Scan barcode
bessadams's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Alcohol
machenn's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death and Alcohol
veralidaine's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol
stacy837's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, and Alcohol
mrsovens's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At times overwhelming, but a really unique look into why we shouldn't judge the way others choose to live their lives. It's never too late to pursue happiness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement and Medical content
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Dementia, and Alcohol
jennaviolet's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It was such a lovely read. I enjoyed it from start to finish, and was unprepared for how some moments of would make me ugly cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
ncamp214's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I'm so disappointed in this book. The topic is one I know little about and seems so interesting. A death doula. You learn so little about Clover's occupation and instead read her sad monologue about her life and the lives of the people around her. She is basically friendless by choice, and often refuses to give people a chance. She is mostly a hermit except for when she has a job, and the use of Rom Coms as a bad coping mechanism is insulting to the movie genre. The only interesting part of the book is the story of her client, Claudia, a former photo journalist with exciting stories and a long lost love. The book finishes a little too perfectly for a book about learning to live life to the fullest and take chances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol
arilee123's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Bullying
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had a really horribly difficult day at work - the kind that makes me need to have a really good cry. I give this book a five because it gave me a good reason to let myself cry. I don’t know what a diffident experience I would’ve had with this book on another day, but because I read it today and because I had the day I did, I give it a five.
I would love to see the actual journal Clover kept as a separate book.
The only thing that bothered me was she was so clear on the ethics of sharing her deceased clients’ secrets, but she no qualms about blabbing about her living clients’ secrets. However, it would’ve been a very different story without this blabbing.
The best characters were the elderly - Claudia, Bessie, Leo, and grandpa. I didn’t love any of the other characters. Oh wait. I did really like Hugo. I think I would like them more if I spent more time with them - like in a sequel.
I would love to see the actual journal Clover kept as a separate book.
The only thing that bothered me was she was so clear on the ethics of sharing her deceased clients’ secrets, but she no qualms about blabbing about her living clients’ secrets. However, it would’ve been a very different story without this blabbing.
The best characters were the elderly - Claudia, Bessie, Leo, and grandpa. I didn’t love any of the other characters. Oh wait. I did really like Hugo. I think I would like them more if I spent more time with them - like in a sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
vagrantheather's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
After losing both parents in an accident and witnessing the sudden death of a teacher, Clover's morbid fascination with death has her pegged as a bit of a weird kid. Rejected by her peers, she builds walls to protect her emotions. Twenty years later she has a thriving career as a death doula and is perfectly fine, if lonely, thank you very much. A series of events lands her working with the elderly Claudia, and the circumstances around finding her closure highlight for Clover how much she has excluded from her own life.
This is such a lovely story. I had never heard of death doulas or death cafés. I loved Clover and identified with her a lot. The romance was well done. The friendship building felt natural. All in all, a rather hopeful discussion around death and the celebration of life, packaged in a delightful read.
I did notice that the author structured a lot of sentences, "As I (whatever), I (whatevered)," which I found inelegant.
This is such a lovely story. I had never heard of death doulas or death cafés. I loved Clover and identified with her a lot. The romance was well done. The friendship building felt natural. All in all, a rather hopeful discussion around death and the celebration of life, packaged in a delightful read.
I did notice that the author structured a lot of sentences, "As I (whatever), I (whatevered)," which I found inelegant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol