindsight. We could see what she was feeling at the time, but then also how those experiences impacted her further down the line in her life. This is something I believe many of us struggle with, myself included. And I believe learning the ability to view events that have happened with perspective and hindsight are important for us to be able to move forwards and progress. This can be as simple as realising we spoke in anger and apologising to a loved one, all the way through to putting your foot in your mouth during an important work meeting and needing to go back and fix this with multiple people before it has a negative impact on your career.

During this reflection time we are struggling with the belief that Lorna is dead an in Heaven. With God and his 2IC personally helping Lorna through this transition she’s able to work out what really happened to cause her death. Reading about some of the things Lorna experienced and at such a young age, you gotta feel for her. She had her brother die at a young age and an alcoholic father as a result to deal with while growing up.

On a regular day each of those are traumatic enough, let alone the other emotionally challenging circumstances that occurred throughout her young life. Learning about each of these and how she responded really gave me clarity into who she was and therefore how each of these events impacted her as a person.

By the end of the book I really felt for Lorna, and everything that she had gone through. I really liked how this story was told. Even though it was a bit confusing at times. After reading this book I really hope that there is a sequel to answer all my unanswered questions. If there is a sequel I really hope I find out about it and get to read it!
Helpful
 Report
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious Blog
4.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this book. It isn’t science fiction, not really. It is a compelling and well written story about life, memory
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018
Verified Purchase
Lorna Love has died and gone to heaven… or rather HVN, a spaceship infested with hamsters (do not feed them, ever) among the stars. The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is a unique and refreshing fast paced, character-driven book that is about life, memory, and perception.

This is mostly a book about Lorna’s life; HVN and the cast of characters she meets on that spaceship are secondary to the story. The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is a fast paced, character-driven novel. The story is told by an omniscient narrator in two perspectives:

1. ‘The present,’ referring to the dead Lorna in heaven storyline
2. ‘Flashbacks’ (or memories) of Lorna’s life and loved ones

The narrator alternates between these two perspectives often and the flashbacks are presented in a non-linear fashion and the perspectives switched without warning. At times I did struggle to follow the timeline as I generally prefer a linear storytelling. While the jumps in time were always separated by asterisks, there isn’t an indication of what time period (or if it is a memory at all). This was only a minor annoyance, though, because Laidlaw masterfully manages to have distinct voices depending on the time period — memories from Lorna’s childhood are told in a way that reads from that perspective, whereas the writing structure and language choices when she is older is different. The overall voice is consistent, but this nuanced way of noting the shift in time-frame was elegant and the way I was able to easily orient myself once I got acquainted with the writing style.

After Lorna dies she wakes up to find herself in heaven… or rather, HVN — an alien spaceship that has been essentially stranded near Earth for centuries after experiencing technical difficulties. Lorna finds out that she was regenerated on HVN after death and her memories were uploaded to the new body, only she doesn’t remember much… yet.

“She’d been told that she was a temporal anomaly: dead in one place, alive in another. But Lorna didn’t feel dead. She didn’t feel devastated by her death, because she could no longer believe she had died. Equally, she didn’t feel elated by continued life either. It was as if she had become two people, with different consciousnesses in different places; the real and nonsensical place in which she existed couldn’t be death…”

The character development for Lorna’s family and friends is done slowly through the non-sequential flashbacks as she regains her memory. Every single character felt real, they were relatable and multi-faceted. I cared for every single one of them.

“In Lorna’s experience, her mother’s barbecue sausages never turned brown, the way she sometimes saw on films or in adverts. One minute they were raw, the next cremated. There was no halfway stage at which burger or sausage could safely be eaten. They always came with a layer of charcoal.”

We also learn a lot about Lorna through her regaining her memory… her moral code, her defensiveness at being thought stupid, wanting to appear knowledgeable and assured. Her idealism and wanting to make the world a better place. These traits reveal themselves as the layers of the onion of her personality are peeled back and I can relate to her so much. Lorna is a character that I believed her choices and actions — as a matter of fact, I can say that about all of the characters; none were one dimensional.

I do wish that it had been clearer that the flashbacks were part of the overall HVN narrative; I think I realized that may be what was intended around 130 or so pages in but it wasn’t confirmed until page 196. While a lot of care is spent describing HVN and its inhabitants in the ‘present’, I did find the ‘worldbuilding’ during the flashbacks for Scotland a bit lacking. Edinburgh is a stunning city and there are such vast architectural differences between the Royal Mile area overlooking the castle and New Town; it is a shame that it wasn’t expanded on a bit but that may just be my bias because I spent 4 weeks in Edinburgh during the summer of 2013. Page 205 mentions The Last Drop Pub, located in the Grassmarket, and I legit started laughing because I ate there a few times during my stay. As the book mentions, it is a historic pub where people used to be brought for their last drop of alcohol prior to their last drop (execution by hanging).

When I read a book I am usually afflicted with Synopsis Amnesia: I don’t remember what the back cover said and I can truly read the book unspoiled. Sure, I read the synposes when I first decide to haul/TBR a book… it is just that for the most part by the time I pick it up I don’t remember the details and prefer it that way. About midway through the book, for no logical explanation, I began trying to piece everything together based on the synopsis. Playing detective, searching for clues. And I think that may have been a bit to my detriment as it pulled me out of the fast paced, interesting and engaging narrative.

I highly recommend this book. It isn’t science fiction, not really. It is a compelling and well written story about life, memory, and perception. The ending is open for interpretation, and I have my own theories but mum’s the word as this blog is spoiler-free! Also if anyone figures out more about the hamsters please let me know.

Many thanks to Charlie Laidlaw for sending my a free copy of his book in exchange for my honest review.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Halibut
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read (again!)
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
I’ve just finished this for the second time and it was as much of a pleasure to read as it was first time. I can’t remember what initially drew me to it, maybe it was the mention of spaceships - I love sci-fi - or maybe it was because it sounded different to my usual choice of books...

Anyway. It’s a great read, the author plants you right there in the life of Lorna Love. The descriptions of people, places and events are well written and, for me at least, transport you right into those moments.

The tales of some of Lorna’s exploits and her feelings about them bore some spooky similarities with daft stuff I got up to when I was younger. I think this is why I love this book so much. I can’t say much without spoiling but what I will say is that I found it a poignant, funny and thought provoking read.

All the characters were well written, I love how God is portrayed especially!

Yes it won’t be for everyone, and yes there isn’t actually as much sci-fi as some other reviewers were expecting but life would be dull if we all had the same tastes. Give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The things we learn...
Reviewed in Australia on June 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
For whatever reason, I started out reading what I thought was one book and magically it turned into a totally different one. Very pleasurable read with more than one life lesson learnt for myself and the main character. A story with substance and a hint of scifi. Worth every star rating.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Lorna C
4.0 out of 5 stars An emotional story with a sci-fi twist
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
After an accident, Lorna Love wakes up in what she thinks is a hospital but is in fact a space ship, but not just any space ship but Heaven itself. She’s surrounded by lookalikes from a young Sean Connery to Kate Winslet and God himself looks more like an ageing hippy than a divine being. It turns out God is really an alien ended up there by accident after flying too close to a black hole.

After waking up the only thing Lorna can remember was getting hit by a car but was it an accident or did she try to commit suicide. As the story goes on, more memories come back, building a better picture of her life on Earth. But why is she on that spaceship and what does God have planned for her.

Initially I was put off this book by the fact me and the main character Lorna share the same first name. It’s difficult to describe why exactly, I know I’m a little strange, but I swore to myself this year to get out of reading comfort zone and I’m glad I did!

Now if you read the blurb don’t let the Sci-fi elements put you off, underneath all that’s a very emotional read following a young woman’s life brought to an end too soon. It’s very cleverly and beautifully written, you never quite know what’s going to happen next, you have to read to the end to get the full picture.

The story is divided between Lorna’s time on the spaceship and the memories that are coming back to her. A canal boat holiday she took with her family, to losing her virginity to a holiday she took to Crete with her best friend Susie.

Lorna may not be perfect but she’s a very likeable character. She’s had tough life but wants to make a difference, saving whales and ending war and she thinks the best way to do that is to become a lawyer.

The only issue was the ending did leave me with a few questions.

A very poignant and moving story that I would recommend for those people who like contemporary fiction with a twist.
Report
Stuart P. Davis
3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Was Expecting!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Having briefly scanned the introduction, I completely failed to comprehend the type of book/story that I had bought. Still blissfully unaware of my error I ploughed on through the first 20 pages. Definitely not my usual reading material, but enjoyable and thought provoking. I finished the book and have been left wondering - as will many readers!
Report
Lesley Hayes
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply brilliant!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book is simply brilliant! As a reader, I was totally enthralled from the first page, and the questions I kept asking were the same ones young Lorna asked... could this really be Heaven? The logic applied to the answer was indefatigable. It had me convinced... or did it? There were so many ways this novel could have ended, and Charlie Laidlow kept me hooked to the very end, wondering what the punch line would be. A cliche? An explanation? A mind-blowing new way of considering what the afterlife might really be? Well, I wouldn't want to give any spoilers, so all I'll say is that the ending was wonderfully satisfying, pulling threads together while leaving a few still hanging from the masterfully created selvedge. A very good read indeed.
3 people found this helpful
 Report