’A beautiful, funny, heartfelt analysis of what it means to be human’ Simon Pegg

A story of loneliness, love and loose connections, Set My Heart to Five is a hilarious, touching, dazzlingly perceptive debut novel, and a profound exploration of what it truly means to be human.

10/10 Jared does not have friends.

Because friends are a function of feelings.

Therefore friends are just one more human obligation that Jared never has to worry about.

 

But Jared is worrying. Which is worrying. He’s also started watching old films. And inexplicably crying in them. And even his Feelings Wheel (given to him by Dr Glundenstein, who definitely is not a friend) cannot guide him through the emotional minefield he now finds himself in.

 

Soon his feelings will send him fleeing across the country, pursued by a man who wants to destroy him and driven by an illogical desire to share pathogens with the woman who bamboozles him the most.

 

And Jared cannot!

 

Because feelings will ruin your life, especially if you aren’t supposed to have them…

[The screenplay sections in this ebook are set in a courier font to make it easier to distinguish between the different types of content in the book. It may not be possible to change the font for these pieces of text]

Reviews

‘Both whimsical and lyrical, an astounding examination of the human condition and all the things that make it up: curiosity, duty, art, dreams, and – of course – love. It is, much like its hero Jared, made up of both laughter and tears, and one of the most unique books ever crafted’ —Mike Chen, author of A Beginning at the End

‘I doubt I’ll encounter a more endearing, more joy-provoking character this year’ The Bookseller, Book of the Month

‘Very, very clever heart-warming and heart-breaking story…I loved it!!!’ ***** Reader Review

‘A breath of fresh, quirky air that lifted my life’ ***** Reader Review

‘Funny and charming with a character that will stay with you’ ***** Reader Review

‘It's like a grown up version of a Pixar movie’ ***** Reader Review

‘10/10 in love’ ***** Reader Review

‘Forces us to rethink our assumptions about what it means to be human’ ***** Reader Review

About the author

Simon Stephenson is an author and screenwriter based in Los Angeles.  His previous book Let Not The Waves Of The Sea won Best First Book at the Scottish Book Awards.