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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 loving 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 loving 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: Grief, Cancer, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Death, and Sexism
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
atamano's review against another edition
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Death, and Cancer
Moderate: Sexism and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Alcoholism, Sexism, Misogyny, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Infidelity
Minor: Bullying, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
orizenda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I appreciate that Clover isn’t a perfect character. I really wanted her to end up with Sylvie but I knew that wouldn’t happen. Overall, a beautiful, enjoyable story about learning how to live life through death.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, Death, and Death of parent
blewballoon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.0
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I liked the reflections on death, grief, and different cultural and historical practices about those subjects. In some ways I could empathize with Clover, but sometimes I found her solitude strayed too far into rudeness and I had a harder time rooting for her. Mild spoilers: More than half of the book is spent painting her as a lonely person who avoids people and risks, and reflecting on her memories of the past that are either bittersweet or just reminders of why she prefers not to engage with anyone. I wish more of the book had been showing her gradual emergence from her shell and embracing connections with people and the present. Instead, it felt like the book suffered from ending fatigue as it dealt with these changes briefly and sequentially in a montage-like way. Heavy spoilers: I was very glad she didn't end up with Sebastian, and that was refreshing. Hugo pops in suddenly being absolutely perfect, and that's fine, but I wish it hadn't been so sudden? A little too insta-lovey. I also like that the book didn't imply that getting with Hugo was the sole way to open up Clover's life, she had other things she wanted to do, and getting to know him was one of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism
stepnic's review against another edition
emotional
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, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Cancer, Addiction, Chronic illness, and Medical content
chelsealauren17's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Addiction, and Alcohol
May be difficult for healthcare workers who are still processing their experience with death during the height of the pandemic. Not in a negative way, this story did cause many memories of patients at end-of-life to resurface.
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