A review by karenleagermain
A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer

2.0

I grabbed Liza Palmer’s “A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents” at the goodreads book swap at Book Soup in Hollywood. I thought based on the way the book was pitched, that I would find it relatable. I have dealt with a dying parent and have had to deal with the greedy relatives that come out of the woodwork when my grandmother passed away. Even though the book had similarities to my life, I did not find it very relatable.

I did not handle grief like any of the characters in the book. Also, the book is really about the sibling dynamic, which as an only child, is a bit of a mystery to me. I felt for the Hawkes siblings, but find them to be particularly likeable. I actually found the large cast of characters to be a bit indistinguishable and I had to refer back a few pages to keep everyone straight. It was a quick read and if it had not been, I don’t think that I would have stuck with it. Considering the subject matter, it did not pack much of an emotional punch. It often felt overdone and trite.

I thought that the title was catchy.