A review by brighteyedbookworm
Exhaled by Isabella Rogge
5.0
I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review prior to the novella's official release.
Let me start by saying that I don't request ARCs for review very often. I know I can be a harsh reviewer, and the last thing I want to do is commit to giving a completely honest review if that review might end up being discouraging, especially for an indie author with a real passion for writing.
That being said, I realized very quickly that Exhaled was not going to disappoint me.
Right from the start, the story captivates with beautiful and thought-provoking prose. The two main characters and their roles in the story are revealed early on, but there's still an element of mystery surrounding the circumstances of Clare's death and the four promises she must fulfill before allowing Caesar to take her to her afterlife. The reader not only sees death through the eyes of Caesar and Clare, but through the eyes of Clare's loved ones as well, each of whom experience and/or grieve Clare's death in different ways.
This novella tackles the topic of death in an incredibly beautiful and nuanced way. It would be so easy for a story with such a grim premise (pun intended) to be dark, bleak, and even depressing, and yet Exhaled is so much more than that. Yes, terribly depressing things do happen, such as and , but rather than take a nihilistic approach to topics such as life and love, the novella instead tells a tale of hope and of beauty.
One moment in particular that stuck out to me was
Overall, I think Bella Ryan has an incredibly mature, enlightened perspective of death and what it means, not just for the dead but for the living who are left behind. I was incredibly impressed with this story and look forward to reading more from the author in the future. Thank you again for sending me the ARC, and I wish you the best of luck with the novella's release in May!
Let me start by saying that I don't request ARCs for review very often. I know I can be a harsh reviewer, and the last thing I want to do is commit to giving a completely honest review if that review might end up being discouraging, especially for an indie author with a real passion for writing.
That being said, I realized very quickly that Exhaled was not going to disappoint me.
Right from the start, the story captivates with beautiful and thought-provoking prose. The two main characters and their roles in the story are revealed early on, but there's still an element of mystery surrounding the circumstances of Clare's death and the four promises she must fulfill before allowing Caesar to take her to her afterlife. The reader not only sees death through the eyes of Caesar and Clare, but through the eyes of Clare's loved ones as well, each of whom experience and/or grieve Clare's death in different ways.
This novella tackles the topic of death in an incredibly beautiful and nuanced way. It would be so easy for a story with such a grim premise (pun intended) to be dark, bleak, and even depressing, and yet Exhaled is so much more than that. Yes, terribly depressing things do happen, such as
Spoiler
learning that Clare was murdered over a man she didn't even loveSpoiler
Charity's miscarriage and eventual death (suicide?) even after everything Clare did, in life and in death, to try to save herOne moment in particular that stuck out to me was
Spoiler
the short chapter following Charity's visit to the women's clinic, when we learn that she miscarries two weeks later and then dies three years after the events of the story. "Some people, no matter how much love you give them, cannot be saved" the novella says. But "that doesn't mean there isn't a point to loving them" - just because something is temporary does not mean it is futile. Charity may have died eventually, but every ounce of love that anybody poured into her was worth it for the light it gave her while she lived.Overall, I think Bella Ryan has an incredibly mature, enlightened perspective of death and what it means, not just for the dead but for the living who are left behind. I was incredibly impressed with this story and look forward to reading more from the author in the future. Thank you again for sending me the ARC, and I wish you the best of luck with the novella's release in May!