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A review by luluwoohoo
The Boy Who Lived by David Holmes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
The Boy Who Lived by David Holmes
☀️☀️☀️⛅
An unflinching look at a life transformed by a single moment.
Holmes is, like most people in the film industry, a relative unknown, despite doubling for one of the most famous people alive. His stunt work across a decades worth of work is most visible in the Harry Potter franchise, which was also the site of an accident which left him a quadriplegic.
The book travels chronologically through David's gymnastics upbringing, his first unlikely stunt jobs and eventually his blissful luck at being the right size and height to be Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double on Harry Potter. He gives wonderful insights into the industry, though many stories are cringeworthy, namely the cruel hazing from other crew and reckless behaviour offset. He also doesn't hesitate to give great detail on the accident itself and what changed for his body afterwards.
The psychological healing process for Holmes is forever in motion, as is his unfortunate physical deterioration, but the second half of the book explores his life post-injury and outlines for me the power of the human spirit - even when he was spiralling and at his lowest, David pushed beyond the limits most people would expect of a person with disability. He continued to live his life (recklessly) and didn't let himself waste away. Many of his actions can't be recommended as such, but the spirit of the book remains such: a disability did not end his life, but merely changed it.
David Holmes is an open book and the journey he takes you on with this book is informative and inspirational without ever veering into trauma porn. I appreciated hearing his perspective on life and the industry.
☀️☀️☀️⛅
An unflinching look at a life transformed by a single moment.
Holmes is, like most people in the film industry, a relative unknown, despite doubling for one of the most famous people alive. His stunt work across a decades worth of work is most visible in the Harry Potter franchise, which was also the site of an accident which left him a quadriplegic.
The book travels chronologically through David's gymnastics upbringing, his first unlikely stunt jobs and eventually his blissful luck at being the right size and height to be Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double on Harry Potter. He gives wonderful insights into the industry, though many stories are cringeworthy, namely the cruel hazing from other crew and reckless behaviour offset. He also doesn't hesitate to give great detail on the accident itself and what changed for his body afterwards.
The psychological healing process for Holmes is forever in motion, as is his unfortunate physical deterioration, but the second half of the book explores his life post-injury and outlines for me the power of the human spirit - even when he was spiralling and at his lowest, David pushed beyond the limits most people would expect of a person with disability. He continued to live his life (recklessly) and didn't let himself waste away. Many of his actions can't be recommended as such, but the spirit of the book remains such: a disability did not end his life, but merely changed it.
David Holmes is an open book and the journey he takes you on with this book is informative and inspirational without ever veering into trauma porn. I appreciated hearing his perspective on life and the industry.
"I also require assistance to go to the toilet - one of my favourite jokes is that I've had more hands up my backside than the cast of The Muppet Show."