A review by emleemay
The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

4.0

“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?"

A wonderful, character-driven story about family, that is both touching and hilarious, though maybe steer clear if you don't have a slightly dark, dirty sense of humour.

I didn't really know what to expect from [b:The Loose Ends List|27161846|The Loose Ends List|Carrie Firestone|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458111980s/27161846.jpg|41902548]. There have been plenty of positive reviews, but negative ones too, and it seemed like it could be a total cheesefest. A grandparent suddenly announcing that they are dying and forcing the family to go on a "death with dignity" cruise ship? Sounds like a recipe for heavy-handed messaging and emotional manipulation.

But this book has a sharp, comical edge that lets it get away with the premise. It's funny. It's cynical. It's rude. Maddie is surrounded by these old people sharing their last moments and she gets the sudden hysterical urge to laugh (I sympathize because this is so me).

The large cast of characters sparkle off the pages of the book. Notably, Maddie's extremely funny and "slutty" cousin, her two gay uncles who are her only source of sanity amid her absolutely crazy family, and especially her shameless and totally inappropriate Gram.

“I’ve always said, if girls don’t get attention from their fathers, they’ll find it in all kinds of sordid ways. I sure did.” Gram gives me her naughty schoolgirl grin.

“What the hell is ass play?” Gram says. “In my day, ass play was when your husband goosed you in the elevator.”

I love these kinds of family dramas - maybe a little because they always remind me of my own big, loud, melodramatic family who seem to make waves wherever they go. I enjoy all the relationship dynamics and seeing the amount of love and exasperation Maddie has for her relatives. I also even enjoyed the sweet romance and the openness about sex and sexuality.

Between the flowery cover and the corny title, this could easily be mistaken for something it isn't. It's actually smart, funny, and full of adventures. As with all YA contemporaries, there are some subtle messages thrown in, but they're probably not the ones you'd expect. It's not about death. It's about growing up, learning that not all "great loves" are the kind that you can make work, day after day, for decades, learning that sex is a positive thing but - as Gram puts it - "sex is not love".

Warm, very funny, and just the right amount of sad.

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