Book review: The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy
Genre: Contemporary fiction & mystery
Release date: April 8, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4.66
My rating: 5
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I HIGHLY recommend The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy. For the duration of this book, you’ll have the privilege of experiencing life from the perspective of a neurodivergent person and I guarantee that by the last page, you’ll have a different understanding and outlook of neurodivergence. You may even be able to better recognize it in your surroundings and be a better ally to neurodivergent people (and the people who love and care for them).
In this story, you meet Denny, a 30-year-old neurodivergent man with developmental delays. As Denny’s mother Nana-Jo gets older, she encourages Denny to become more independence and, in these efforts, Denny makes (what society considers) errors in judgement that result in a murder accusation. Through discussions with his therapist and lawyer, you get to delve into Denny’s mind and see several of Denny’s key life moments from his perspective.
I found that placing the story in a legal context was an EXCELLENT way to juxtapose the different perspectives. Denny’s literal interpretation of matters clashes with societal expectations and assumptions. And the treatment of Denny in various contexts highlights the deep misunderstanding that still exists about neurodivergence today. A few passages broke my heart but overall, I found this story to be heartwarming. Denny is surrounded by people who love him for who he truly is (even if that love is manifested in different ways by different people). I also loved trying to solve the mystery of the murder. The story brings all these elements together wonderfully. The author’s note at the end also brings it back to real life.
Grab this book, don’t hesitate!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.