A review by lezenmetwillemijn
The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

5.0

I first knew about this book back in the beginning of the year, when I was searching for books I really want to read for my Waiting on Wednesday's posts. The Loose Ends List looked like a perfect book for me: it's a contemporary and the story is original. So I bought the book and started reading.

When I started reading The Loose Ends List, I could feel right away that this is a precious book. Only, I couldn't get myself to be rating it 5 stars because of some minorities.

There were a lot of characters involved and we had to meet and understand them all. We meet Maddie's friends, Maddie's entire family and the entire patient/ Wishwell crew and all. While reading, I found this so annoying because I didn't know who was who and that was getting in the way of enjoying the reading. I had to constantly stop and think about who said it and what kind of relative it was.

But at the end of the book my opinion changed - I don't know why, maybe because I saw a deeper meaning to it. Maddie just gets on the cruise and doesn't know any of the cruisers. I got to experience getting to know the characters with Maddie - through Maddie, and somehow, that's really special to me. I know my reasonings are quite weird but that's why I do give it five stars.

A thing that was below my expectations was the romance between Maddie and Enzo. Because that's some serious case of insta love - they saw eachtother for the first time in an elevator and they just instantly fell in love. The Loose Ends List is rated as a romantic read but honestly? There wasn't much romance what so ever. But in the end, I'm still a hopeless romantic so yeah whatever, I'll go for anything that has to do with romance. It didn't bother me that much because there was a bigger thing happening.

"You're a wise old lady, Astrid North O'Neill." I lean over and kiss her cheek.
"Who's calling me old, you little shit?"


And that was the concept of the book - death. The Loose Ends List is basically about death, experiencing the terminal fase of a loved one. And I know, if I say it like this way it sounds like a book that's quite heavy but it wasn't - it's due to the humor that this book is so special. Because damn, this book is freaking hilarious (if you love dark humor). I had to laugh several times and it's unique how Carrie manages to find that perfect balance between humor and death. I don't know how to put it another way, but you did a hell of a good job there Carrie.

"Say snow globe moment," Dad yells.
"Snow globe moment!" everybody yells.
I wonder what the guy taking the picture thinks of our unruly crowd.
"I like that," Paige says. "Snow globe moment, like we're suspended in a snow globe."
"It's our family saying," I explain. "One of them. Our family also likes the phrase 'you're an asshole.'"


And I have to say, this book can also be very emotional. The last 60 pages or so - damn, I cried my freaking eyes out!

“The pain of losing doesn't get less with each person I lose. But I have the wisdom of knowing the pain isn't forever. That fades. The memories stay. And the love isn't going anywhere.”


The Loose Ends List was just one very special book and I'm glad I got to experience it. Oh and by the way, I love the snow globe phrase. I'm definitely going to use that one.