A review by libscote
Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. Asher knows exactly how long ago his mother died as the victim of a drunk driver, and he still hasn't recovered. He starts going to various grief groups, and befriends three other people who seem to struggle like he does: Henry, an elderly man who misses his wife Evelyn greatly, Will, a boy who lost his younger brother to cancer, and Sloane, who lost her father to cancer as well. They find a connection to each other in their grief, which leads to a road trip to Memphis, Tennessee. Each has their own reason for going, which they aren't sharing with the others. Asher's is revenge--will he get it?

I know some have said they had issues with how repetitive Asher gets--I was okay with that. It felt like the ramblings of someone who is focused on their trauma and can't get out of their own way to me, or the way my anxiety spirals go. Parts of the road trip were a little unbelievable to me, but I haven't experienced grief in that way yet, so it could be something I am missing out on. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings