What do you think?
Rate this book
Grave Talk
Time is a healer, but it helps to have a friend.
The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband’s graveside on his birthday is a giant, talking frog. On closer inspection, it’s a grown man dressed as Kermit.
Turns out Alice’s husband is buried next to Ben’s older brother Harry, who—as a parting practical joke in his will—insisted that Ben visit his grave each year, on this specific day, dressed in an as-yet-undisclosed pageant of embarrassing fancy dress.
With little but their grief and this one day in common, Alice and Ben form a very special, very strange friendship, meeting just once a same day, same time, same place—different silly costume. As the years pass and grief alters, can their unique bond help them cope with the hardest part of life?
The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband’s graveside on his birthday is a giant, talking frog. On closer inspection, it’s a grown man dressed as Kermit.
Turns out Alice’s husband is buried next to Ben’s older brother Harry, who—as a parting practical joke in his will—insisted that Ben visit his grave each year, on this specific day, dressed in an as-yet-undisclosed pageant of embarrassing fancy dress.
With little but their grief and this one day in common, Alice and Ben form a very special, very strange friendship, meeting just once a same day, same time, same place—different silly costume. As the years pass and grief alters, can their unique bond help them cope with the hardest part of life?
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2024
5692 people are currently reading
10412 people want to read
About the author
Nick Spalding
36 books1,393 followersNick Spalding is an author who, try as he might, can't seem to write anything serious.
Before becoming a full-time author, he worked in the communications industry, mainly in media and marketing. As talking rubbish for a living can get tiresome (for anyone other than a politician), he thought he'd have a crack at writing comedy fiction - with a very agreeable level of success so far, it has to be said. Nick is now a multimillion seller. This flabbergasts him every single day.
Nick is now in his fifties - and is rather annoyed at the universe about it, because it gave him no choice in the matter. He's also addicted to Thai food and roast potatoes (not together), loves Batman and Warhammer, and has a dreadful singing voice.
***
Find out more about Nick and his books at www.nickspalding.com
Before becoming a full-time author, he worked in the communications industry, mainly in media and marketing. As talking rubbish for a living can get tiresome (for anyone other than a politician), he thought he'd have a crack at writing comedy fiction - with a very agreeable level of success so far, it has to be said. Nick is now a multimillion seller. This flabbergasts him every single day.
Nick is now in his fifties - and is rather annoyed at the universe about it, because it gave him no choice in the matter. He's also addicted to Thai food and roast potatoes (not together), loves Batman and Warhammer, and has a dreadful singing voice.
***
Find out more about Nick and his books at www.nickspalding.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,224 reviews
November 29, 2024
In a Nutshell: A contemporary drama about a man and a woman who bond with each other over their shared grief. Many heartwarming moments and also many heartbreaking moments. Has some light scenes to round out the intensity of the emotions. Goes a bit over the top at times, but on the whole, a beautiful book. Not a romance!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
PSA: If you are anything like me, you would read the above and jump straight to the idea that Alice and Ben are “made for each other” and destiny has thrown them together for a new romantic relationship. You are wrong, as was I. Don’t dismiss the book as a typical romance, as I originally did.
Bookish Yays:
🌹 The LACK of romance. I had assumed this book to be a typical second attempt at romance. I took a chance on it only after I saw it get consistently good reviews. I was so happy to be proven wrong! This is a love story, but not of romantic love.
🌹 Another standard trope that is broken is the manner of overcoming grief. While fictional characters are often shown in pain, they are also shown getting over the loss of their loved ones slowly but steadily. This book demonstrates the reality of how complicated grief is, and how the path to go beyond one’s loss isn’t always linear.
🌹 Alice and Ben – what wonderful lead characters! Grieving, angry, helpful, flawed, concerned, lost! I loved how true to life their portrayal was, right from the ups to the downs, the progressions and the regressions.
🌹 As the blurb doesn’t mention the characters’ ages, I too won’t spoil the fun. Suffice it to say: as there is an age gap of a few years between the two, it is nice to see both characters assist each other in navigating through their pain, rather than having the older character showing the truths of life to the younger one.
🌹 The story spans several years, and the corresponding growth of the characters is written really well.
🌹 The portrayal of grief is so striking. Especially in the initial few pages, the heartrending depiction of Alice’s and Ben’s individual pain is just brilliant. I appreciate how the plot doesn’t take the standard five stages of grief and make a story connecting the same. The approach is more honest than theoretical.
🌹 The emotions other than grief also come out strongly. I have rarely seen male authors write emotions so well, and that too, for both the male as well as the female character. (I realise I am again showing my bias against male authors, but anytime they break the norm, I am just stunned.) The story also incorporates several additional themes such as stress, peer pressure and parental trauma in a true-to-life manner.
🌹 Of the two people who play such a dominant role in the story even without being alive, Alice’s late husband Joe seems wonderful. My kind of guy, even if he's a bit too unambitious. His sensible manner won my heart. Ben’s brother Harry was trickier to like. Though I felt sad that he died so young, I found it tough to sympathise with someone who came across as a self-centred young man who couldn’t see the harm of his pranks. (Who says that we have to like the dead just because they are dead, right?) I liked how these two characters added so much to the story without being present it in directly, and also how the characters weren’t deified just because they were dead.
🌹 Ben’s fancy dress costumes. Gotta hand it to Harry: he may have been a selfish prankster, but the bloke had a wacky sense of humour!
🌹 The rugby match scene! 😆 To be honest, when the chapter started, I thought I'd be bored to death because I'm not at all into sports and I don't know anything about rugby. Then came the thrilling revelation: Ben knew as much about rugby as I did. Listening to his first-person commentary on how the match was going is a hilarious experience.
🌹 For the first time ever, I was grinning like an idiot at the impossibly picture-perfect finale. I'm hardly ever happy about overly neat endings, but this time, as I was so invested in the two characters for so many fictional years, it felt really good to see them get what they deserved.
🌹 Loved the clever title and its clever pun! The cover is also fabulous – so apt for the story!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🥀 The story is a bit repetitive in the third quarter, probably because the characters take longer than assumed to get over their pain. The tempo doesn’t slow down, but as a lot of time has passed by this point, I did feel impatient to see the resolution.
🥀 As the span of the story is quite long, there are many characters who appear and disappear from the narrative. I wanted to learn more about a few of the secondary characters. But as we get the story in first person, their portrayal is limited to what Ben or Alice tell us. I did like Jobbers a lot (read the book to know who he is); I wanted much more of him in the book!
🥀 The “challenges” were a good way of pushing the plot ahead, but they were also a bit too personal and unfair at times. Had I been in that character’s position, I would have protested harder.
Bookish Nays:
⚰️ The whole “Squeezy Alice” segment – I wish it had been culled from the final plot. It turned a great book into a comic caricature for a few pages. (Honestly, had this subplot not been in the book, I might even have gone to 4.5 stars and rounded my rating upwards.)
⚰️ There’s a teeny scene where Alice remarks negatively on a salon client’s weight. She does this only in her head, the scene lasts only briefly, and it just reflects her disturbed state of mind. Regardless, I still wish some other writing choice had been made here, especially when the line wasn’t essential for the plot. Fatshaming isn’t less cruel just because it comes from the grieving.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking close to 10 hours, is narrated by Imogen Church and Steve West. I have heard Church’s narration before and she is usually fabulous. In this book, she handles Alice's emotions well (OTT and screechy at times but mostly good), but she can't handle male voices. The voice she used for Ben was quite odd. I have not heard Steve West before, but he certainly surprised me. I liked his performance, and appreciated that he didn’t do the squeaky female voice so many male narrators opt for. Both the narrators’ voices suit the characters well.
Regardless of the few scenes where I felt that Church could have dialled down her emotions, the audiobook is a wonderful option to experience this novel. For a story with two first-person narrative viewpoints and so many emotions, the use of dual narrators helps us feel a greater intimacy with the characters.
All in all, I loved this book even better than I thought I would. It was a great medley of funny as well as touching, and sometimes, even tear-inducing. The no-romance factor was a huge plus for me.
This is my first book by this acclaimed author, and I am definitely interested in reading more of his works.
Definitely recommended to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction with realistic characters and deep emotions. Though there are many light moments in the book, a major chunk is intense in its portrayal of loss and grief. So make sure you are in a strong headspace before you pick this up.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Brilliance Audio for providing the ALC of “Grave Talk” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Six months after her husband Joe’s death, Alice is still finding it tough to overcome her grief. As she is sobbing by his graveside on his birthday, the last thing she expects to see is a man dressed up as Kermit the Frog. Kermit turns out to be Ben, whose older brother Harry died three months prior. For some unknown reason, Harry stipulated that Ben visit his grave on this specific day every year, wearing a fancy-dress outfit predecided by Harry.
Both Alice and Ben are struggling to move beyond their loss, so a strong bond forms between them. They decide to meet in the graveyard at the same time every year, helping each other to move on. As the years go by, will they be able to put behind their grief and embrace life anew?
The story comes to us in the alternating first-person POVs of Alice and Ben.
PSA: If you are anything like me, you would read the above and jump straight to the idea that Alice and Ben are “made for each other” and destiny has thrown them together for a new romantic relationship. You are wrong, as was I. Don’t dismiss the book as a typical romance, as I originally did.
Bookish Yays:
🌹 The LACK of romance. I had assumed this book to be a typical second attempt at romance. I took a chance on it only after I saw it get consistently good reviews. I was so happy to be proven wrong! This is a love story, but not of romantic love.
🌹 Another standard trope that is broken is the manner of overcoming grief. While fictional characters are often shown in pain, they are also shown getting over the loss of their loved ones slowly but steadily. This book demonstrates the reality of how complicated grief is, and how the path to go beyond one’s loss isn’t always linear.
🌹 Alice and Ben – what wonderful lead characters! Grieving, angry, helpful, flawed, concerned, lost! I loved how true to life their portrayal was, right from the ups to the downs, the progressions and the regressions.
🌹 As the blurb doesn’t mention the characters’ ages, I too won’t spoil the fun. Suffice it to say: as there is an age gap of a few years between the two, it is nice to see both characters assist each other in navigating through their pain, rather than having the older character showing the truths of life to the younger one.
🌹 The story spans several years, and the corresponding growth of the characters is written really well.
🌹 The portrayal of grief is so striking. Especially in the initial few pages, the heartrending depiction of Alice’s and Ben’s individual pain is just brilliant. I appreciate how the plot doesn’t take the standard five stages of grief and make a story connecting the same. The approach is more honest than theoretical.
🌹 The emotions other than grief also come out strongly. I have rarely seen male authors write emotions so well, and that too, for both the male as well as the female character. (I realise I am again showing my bias against male authors, but anytime they break the norm, I am just stunned.) The story also incorporates several additional themes such as stress, peer pressure and parental trauma in a true-to-life manner.
🌹 Of the two people who play such a dominant role in the story even without being alive, Alice’s late husband Joe seems wonderful. My kind of guy, even if he's a bit too unambitious. His sensible manner won my heart. Ben’s brother Harry was trickier to like. Though I felt sad that he died so young, I found it tough to sympathise with someone who came across as a self-centred young man who couldn’t see the harm of his pranks. (Who says that we have to like the dead just because they are dead, right?) I liked how these two characters added so much to the story without being present it in directly, and also how the characters weren’t deified just because they were dead.
🌹 Ben’s fancy dress costumes. Gotta hand it to Harry: he may have been a selfish prankster, but the bloke had a wacky sense of humour!
🌹 The rugby match scene! 😆 To be honest, when the chapter started, I thought I'd be bored to death because I'm not at all into sports and I don't know anything about rugby. Then came the thrilling revelation: Ben knew as much about rugby as I did. Listening to his first-person commentary on how the match was going is a hilarious experience.
🌹 For the first time ever, I was grinning like an idiot at the impossibly picture-perfect finale. I'm hardly ever happy about overly neat endings, but this time, as I was so invested in the two characters for so many fictional years, it felt really good to see them get what they deserved.
🌹 Loved the clever title and its clever pun! The cover is also fabulous – so apt for the story!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🥀 The story is a bit repetitive in the third quarter, probably because the characters take longer than assumed to get over their pain. The tempo doesn’t slow down, but as a lot of time has passed by this point, I did feel impatient to see the resolution.
🥀 As the span of the story is quite long, there are many characters who appear and disappear from the narrative. I wanted to learn more about a few of the secondary characters. But as we get the story in first person, their portrayal is limited to what Ben or Alice tell us. I did like Jobbers a lot (read the book to know who he is); I wanted much more of him in the book!
🥀 The “challenges” were a good way of pushing the plot ahead, but they were also a bit too personal and unfair at times. Had I been in that character’s position, I would have protested harder.
Bookish Nays:
⚰️ The whole “Squeezy Alice” segment – I wish it had been culled from the final plot. It turned a great book into a comic caricature for a few pages. (Honestly, had this subplot not been in the book, I might even have gone to 4.5 stars and rounded my rating upwards.)
⚰️ There’s a teeny scene where Alice remarks negatively on a salon client’s weight. She does this only in her head, the scene lasts only briefly, and it just reflects her disturbed state of mind. Regardless, I still wish some other writing choice had been made here, especially when the line wasn’t essential for the plot. Fatshaming isn’t less cruel just because it comes from the grieving.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking close to 10 hours, is narrated by Imogen Church and Steve West. I have heard Church’s narration before and she is usually fabulous. In this book, she handles Alice's emotions well (OTT and screechy at times but mostly good), but she can't handle male voices. The voice she used for Ben was quite odd. I have not heard Steve West before, but he certainly surprised me. I liked his performance, and appreciated that he didn’t do the squeaky female voice so many male narrators opt for. Both the narrators’ voices suit the characters well.
Regardless of the few scenes where I felt that Church could have dialled down her emotions, the audiobook is a wonderful option to experience this novel. For a story with two first-person narrative viewpoints and so many emotions, the use of dual narrators helps us feel a greater intimacy with the characters.
All in all, I loved this book even better than I thought I would. It was a great medley of funny as well as touching, and sometimes, even tear-inducing. The no-romance factor was a huge plus for me.
This is my first book by this acclaimed author, and I am definitely interested in reading more of his works.
Definitely recommended to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction with realistic characters and deep emotions. Though there are many light moments in the book, a major chunk is intense in its portrayal of loss and grief. So make sure you are in a strong headspace before you pick this up.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Brilliance Audio for providing the ALC of “Grave Talk” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
December 3, 2025
The story is told over 11 years and starts with a grieving Alice visiting the grave of her husband Joe, whom she lost 6 months previously. Here she bumps into a man dressed in a Kermit the Frog costume! The man in the funny attire is Ben, who lost his brother Harry 3 months earlier. He is fulfilling a request made in his brother's Will—that he visit him at his graveside in a costume of his choosing every year.
The following year Alice and Ben cross paths again. The latter is once more dressed in a ridiculous costume—these become a plot device for the humour throughout. As they chat, the pair begin to realise talking to one another about their grief and all the things they are going through in life helps. Both hate talking to the people closest to them for fear of being a burden. Therefore, the pair agree to meet every year, same time, same place.
During their yearly meet-ups, they begin to set each other life goals and share not only incredibly sad stories but humorous ones too. Its premise is basically two grieving people helping each other heal and move on with life. I just want to point out that this seems to be labelled with a romance tag, but it isn't. It's more about the bond of shared grief and platonic love two friends have for each other—something to be aware of if you're picking this up thinking it's a romance.
It's my first book by this Author, so I didn't know what to expect; I was just in the mood for a light-hearted comedy. Whilst it was funny, it's quite sad in parts too. It wasn't a bad read, but also nothing special. It was drawn out a little in places, and Alice got slightly annoying towards the end—I felt her character was starting to get overly repetitive. Once we got to the rugby match in honour of Ben, which I thought was way overdone, it seemed to go downhill from there and kind of just fizzled out. It all started to feel a bit contrived, but at least everyone got their happy ending.
The following year Alice and Ben cross paths again. The latter is once more dressed in a ridiculous costume—these become a plot device for the humour throughout. As they chat, the pair begin to realise talking to one another about their grief and all the things they are going through in life helps. Both hate talking to the people closest to them for fear of being a burden. Therefore, the pair agree to meet every year, same time, same place.
During their yearly meet-ups, they begin to set each other life goals and share not only incredibly sad stories but humorous ones too. Its premise is basically two grieving people helping each other heal and move on with life. I just want to point out that this seems to be labelled with a romance tag, but it isn't. It's more about the bond of shared grief and platonic love two friends have for each other—something to be aware of if you're picking this up thinking it's a romance.
It's my first book by this Author, so I didn't know what to expect; I was just in the mood for a light-hearted comedy. Whilst it was funny, it's quite sad in parts too. It wasn't a bad read, but also nothing special. It was drawn out a little in places, and Alice got slightly annoying towards the end—I felt her character was starting to get overly repetitive. Once we got to the rugby match in honour of Ben, which I thought was way overdone, it seemed to go downhill from there and kind of just fizzled out. It all started to feel a bit contrived, but at least everyone got their happy ending.
November 30, 2024
I saw all the great reviews this book was getting but imagined it was just another of those wacky romances that are so popular lately. Then I saw the blurb which includes the sentence "The last thing Alice expects to see at her husband's grave site on his birthday is a giant talking frog." I could not resist that.
The book turned out to be very funny, very sad, a story of friendship and recovery from loss, not a romance at all. Parts of it were set in Australia which was very nice for readers like me. It was also totally absorbing, the kind of book you want to curl up with and read straight through to the end.
Speaking of which the end is just perfect and leaves you with happy feelings. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The book turned out to be very funny, very sad, a story of friendship and recovery from loss, not a romance at all. Parts of it were set in Australia which was very nice for readers like me. It was also totally absorbing, the kind of book you want to curl up with and read straight through to the end.
Speaking of which the end is just perfect and leaves you with happy feelings. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 2, 2024
Phew. Well that was a laugh out loud, emotional rollercoaster. Never has a book since 3 men in a boat made me almost cry with laughter, but at the same time there were so many hard hitting emotional moments. A true example of living with grief and eventually finding joy despite it. Couldn’t recommend this book more!
October 8, 2024
I’d write a better review if I could see through my tears and snot. As someone who lost their big brother in 2020, I could not put this down. What a beautifully, hilariously written journey of grief. I can only imagine that those who think it’s unrealistic only believe so because they haven’t grieved like this before. Lucky them.
June 16, 2025
This is a case of me being the wrong reader for this book.
Ten depressing years of two people, one wrapped in a blanket of self-doubt and self-pity, the other treating grief as if it were a scared cow was just more than I wanted or was willing to bear. Bear it, I did. This put me in a funk.
Ten depressing years of two people, one wrapped in a blanket of self-doubt and self-pity, the other treating grief as if it were a scared cow was just more than I wanted or was willing to bear. Bear it, I did. This put me in a funk.
October 5, 2024
Dull and slow moving. Couldn’t finish it.
Two randos have a chance meeting at a cemetery where their loved ones have adjoining plots. They agree to meet annually to share the progress of grieving.
What ensues is an interminable back and forth of “should I say (blank)?” to one another. I’m one-third into the novel and cannot endure it any longer. At this point the two are at their third annual meeting and it’s the same exchange as the first two encounters.
It’s super rare that I don’t finish a book, but this one was pure drudgery.
Cannot recommend.
Two randos have a chance meeting at a cemetery where their loved ones have adjoining plots. They agree to meet annually to share the progress of grieving.
What ensues is an interminable back and forth of “should I say (blank)?” to one another. I’m one-third into the novel and cannot endure it any longer. At this point the two are at their third annual meeting and it’s the same exchange as the first two encounters.
It’s super rare that I don’t finish a book, but this one was pure drudgery.
Cannot recommend.
October 4, 2024
Well!
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book on a whim. I had been reading so many WWII historical fiction books that I welcomed a change. I had so many laugh out loud moments and became totally engrossed with the characters from the get go. I am now following this author and will certainly look up his other books.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book on a whim. I had been reading so many WWII historical fiction books that I welcomed a change. I had so many laugh out loud moments and became totally engrossed with the characters from the get go. I am now following this author and will certainly look up his other books.
October 18, 2024
(3.5 stars, rounded down just because I think my review turned out my critical than positive)
I enjoyed this book, which is probably not a surprise to many people. I'm a well-known sucker for books talking about death and grief. But the concept of "Grave Talk" was what drew me in, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was executed. It wasn't perfect (and we'll get into that), but it was emotional and funny and I enjoyed it.
The idea of a book told over a series of years is interesting, and while "Grave Talk" does it well, I think it comes with some inherent flaws. The main issue is that this set up really lends itself to telling instead of showing. It sort of becomes "Exposition Dump: The Novel," because instead of seeing the characters grow and change gradually over time, we are just getting updated yearly. Overall, though, I think Spalding did a good job of managing this. Although it made the narration a little strange sometimes, each character's perspective would put us in the past to live through moments with them, which worked.
My other main problem with the concept was about Ben and his yearly costumes. I was expecting this unusual last request to be ultimately leading towards something, rather than Harry (that's Ben's brother's name) to just expect Ben to follow through on this tradition for his entire life, presumably. Like, maybe after x many years, he gets a letter that Harry wrote before he died. Or once Ben stops doing it, the lawyer gets to pass along some hidden inheritance thing. I don't know, but the way it was just felt very random. I get it, Harry's funny. But really it's just a plot device, which is boring.
Ben and Alice were both pretty interesting characters. Although, Ben was clearly the author's favorite. He had a lot more going on, and there was a lot more time dedicated to his healing journey. I thought he ended up coming across as pretty flat, though. A lot of his conflict, particularly around the middle/later half of the book, felt very contrived. It's not that the things happening were inaccurate, but they felt as though they were happening because Ben needed more going on (because he was the favorite). And Ben's reaction to the conflict depended entirely on what the plot needed. I would've liked for the author to commit a lot more to a total breakdown, because it felt more like he was waffling between "this kind of sucks" and "generally depressed."
I found Alice's healing journey to be a lot more engaging, although it felt incredibly elongated for the sake of the book. I'm not saying people can't take a long time to heal, but I listened to her make the same excuses for 10 years just for it to ultimately end with "things are better because Ben (the favorite) said so/the book is about to end." Her story would've benefitted from more intention on the author's part. Instead, she sort of felt like a background character for Ben. She also instigated the emotional climax, which was entirely random and stupid and almost ruined the whole book for me. So part of me doesn't forgive her for it.
"Grave Talk" worked really hard to establish a funny-yet-contemplative tone, and for the most part it worked really well. The situations these two characters found themselves in were really funny. I wish the book relied on being naturally funny, though. Instead, we got a fair bit of silly juvenile butt/sex jokes thrown in that didn't match the overall vibe (and would've fit better if the characters weren't in their 30s/40s). I also liked the book's reflections on grief, although it did a disservice to the characters. Ben and Alice were meant to be struggling to heal for pretty much the entire plot, but then they'd say something that felt too self aware and educated on their feelings. It just felt like it was trying too hard, when I thought the atmosphere was otherwise well-established.
Goodreads refers to this book as a romance, and I'm very pleased to say it's not. Alice and Ben do not fall in love. Their relationship is purely platonic, familial even. Which worked so much better. Their connection was the best part of the book, and the whole thing would've been cheapened by turning it into a romance.
Overall, this book was good. It made me laugh, it made me cry, but it also made me roll my eyes at some less-than-ideal writing choices. It's not perfect, but it's good. It was a sweet story about love and grief and healing, and while it has its fair share of flaws, I enjoyed my experience with it.
I enjoyed this book, which is probably not a surprise to many people. I'm a well-known sucker for books talking about death and grief. But the concept of "Grave Talk" was what drew me in, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it was executed. It wasn't perfect (and we'll get into that), but it was emotional and funny and I enjoyed it.
The idea of a book told over a series of years is interesting, and while "Grave Talk" does it well, I think it comes with some inherent flaws. The main issue is that this set up really lends itself to telling instead of showing. It sort of becomes "Exposition Dump: The Novel," because instead of seeing the characters grow and change gradually over time, we are just getting updated yearly. Overall, though, I think Spalding did a good job of managing this. Although it made the narration a little strange sometimes, each character's perspective would put us in the past to live through moments with them, which worked.
My other main problem with the concept was about Ben and his yearly costumes. I was expecting this unusual last request to be ultimately leading towards something, rather than Harry (that's Ben's brother's name) to just expect Ben to follow through on this tradition for his entire life, presumably. Like, maybe after x many years, he gets a letter that Harry wrote before he died. Or once Ben stops doing it, the lawyer gets to pass along some hidden inheritance thing. I don't know, but the way it was just felt very random. I get it, Harry's funny. But really it's just a plot device, which is boring.
Ben and Alice were both pretty interesting characters. Although, Ben was clearly the author's favorite. He had a lot more going on, and there was a lot more time dedicated to his healing journey. I thought he ended up coming across as pretty flat, though. A lot of his conflict, particularly around the middle/later half of the book, felt very contrived. It's not that the things happening were inaccurate, but they felt as though they were happening because Ben needed more going on (because he was the favorite). And Ben's reaction to the conflict depended entirely on what the plot needed. I would've liked for the author to commit a lot more to a total breakdown, because it felt more like he was waffling between "this kind of sucks" and "generally depressed."
I found Alice's healing journey to be a lot more engaging, although it felt incredibly elongated for the sake of the book. I'm not saying people can't take a long time to heal, but I listened to her make the same excuses for 10 years just for it to ultimately end with "things are better because Ben (the favorite) said so/the book is about to end." Her story would've benefitted from more intention on the author's part. Instead, she sort of felt like a background character for Ben. She also instigated the emotional climax, which was entirely random and stupid and almost ruined the whole book for me. So part of me doesn't forgive her for it.
"Grave Talk" worked really hard to establish a funny-yet-contemplative tone, and for the most part it worked really well. The situations these two characters found themselves in were really funny. I wish the book relied on being naturally funny, though. Instead, we got a fair bit of silly juvenile butt/sex jokes thrown in that didn't match the overall vibe (and would've fit better if the characters weren't in their 30s/40s). I also liked the book's reflections on grief, although it did a disservice to the characters. Ben and Alice were meant to be struggling to heal for pretty much the entire plot, but then they'd say something that felt too self aware and educated on their feelings. It just felt like it was trying too hard, when I thought the atmosphere was otherwise well-established.
Goodreads refers to this book as a romance, and I'm very pleased to say it's not. Alice and Ben do not fall in love. Their relationship is purely platonic, familial even. Which worked so much better. Their connection was the best part of the book, and the whole thing would've been cheapened by turning it into a romance.
Overall, this book was good. It made me laugh, it made me cry, but it also made me roll my eyes at some less-than-ideal writing choices. It's not perfect, but it's good. It was a sweet story about love and grief and healing, and while it has its fair share of flaws, I enjoyed my experience with it.
November 11, 2024
*Bittersweet*
This is a tale of two very different people. They are both going through grief. I have read many of Nick Spalding’s books and he seems to balance humour and satire well, mixed in with a serious subject or message. I enjoyed this book which was often heartbreaking but then, something will happen to make you laugh.
Alice is in her mid thirties whose husband Joe passed away suddenly in his forties. She is finding it hard to get passed what happened. As she received the call and rushed to the hospital she was too late. He was fit and healthy and she is searching for someone to blame.
Ben is in his twenties and is grieving his older brother Harry who died of leukaemia. He idolised him and Harry was often a surrogate parent to him. His father was always all about his job and as he comes from a family of doctors, his parents and Harry were all surgeons while Ben is in training, is he happy?
This visit to the graveside is Joe’s birthday and as Alice is distraught she catches sight of a young man dressed as Kermit the frog. I thought that on paper a friendship between them should not work but, after some awkwardness they strike up a conversation.
Before they know it they are meeting up yearly and discussing their lives. They often challenge each other to make changes in their lives.
Ben wears different outfits each year as his brother put it in his will. Harry was always the practical joker. The array of characters which if you read the book you will be laughing out loud 🤣
But, as they both process loss their challenges get harder. These are set to help them grow. Their friendship is a testament to Nick’s writing.
Nick did not shy away from the ugly parts of grief, it is often all consuming and palpable.
Alice and Ben go through a lot over the years and I loved how Nick wrapped it up at the end.
This is a tale of two very different people. They are both going through grief. I have read many of Nick Spalding’s books and he seems to balance humour and satire well, mixed in with a serious subject or message. I enjoyed this book which was often heartbreaking but then, something will happen to make you laugh.
Alice is in her mid thirties whose husband Joe passed away suddenly in his forties. She is finding it hard to get passed what happened. As she received the call and rushed to the hospital she was too late. He was fit and healthy and she is searching for someone to blame.
Ben is in his twenties and is grieving his older brother Harry who died of leukaemia. He idolised him and Harry was often a surrogate parent to him. His father was always all about his job and as he comes from a family of doctors, his parents and Harry were all surgeons while Ben is in training, is he happy?
This visit to the graveside is Joe’s birthday and as Alice is distraught she catches sight of a young man dressed as Kermit the frog. I thought that on paper a friendship between them should not work but, after some awkwardness they strike up a conversation.
Before they know it they are meeting up yearly and discussing their lives. They often challenge each other to make changes in their lives.
Ben wears different outfits each year as his brother put it in his will. Harry was always the practical joker. The array of characters which if you read the book you will be laughing out loud 🤣
But, as they both process loss their challenges get harder. These are set to help them grow. Their friendship is a testament to Nick’s writing.
Nick did not shy away from the ugly parts of grief, it is often all consuming and palpable.
Alice and Ben go through a lot over the years and I loved how Nick wrapped it up at the end.
September 30, 2025
The major theme of this book is the different ways of people navigating their grief journey following the deaths of loved ones. The main characters were strangers who met in the cemetery of a small town in England, and who then formed a longstanding relationship to support each other.
I felt quite moved by this book, perhaps because I picked this up a few days after I went to my close friend’s mom’s funeral. My friend seemed stoic when I saw her, but her texts to me afterwards told a different story. Grief affects people in different ways, and there is no set timeline or “normal” reactions or process.
This is my third Nick Spalding book and probably my favorite so far. I love the characterization - their emotions, personalities, and POV. Grief as a theme can be heavy, but Spalding cleverly inserts humor and joy at the right places.
I felt quite moved by this book, perhaps because I picked this up a few days after I went to my close friend’s mom’s funeral. My friend seemed stoic when I saw her, but her texts to me afterwards told a different story. Grief affects people in different ways, and there is no set timeline or “normal” reactions or process.
This is my third Nick Spalding book and probably my favorite so far. I love the characterization - their emotions, personalities, and POV. Grief as a theme can be heavy, but Spalding cleverly inserts humor and joy at the right places.
October 29, 2024
The premise of the plot had so much promise.
October 20, 2024
Free Amazon’s First Read - glad I didn’t pay for it, was okay, but wouldn’t recommend reading.
December 21, 2024
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Grave Talk was an extremely different read for me. It is a book about grief and how others deal with it. There isn't a central romance really between the two characters talking and so it should be depressing, but somehow it comes out hopeful and healing.
Alice lost her husband to a heart attack and now only has a grave to visit. As she is standing there to visit him on his birthday having a slight emotional breakdown, she looks up to see Kermit the Frog, or at least a man dressed like him. Ben lost his brother, who is buried in the grave next to Alice's husband. Because Ben's brother was a pretty big jokester, it is in the will that Ben show up to the grave one day out of the year dressed in a costume that Ben has planned out. Much to Ben's humiliation but Harry is probably having a great time of it looking down from on high.
Alice and Ben really have nothing in common, other than the fact they have both lost someone very close to them recently. In a strange way, they can open up to each other in ways they haven't been able to with other people. For the next ten years, they meet at the graves of their loved ones, Ben in some silly costumes and Alice wearing her grief. They talk about the previous year and help each other set challenges for the next one.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. There is no romantic connection between Alice and Ben but they form a bond and become family. Each helps the other overcome some of the things in their lives that are holding them back from really moving on and living. Their conversations had a sweet amount of humor to them to offset the sorrow and I found myself connecting to both characters hoping they would find ways to move on with their lives.
Overall this was solid story that I think anyone who has lost someone close to them before their time can possibly relate to. I enjoyed how different it was from all of my normal reading habits.
Narration:
I am a HUGE fan of Steve West and love his voice, that was the main reason I requested this book. His voice fit Ben so well and really helped me connect with him. The slight accent, the tone of his voice, the cadence of his speech just work for me. His voice melts me like butter on toast. Imogen Church is also a very accomplished narrator with a prolific catalogue. she did great conceiving Alice's emotions and vulnerabilities. I really connected with Alice and I'm sure more of that was because of Imogen's performance. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Performance: ★★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★
Sound Effects: limited at the introduction
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Grave Talk was an extremely different read for me. It is a book about grief and how others deal with it. There isn't a central romance really between the two characters talking and so it should be depressing, but somehow it comes out hopeful and healing.
Alice lost her husband to a heart attack and now only has a grave to visit. As she is standing there to visit him on his birthday having a slight emotional breakdown, she looks up to see Kermit the Frog, or at least a man dressed like him. Ben lost his brother, who is buried in the grave next to Alice's husband. Because Ben's brother was a pretty big jokester, it is in the will that Ben show up to the grave one day out of the year dressed in a costume that Ben has planned out. Much to Ben's humiliation but Harry is probably having a great time of it looking down from on high.
Alice and Ben really have nothing in common, other than the fact they have both lost someone very close to them recently. In a strange way, they can open up to each other in ways they haven't been able to with other people. For the next ten years, they meet at the graves of their loved ones, Ben in some silly costumes and Alice wearing her grief. They talk about the previous year and help each other set challenges for the next one.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. There is no romantic connection between Alice and Ben but they form a bond and become family. Each helps the other overcome some of the things in their lives that are holding them back from really moving on and living. Their conversations had a sweet amount of humor to them to offset the sorrow and I found myself connecting to both characters hoping they would find ways to move on with their lives.
Overall this was solid story that I think anyone who has lost someone close to them before their time can possibly relate to. I enjoyed how different it was from all of my normal reading habits.
“The barriers we think are a foot thick are sometimes paper-thin to the people who know us.”
Narration:
I am a HUGE fan of Steve West and love his voice, that was the main reason I requested this book. His voice fit Ben so well and really helped me connect with him. The slight accent, the tone of his voice, the cadence of his speech just work for me. His voice melts me like butter on toast. Imogen Church is also a very accomplished narrator with a prolific catalogue. she did great conceiving Alice's emotions and vulnerabilities. I really connected with Alice and I'm sure more of that was because of Imogen's performance. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Performance: ★★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★
Sound Effects: limited at the introduction
October 31, 2024
Totally and unexpectedly enjoyed this book. It’s about love and loss and friendship and grieving but also has its own comedy.
The two main characters are perfect in this story and their back and forth banter, first at the cemetery, is an unexpected place that then they meet every year after. Their pain and longing as they reflect on their deeply departed and memories together, as they encourage/challenge each other to move on and move forward is very heartwarming. Everyone’s grief is different, as is the processing of grief.
Life goes on, though painful and difficult and long lasting for these two. But, there is hope and healing, and there is a true friendship bond in their relationship.
It was a long, difficult process for them (and the reader) to go through) but in the end, they survived and thrived and finally made peace to move forward.
Heart breaking and heart warming.
The two main characters are perfect in this story and their back and forth banter, first at the cemetery, is an unexpected place that then they meet every year after. Their pain and longing as they reflect on their deeply departed and memories together, as they encourage/challenge each other to move on and move forward is very heartwarming. Everyone’s grief is different, as is the processing of grief.
Life goes on, though painful and difficult and long lasting for these two. But, there is hope and healing, and there is a true friendship bond in their relationship.
It was a long, difficult process for them (and the reader) to go through) but in the end, they survived and thrived and finally made peace to move forward.
Heart breaking and heart warming.
October 9, 2024
A Touching Tribute to Grief and Friendship: A Review of Grave Talk
Nick Spalding's Grave Talk is a poignant and heartwarming exploration of grief, loss, and the unexpected bonds that can form in the face of shared sorrow. As someone who has experienced the profound pain of losing two brothers, I found this book to be deeply relatable and profoundly moving.
The story follows Ben and Alice, two strangers brought together by the loss of their loved ones. Their shared grief and the quirky tradition of Ben visiting the grave in costumes create a unique foundation for an unlikely friendship.
Spalding masterfully captures the complexities of grief, showcasing its different stages and manifestations. The characters' emotional journeys are authentic and raw, making them instantly relatable to anyone who has experienced loss. The author doesn't shy away from the pain and sadness of grief, but he also infuses the story with humor and warmth, creating a perfect balance that reflects the bittersweet nature of life after loss.
What makes Grave Talk truly special is its exploration of human connection. Ben and Alice's friendship, born out of grief, blossoms into a source of comfort and support. Their shared experiences create a bond that transcends the ordinary, reminding us of the power of empathy and understanding.
I particularly appreciated the book's emphasis on finding joy and meaning in life even after profound loss. Grave Talk is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love and friendship.
Why I loved this book:
Relatability: As someone who has experienced significant loss, I found the characters' emotional journeys to be incredibly authentic and relatable.
Emotional depth: Spalding masterfully captures the complexities of grief, showcasing its different stages and manifestations.
Humor and warmth: Despite its heavy subject matter, the book is infused with humor and warmth, creating a perfect balance that reflects the bittersweet nature of life after loss.
Celebration of friendship: The book beautifully portrays the power of human connection and the importance of finding support in times of grief.
Uplifting message: Grave Talk is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love and friendship.
If you've ever experienced loss or are simply looking for a heartwarming and thought-provoking read, I highly recommend Grave Talk. It's a beautiful reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and the possibility of finding connection and meaning.
Nick Spalding's Grave Talk is a poignant and heartwarming exploration of grief, loss, and the unexpected bonds that can form in the face of shared sorrow. As someone who has experienced the profound pain of losing two brothers, I found this book to be deeply relatable and profoundly moving.
The story follows Ben and Alice, two strangers brought together by the loss of their loved ones. Their shared grief and the quirky tradition of Ben visiting the grave in costumes create a unique foundation for an unlikely friendship.
Spalding masterfully captures the complexities of grief, showcasing its different stages and manifestations. The characters' emotional journeys are authentic and raw, making them instantly relatable to anyone who has experienced loss. The author doesn't shy away from the pain and sadness of grief, but he also infuses the story with humor and warmth, creating a perfect balance that reflects the bittersweet nature of life after loss.
What makes Grave Talk truly special is its exploration of human connection. Ben and Alice's friendship, born out of grief, blossoms into a source of comfort and support. Their shared experiences create a bond that transcends the ordinary, reminding us of the power of empathy and understanding.
I particularly appreciated the book's emphasis on finding joy and meaning in life even after profound loss. Grave Talk is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love and friendship.
Why I loved this book:
Relatability: As someone who has experienced significant loss, I found the characters' emotional journeys to be incredibly authentic and relatable.
Emotional depth: Spalding masterfully captures the complexities of grief, showcasing its different stages and manifestations.
Humor and warmth: Despite its heavy subject matter, the book is infused with humor and warmth, creating a perfect balance that reflects the bittersweet nature of life after loss.
Celebration of friendship: The book beautifully portrays the power of human connection and the importance of finding support in times of grief.
Uplifting message: Grave Talk is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love and friendship.
If you've ever experienced loss or are simply looking for a heartwarming and thought-provoking read, I highly recommend Grave Talk. It's a beautiful reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and the possibility of finding connection and meaning.
November 8, 2024
I don't often give 5 stars to books, but I felt like this one warranted it for me. This is a wonderful story of 2 people finding each other in the most unusual of circumstances at the most difficult times of their lives where they are grieving the loss of close family members, it is very cleverly written in that it is based around a very difficult topic the loss of loved ones and the grief and emotional rollercoaster that comes with it, but it's also very humorous at times, it had me howling with laughter at some of the witty banter in there, I thoroughly enjoyed this book even if it had me crying my eyes out at times too.
Happy reading, everyone 📚 ☺️
Happy reading, everyone 📚 ☺️
October 20, 2024
4.75 stars (Kindle). I feel like I've gone through every bloody emotion to the extreme with this book. My first thought upon finishing: every person I know who has, is, or will be grieving needs this book. It's not just about grieving. It's laughing despite the sorrow, making connections with the most unexpected people, and about overcoming the desperation and choosing to live when those we've lost can't. Beautifully done. I laughed. I cried. I'll read this again.
April 30, 2025
One of the most heartbreaking, heart-stitching back together, beautiful books I’ve ever read. Wow!
October 6, 2024
Grief creates bridges amongst strangers.
That’s how I would summarize this book. A bit of British humor mixed in with self introspection by the characters. Clever and unique plot but book dragged at times.
That’s how I would summarize this book. A bit of British humor mixed in with self introspection by the characters. Clever and unique plot but book dragged at times.
March 9, 2025
A-Z Challenge Book G
3.5-4 stars: This had a slow start for me, but once I got into the pace of it I really enjoyed it. Some chapters were absolutely hilarious and I couldn’t stop laughing. I honestly didn’t think a book about grief could be so entertaining.
Ben and Alice have each lost a loved one and Ben’s brother is buried next to Alice’s husband. They meet graveside one day when Ben is dressed as Kermit the Frog. 🐸 (There’s a perfectly good reason for this, but I’m not going to give it away.) I love the friendship that develops between these two people. This is not a romance. I had initially thought that it was, but I love the way the story was told. I loved how Ben and Alice would challenge each other to try to move their lives forward instead of stagnating in their grief. We get to go through more than 10 years of their lives as they each work on their healing, and the ending is very uplifting.
As good as this book was, I didn’t like some of the inconsistencies and errors. One example is that Ben says in Year Six that he is now Senior Caseworker at his job. Then in Year Eight, he says that he was promoted to Senior Caseworker. What?? He had that position two years ago! Another error was in Year Five when Alice said that she had some time with her dead husband while she waited for Ben to arrive, but then Ben had said he was waiting for Alice to arrive. There were also missing words and other things that stood out.
But since I truly enjoyed this and it made me laugh, I’m rounding up to 4 stars since we can’t give 1/2 stars. 3 stars simply isn’t enough stars for this book.
**As a side note, I was thrown off by the use of single quotation marks used throughout the book. It took me a long time to realize that most of the story is a conversion within a conversation. Each year Ben and Alice meet, they are telling each other a story of what transpired over the previous year. So sometimes it felt as if the character was breaking the fourth wall, yet it was just them talking to the other character, not the reader. It took some getting used to.**
3.5-4 stars: This had a slow start for me, but once I got into the pace of it I really enjoyed it. Some chapters were absolutely hilarious and I couldn’t stop laughing. I honestly didn’t think a book about grief could be so entertaining.
Ben and Alice have each lost a loved one and Ben’s brother is buried next to Alice’s husband. They meet graveside one day when Ben is dressed as Kermit the Frog. 🐸 (There’s a perfectly good reason for this, but I’m not going to give it away.) I love the friendship that develops between these two people. This is not a romance. I had initially thought that it was, but I love the way the story was told. I loved how Ben and Alice would challenge each other to try to move their lives forward instead of stagnating in their grief. We get to go through more than 10 years of their lives as they each work on their healing, and the ending is very uplifting.
As good as this book was, I didn’t like some of the inconsistencies and errors. One example is that Ben says in Year Six that he is now Senior Caseworker at his job. Then in Year Eight, he says that he was promoted to Senior Caseworker. What?? He had that position two years ago! Another error was in Year Five when Alice said that she had some time with her dead husband while she waited for Ben to arrive, but then Ben had said he was waiting for Alice to arrive. There were also missing words and other things that stood out.
But since I truly enjoyed this and it made me laugh, I’m rounding up to 4 stars since we can’t give 1/2 stars. 3 stars simply isn’t enough stars for this book.
**As a side note, I was thrown off by the use of single quotation marks used throughout the book. It took me a long time to realize that most of the story is a conversion within a conversation. Each year Ben and Alice meet, they are telling each other a story of what transpired over the previous year. So sometimes it felt as if the character was breaking the fourth wall, yet it was just them talking to the other character, not the reader. It took some getting used to.**
October 28, 2024
Wow… I lost my dad 6 months ago… this book touched my grief in a way I haven’t been able to find yet. And the humor too. It really touched in a place that desperately needed healing for me.
But man… the language in this one was hard for me. Very few swear words that I remember. But so much “GD” or “JC” throughout the entire book. It did make it a little difficult to read for me.
But the ending of this was absolutely beautiful. I really am at a loss for words.
This book reminded me why fiction is such an important part of our lives. I am really blown away here.
But man… the language in this one was hard for me. Very few swear words that I remember. But so much “GD” or “JC” throughout the entire book. It did make it a little difficult to read for me.
But the ending of this was absolutely beautiful. I really am at a loss for words.
This book reminded me why fiction is such an important part of our lives. I am really blown away here.
February 13, 2025
This book seemed preposterous when I first started reading it, but something, maybe the easy way it flowed kept me going. I giggled and shook my head at times, it was funny, however I could always feel the underlying grief. I understand the numbness and indecision and going through life as if it’s an act. I got impatient with Ben, and then I got impatient with Alice. At the end I was in tears and realized I had grown to care deeply for these two characters, it was like watching beloved family members struggle to find their way. I’m not much of a fan of male authors, Nick Spaulding surprised me here. I’ll have to checkout more of his books. I give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 and highly recommend this book for a cozy read.
December 25, 2025
Prime First Read from October 2024
#ReadWhatIOwn
Spalding surprised me with his story. I did appreciate the uniqueness, and this carried me through awkward writing sections. I wanted to see where he took the story. The ending was okay, however, I was disappointed. I wanted something smart.
There is profanity.
This was so different that I will look into other Spalding works.
#ReadWhatIOwn
Spalding surprised me with his story. I did appreciate the uniqueness, and this carried me through awkward writing sections. I wanted to see where he took the story. The ending was okay, however, I was disappointed. I wanted something smart.
There is profanity.
This was so different that I will look into other Spalding works.
January 29, 2025
loss and renewal
Such a wonderful story of loss leading to friendship & finding oneself again. I really enjoyed seeing these characters evolve.
Such a wonderful story of loss leading to friendship & finding oneself again. I really enjoyed seeing these characters evolve.
October 14, 2024
Oh my heart. What a deep dive into grief, relationships, and love of all kinds. Alice and Ben- the way their friendship grows and evolves from a once a year meeting is so beautifully done. I laughed with them. I cried with them. I got annoyed at them. I shook my head at them. I was proud of them. I wanted to hug them. The author took on some heavy topics and handled them all so well.
October 15, 2024
Couldn't get into it. Boring.
January 9, 2025
Alice reallly grated on my nerves. There were some funny bits and plenty of actually Interesting characters (of course she considered them weirdos/lunaticks/jerks); just not enough to make up for her annoying attitude about, well, pretty much Everything. i get it but still... cat claws down a chalkboard would have been more pleasant to listen to than her thoughts tbh. :)
December 3, 2024
I love books with some quirkiness to them, books that refuse to take themselves one hundred percent seriously. The more over-the-top the better. It takes some real talent to pull this off without it being too much. Nick Spalding is an author who has pulled this off spectacularly. When I read the synopsis about a woman at her husband’s grave running into a giant, talking frog…well, needless to say, I was on board.
Now don’t get me wrong, Grave Talk covers some very serious human emotions. We are talking about death and grieving here, it doesn’t get any more serious than that. You could say as far as human emotions go, death is the end all, be all. It needs to be given the respect and reverence that it deserves. But a doom and gloom, we-are-all-going-to-die-and-it-is-horrible-for-everyone-left-behind is not the kind of book that Nick Spalding writes; and really, who wants to read that book?
Nick Spalding walks that line, making me laugh at the situation, while at the same time connecting me to his two characters that are unable to come to terms with their respective losses. This book is about life and death and how the two intertwine. It is a book about relationships between the dead and those they leave behind; between the survivors and anyone who has ever lost anyone; which is really everyone.
Grave Talk made me laugh, it made me care, and it made me cry. Damn you, Nick Spalding! What more could you ask of a book. This could very well be my best read of the year.
*5 Stars
Now don’t get me wrong, Grave Talk covers some very serious human emotions. We are talking about death and grieving here, it doesn’t get any more serious than that. You could say as far as human emotions go, death is the end all, be all. It needs to be given the respect and reverence that it deserves. But a doom and gloom, we-are-all-going-to-die-and-it-is-horrible-for-everyone-left-behind is not the kind of book that Nick Spalding writes; and really, who wants to read that book?
Nick Spalding walks that line, making me laugh at the situation, while at the same time connecting me to his two characters that are unable to come to terms with their respective losses. This book is about life and death and how the two intertwine. It is a book about relationships between the dead and those they leave behind; between the survivors and anyone who has ever lost anyone; which is really everyone.
Grave Talk made me laugh, it made me care, and it made me cry. Damn you, Nick Spalding! What more could you ask of a book. This could very well be my best read of the year.
*5 Stars
October 12, 2024
October 2024
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads pic one of two for this month. I was curious about the Kermit dress up. It was bittersweet. I liked the bond Alice and Ben built over the years, as well as the costumes. As soon as Ben said his family were all doctors I knew what the outcome was going to be. This was more the journey instead of the destination, taking a decade to reach the answers.
For a moment there with Ben and Katie arguing, and the Grant failure, then the emails, it seemed like things were going to take the romance route. Instead it was Brother and sister, happy families and tribute names for the legacy. The slap was a bit uncalled for. I liked that Ben went the distance, repaying the favour. Couple of tear jerker moments there, ultimately siblings of grief, hurt/comfort and interventions.
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads pic one of two for this month. I was curious about the Kermit dress up. It was bittersweet. I liked the bond Alice and Ben built over the years, as well as the costumes. As soon as Ben said his family were all doctors I knew what the outcome was going to be. This was more the journey instead of the destination, taking a decade to reach the answers.
For a moment there with Ben and Katie arguing, and the Grant failure, then the emails, it seemed like things were going to take the romance route. Instead it was Brother and sister, happy families and tribute names for the legacy. The slap was a bit uncalled for. I liked that Ben went the distance, repaying the favour. Couple of tear jerker moments there, ultimately siblings of grief, hurt/comfort and interventions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,224 reviews