A review by revbeckett
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In the dedication, Albom writes, “Everyone has an idea of heaven, as do most religions, and they should all be respected.” His pluralistic view should be rejected since the Scriptures do not tell us what Heaven is like (and anyone’s guess is simply wrong), speaking rather of the intermediary state as a sleep, and focusing our attention instead on the bodily resurrection in the new creation. Yet he does do well in the overall purpose of this short novel, that people “realize, finally, how much they mattered and how they were loved.”

The story is about a grizzled WWII veteran, Eddie, who finds himself meeting 5 significant people in Heaven after dying in a tragic accident—some he knew, others he didn’t. It is a story of vocation—how true meaning in life is found in the vocations God gives us to serve and love others. 
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