diff --git a/src/life.cpp b/src/life.cpp
index 8386583..3bfebd9 100755
--- a/src/life.cpp
+++ b/src/life.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ std::string input(const char *message) {
 
 bool fileExists(const char *fileName) { return access(fileName, 0) == 0; }
 
-std::string fileRead(const char *filePath) {
+std::string fileRead(const std::string &filePath) {
     std::ifstream file(filePath, std::ios::binary);
     if (!file.is_open())
         throw std::runtime_error("File couldn't be found");
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ std::string fileRead(const char *filePath) {
         content.append(buf, file.gcount());
     content.append(buf, file.gcount());
 
-    file.close();
+    if (!file.eof() && file.fail())
+        throw std::runtime_error("Error: Failed to read the file '" + filePath +
+                                 "'");
+
     return content;
 }
 
@@ -167,7 +170,7 @@ int main() {
     }
     std::string fileContents;
     try {
-        fileContents = fileRead(inputFile.c_str());
+        fileContents = fileRead(inputFile);
     } catch (std::exception &e) {
         std::cerr << "Failed to read file: " << e.what() << std::endl;
         return 1;