Fishbowl

A Novel

By: Bradley Somer

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

A goldfish named Ian is falling from the 27th-floor balcony on which his fishbowl sits. He's longed for adventure, so when the opportunity arises, he escapes from his bowl, clears the balcony railing and finds himself airborne. Plummeting toward the street below, Ian witnesses the lives of the Seville on Roxy residents. There's the handsome grad student, his girlfriend, and the other woman; the construction worker who feels trapped by a secret; the building's super who feels invisible and alone; the pregnant woman on bed rest who craves a forbidden ice cream sandwich; the shut-in for whom dirty talk, and quiche, are a way of life; and home-schooled Herman, a boy who thinks he can travel through time.

Though they share time and space, they have something even more important in common: each faces a decision that will affect the course of their lives. Within the walls of the Seville are stories of love, new life, and death, of facing the ugly truth of who one has been and the beautiful truth of who one can become. Sometimes taking a risk is the only way to move forward with our lives. As Ian the goldfish knows, "An entire life devoted to a fishbowl will make one die an old fish with not one adventure had." Bradley Somer's Fishbowl is at turns funny and heartbreaking and you will, no doubt, fall in love with his unforgettable characters.

©2015 Bradley Somer (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

What a fun story about life

I loved this book. Took me a few minutes to get it and what's happening but ended up listening to it start to finish in 2 days, even while shopping. The entangled life stories of the characters was so neat and well described. And all with the fish too! I loved it!

Top ten book

Best read of the year so far. The author is a genius- don't give up on it early.

an unexpected treat of a book.

it had a little suspense, a little romance and a lot of tongue in cheek.

Excellent! Excellent! Excelent!

A very deep look into the human experience! A thinking persons book for sure. Well written, fast moving, and entertaining. I love it and hope that we get
to read more about Ian's future experiences.

Talk about a "slice of life"!!

I finished this book In one very long session. You see intensely into many apartment dwellers' lives, and every second of the book keeps you engaged. The cheating boyfriend, the transvestite, the shut-in with the interesting career, the loving grandfather, and others, all told from their own perspectives, where stories sometimes interlock. Be warned -- there are sexual situations and language, but not off-putting for a mature adult. Oh yes -- and from Ian's viewpoint as well. Ian, as you already probably have surmised, is the goldfish ...

Just plain fun

A quick read with a sense of community - fun, warmhearted and lots of very human surprises along the way.

Almost perfect!

How could I not listen to a book about a fish falling from the 27th floor of an apartment building?? The chapters each start out with the Pooh-style, "In which (something happens)". I loved that. And oh - some of the little observances about Ian being a fish and finding himself in the predicament of no longer being in water! They made me laugh. The stories of the inhabitants in the building were "unputdownable" or in this case, I couldn't stop listening! It made a grueling day sitting in immigration be almost enjoyable, as I had nothing else to do, so no distractions from this unique story. Of course, all along, I'm wondering what's going to happen to Ian the fish, but also, in such a short time, I was all wrapped up in all of the characters and their sad, funny, poignant, hopeful stories. There was some unnecessary repetition in hearing the stories from two points of view at times, but it worked. And as for Ian...well, it was totally worth the ending, even if I hadn't liked all the in-between. But I did, so all around a fun listen!

Quirky look at the interconnectedness of life

Characters full of life and feeling plus a compelling storyline that slowly reveals itself through an expressive narrator equals a book I could not stop listening to!

I liked it.

this was such a cute and tender book.
I wish the author writes more books.

Entertaining chapter titles

A fun read. A glimpse into many different lives that become interconnected. Very funny.
Satisfying ending.
The link of the falling fish is adorable.