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Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
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Expected 14 Apr 26Win a free print copy of this book!
24 days and 21:59:38
100 copies available
U.S. only
A darkly humorous yet uplifting novel about a grieving mother who starts working at a funeral home and discovers that the best way to honor the dead is to live—from the author of the “insightful, moving” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author) Sunshine Nails.
All Cleo Dang has ever wanted was to be a mother. The day she discovers she’s pregnant is the happiest of her life, especially when she learns that her best friend, Paloma, is also expecting. It’s a wonderful surprise and together, they enjoy their pregnancies. But when they both go to the hospital in labor, something goes very, very wrong. Paloma comes home with a baby. Cleo does not.
Now a grieving Cleo must navigate life after losing her baby. She alienates herself from the world, especially her best friend who is living the life she so desperately wanted. Forced to quit her demanding job as an actuary, Cleo manages to find a job at a funeral home where she meets a revolving door of bereaved locals and discovers the power of confronting grief.
All Cleo Dang has ever wanted was to be a mother. The day she discovers she’s pregnant is the happiest of her life, especially when she learns that her best friend, Paloma, is also expecting. It’s a wonderful surprise and together, they enjoy their pregnancies. But when they both go to the hospital in labor, something goes very, very wrong. Paloma comes home with a baby. Cleo does not.
Now a grieving Cleo must navigate life after losing her baby. She alienates herself from the world, especially her best friend who is living the life she so desperately wanted. Forced to quit her demanding job as an actuary, Cleo manages to find a job at a funeral home where she meets a revolving door of bereaved locals and discovers the power of confronting grief.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 14, 2026
24 people are currently reading
10164 people want to read
About the author
Mai Nguyen
2 books267 followersMai Nguyen is a Vietnamese Canadian author whose debut novel, Sunshine Nails, was longlisted for Canada Reads and named one of the best books of 2023 by NPR and CBC. Her journalism has appeared in Wired, The Washington Post, and The Toronto Star. Raised in Halifax, she now lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, and French bulldog. Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC of Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen
For my book girlies please check the trigger warnings with this one! As this book delves into the gut wrenching topic of infant loss & other issues surrounding it.. I say this as your lord & savior of the underworld, ok?.. like, I've seen some 💩 💩 💩 💩. So when I tell you to be careful, please do 🩵
Those of you who have been here for a while know I don't say this too often.. however I think it's very important here because Mai Nguyen has a very beautiful but very raw and realistic way of writing.
While I cannot put myself in your shoes exactly.. at times this book had me feeling like a cat being pet the wrong way. So I can only imagine how someone else would feel if they were personally affected by the heavier topics here.
My personal beef is with that "Dr." of hers that manages her postpartum "care".. I just wanna talk for a few minutes.. just ignore the hungry 3-Headed dog behind me that's foaming at the mouth🫠🫶🏼
Although I am happy to report this book is as equally inspiring as it is devastating. And I do think this book will help a lot of women. If you have experienced infant loss and you're in an OK place in your healing journey, this would be great if you're looking for something genuine relatability. Because you will most definitely find that here!.. I can't remember the last time I routed for a character so intensely. Honestly it even feels weird calling Cleo a "character" because she feels so tangible. Maybe because I know that she is real and she represents millions of women trying to navigate through the darker trenches of life.
My overall take on this was that it's simply outstanding and a must read as a woman. I will definitely be getting a hardcopy book trophy and this is one of those rare books I will be re-reading!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
For my book girlies please check the trigger warnings with this one! As this book delves into the gut wrenching topic of infant loss & other issues surrounding it.. I say this as your lord & savior of the underworld, ok?.. like, I've seen some 💩 💩 💩 💩. So when I tell you to be careful, please do 🩵
Those of you who have been here for a while know I don't say this too often.. however I think it's very important here because Mai Nguyen has a very beautiful but very raw and realistic way of writing.
While I cannot put myself in your shoes exactly.. at times this book had me feeling like a cat being pet the wrong way. So I can only imagine how someone else would feel if they were personally affected by the heavier topics here.
My personal beef is with that "Dr." of hers that manages her postpartum "care".. I just wanna talk for a few minutes.. just ignore the hungry 3-Headed dog behind me that's foaming at the mouth🫠🫶🏼
Although I am happy to report this book is as equally inspiring as it is devastating. And I do think this book will help a lot of women. If you have experienced infant loss and you're in an OK place in your healing journey, this would be great if you're looking for something genuine relatability. Because you will most definitely find that here!.. I can't remember the last time I routed for a character so intensely. Honestly it even feels weird calling Cleo a "character" because she feels so tangible. Maybe because I know that she is real and she represents millions of women trying to navigate through the darker trenches of life.
My overall take on this was that it's simply outstanding and a must read as a woman. I will definitely be getting a hardcopy book trophy and this is one of those rare books I will be re-reading!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
Want to read
January 12, 2026representation matters
October 16, 2025
This story will never leave me. I’m not sure that I’m even capable of articulating the impact it has had on me. This story follows the main character Cleo Dang following the loss of her baby and her journey through grief and healing. While I don’t share the same loss, it doesn’t matter because the portrayal of grief was so honest and human that I felt every single word. Without getting too personal into my own story - I felt a comfort that I have not yet had while exploring Cleo’s feelings surrounding the afterlife, having obsessive thoughts about death, and passive suicidal ideation. These aren’t things that are often discussed and it’s so refreshing to see it portrayed with such care within a work of fiction rather than tucked away six pages deep in a random late night Reddit post.
I also want to note that I truly LOVED learning about Vietnamese culture, folk religion and traditions surrounding death and loss (and in general too)! I took breaks from reading to do some more extensive research on everything I was learning so I could fully appreciate it. It was woven throughout the story perfectly.
I have saved MANY highlights and will absolutely be sharing them once this book is released. 🌼
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC! Adding to my infinity stars list.
I also want to note that I truly LOVED learning about Vietnamese culture, folk religion and traditions surrounding death and loss (and in general too)! I took breaks from reading to do some more extensive research on everything I was learning so I could fully appreciate it. It was woven throughout the story perfectly.
I have saved MANY highlights and will absolutely be sharing them once this book is released. 🌼
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC! Adding to my infinity stars list.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My official endorsement:
CLEO DANG WOULD RATHER BE DEAD is a window into grief: its ability to make us our worst selves, but also how, over time, it can turn us into a person who sees life for how precious and beautiful and exquisitely improbable it truly is. Nguyen’s writing is open and vulnerable and so very raw: I cried a lot, but I also laughed and was reminded that grief is a journey that never ends but shifts and morphs and should be tended to as long as is needed. It is a testament to the healing power of connection, and I’m so glad this book exists.
My more personal one: Everything above - PLUS - I've never experienced the pain of losing a full term child. But I can imagine it. I have imagined it over and over again. I've lost enough pregnancies that it feels embarassing to say the number, like people will think I'm a masochist. And during my last pregnancy, the second to give me a living child, I thought of her possibly impending death far too much. For months, I wouldn't let myself think of her as a baby, but rather another impending miscarriage. I didn't truly believe she'd live until I was holding her in my arms, and then, five days later, I thought of her death when we had to take her to the ER and a flurry of doctors and nurses surrounded her and I thought I would be going home without my child.
I thought of her death in the weeks or months after, when I was afraid to sleep because I feared I'd wake up to find her dead, when I was afraid to let my husband hold her, because what if he wasn't paying the close attention I did, and she died from positional asphixiation in her arms.
And so, when I was asked to read an advance copy of this book, debated, and then said yes, I wondered what I was doing. Many times as I read, and cried, I wondered why I kept turning the pages. But I persevered because I knew the author had lived through my worst nightmare, and then lived to write a book about it. Because I trusted if I made it to the end, rather than this book simply being a deptiction of my worst nightmare, it would be a depiction of continuing not despite of, but because of that deep loss, in honour of it. I continued because I imagined her writing about this would help other women who'd lived through that same nightmare, (or ones, like me, who'd come close), feel more seen, and by feeling seen, feel less alone, and I wanted to be a part of that. I'm so glad I continued. This is a beautiful book.
November 13, 2025
review to come 🐣
November 10, 2025
This book will never leave me - Mai Nguyen has a gift! This book is so heartbreaking and beautifully written. She does an amazing job discussing grief, loss, and finding joy again.
December 17, 2025
What a special book this was, one that had me wiping away tears during one chapter and cackling the next.
Cleo Dang recently suffers the shocking and sudden loss of her infant daughter, an event that tears a hole in the fabric of her life. To make matters more difficult, her lifelong best friend Paloma who’s walked through every stage of life with her, has just given birth to a healthy baby.
After her daughter’s death, Cleo becomes moored in grief, cycling in and out of periods of deep depression, emptiness and anger. She begins isolating and lashing out towards everyone in her life. She feverishly tries anything and everything to distract from her overwhelming grief and the growing lack of desire to live.
While making arrangements for her daughter’s funeral, Cleo is offered a job at the funeral home, and after some hesitation, accepts.
Throughout the rest of the book, we see Cleo embark on a healing journey. It’s realistic and nonlinear, and achingly visceral. Instead of seeing Cleo have a “gotcha” moment where she is suddenly mended, we see her learn to live with her grief.
An angle I particularly appreciated is the integration of Cleo’s identity as a Vietnamese-American woman. As a fellow VietAm woman, I understand the frustration of being raised in a culture that encourages us to just “move on” and suppress our pain.
This is a story that will stay with me forever, and I’ll absolutely be reading Mai’s Nguyen first book now.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
Cleo Dang recently suffers the shocking and sudden loss of her infant daughter, an event that tears a hole in the fabric of her life. To make matters more difficult, her lifelong best friend Paloma who’s walked through every stage of life with her, has just given birth to a healthy baby.
After her daughter’s death, Cleo becomes moored in grief, cycling in and out of periods of deep depression, emptiness and anger. She begins isolating and lashing out towards everyone in her life. She feverishly tries anything and everything to distract from her overwhelming grief and the growing lack of desire to live.
While making arrangements for her daughter’s funeral, Cleo is offered a job at the funeral home, and after some hesitation, accepts.
Throughout the rest of the book, we see Cleo embark on a healing journey. It’s realistic and nonlinear, and achingly visceral. Instead of seeing Cleo have a “gotcha” moment where she is suddenly mended, we see her learn to live with her grief.
An angle I particularly appreciated is the integration of Cleo’s identity as a Vietnamese-American woman. As a fellow VietAm woman, I understand the frustration of being raised in a culture that encourages us to just “move on” and suppress our pain.
This is a story that will stay with me forever, and I’ll absolutely be reading Mai’s Nguyen first book now.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 8, 2025
This book literally has it all. I laughed at the dark humor, frowned at the grief, and smiled at the strength of the main character Cleo. Such a clever plot! There are many beautiful takeaways in this story of how we handle grief and continue living. Cleo has to deal with her grief, her marriage, a job, and difficult relationships with others and it was fascinating to see how she navigated it all. This book definitely will tug at your heart in so many ways. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 26, 2025
There’s no mistaking that this book comes from the personal experiences of the author. It’s such a heavy topic and while the unbearable grief was obviously informed by reality, the humor had to have been, as well. I love books on grief, but I’ve never read one about the loss of an infant. It explores so many aspects of motherhood, family, loss, depression, and the grieving process. While there are certain parts unique to this experience, there are also musings on grief in general that anyone can relate to. I was drawn in by the fact that this was blurbed by Emily Austin and I can see similarities for sure. Super dark humor that ultimately lends itself to an empathetic portrayal of a struggling character. Overall, heavy subject matter handled with the weight it demands without sacrificing levity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2025
Thank you Simon and Schuster, Atria Books, and the author for the ARC copy of this novel.
This novel explores grief in such a raw and real way, that I almost felt as though I was living it. Mai Nguyen takes the reader though the wild ride of the hours after death, through the year of trying to learn how to live with it. I think one of the main things that have been imparted on me because of this novel, was that there is no right way to grieve and you shouldn't let others expectations on how you should grieve effect your processing.
This novel explores grief in such a raw and real way, that I almost felt as though I was living it. Mai Nguyen takes the reader though the wild ride of the hours after death, through the year of trying to learn how to live with it. I think one of the main things that have been imparted on me because of this novel, was that there is no right way to grieve and you shouldn't let others expectations on how you should grieve effect your processing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐
Want to read
June 29, 2025tbr note: I HAVE WAITED SO LONG FOR NEWS OF A NEW MAI NGUYEN NOVEL. I am beyond excited. Sunshine Nails was one of my favorite books of 2023. You KNOW I am preordering this so fast.
December 23, 2025
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead caught my attention by the title. When I was browsing NetGalley and saw this title and cover, I knew I had to read it so I was thrilled when my request was approved. I had not read Mai Nguyen's debut novel but knew it was well received.
This is not an easy book to read. The description alone should give any reader an idea what is to come. But very early on it was evident to me that Nguyen was intimately knowledgable with grief. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind.
There were times that I wanted to reach through the pages and shake Cleo and tell her not to do what she was doing. Nguyen drew me so deep in to the story that I felt like I knew Cleo and wanted to help her avoid what was to come.
I never dreamt that this book would make it on my Favorite Books of 2025 but it sure did. It is a raw honest dive in to grief.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is not an easy book to read. The description alone should give any reader an idea what is to come. But very early on it was evident to me that Nguyen was intimately knowledgable with grief. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind.
There were times that I wanted to reach through the pages and shake Cleo and tell her not to do what she was doing. Nguyen drew me so deep in to the story that I felt like I knew Cleo and wanted to help her avoid what was to come.
I never dreamt that this book would make it on my Favorite Books of 2025 but it sure did. It is a raw honest dive in to grief.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 13, 2026
This is my first 5-star read of 2026, and will absolutely be in my top 10 book list of 2026.
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is about the grief of losing a newborn baby. The mother, Cleo, eventually starts working at the funeral home she and her husband used for their daughter Daisy’s service. She mainly chooses this just to keep busy and occupy her mind, but she ends up discovering so much more than she would have ever thought possible.
In the author’s note, she explains that she lost her daughter in the same way, and wrote this book to channel her grief. It’s impossible for me to write a further review of this book without getting a little personal too.
I have lost a child, although he wasn’t a baby. He was 7. He was beautiful, smart, loving, funny, and empathetic.
Reading this story was a cathartic experience for me. I could relate to a lot of it, and the way the author described certain experiences or feelings made me wonder if she had somehow magically climbed into my head and camped out there for awhile. It made me revisit things I do my best to avoid but in a safe and comforting way. I added many lines to my Notes app where I keep a running list of quotes I never want to forget. I think this book is beneficial to anyone that’s grieving, but also for those who want to understand and support someone else that’s grieving.
I’ll be in a book hangover for awhile from this one. I can easily claim that Cleo is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever read in a book; I wanted to hug her big and assure her that everything will be ok. The writing is beautiful and heartfelt and real. I was hesitant to read this book because of what I’ve experienced, but I shouldn’t have been. And neither should you. Cleo and the rest of these unforgettable characters will take very good care of you.
I promise. ❤️
*Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced reader copy. This book hits shelves on April 14.
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is about the grief of losing a newborn baby. The mother, Cleo, eventually starts working at the funeral home she and her husband used for their daughter Daisy’s service. She mainly chooses this just to keep busy and occupy her mind, but she ends up discovering so much more than she would have ever thought possible.
In the author’s note, she explains that she lost her daughter in the same way, and wrote this book to channel her grief. It’s impossible for me to write a further review of this book without getting a little personal too.
I have lost a child, although he wasn’t a baby. He was 7. He was beautiful, smart, loving, funny, and empathetic.
Reading this story was a cathartic experience for me. I could relate to a lot of it, and the way the author described certain experiences or feelings made me wonder if she had somehow magically climbed into my head and camped out there for awhile. It made me revisit things I do my best to avoid but in a safe and comforting way. I added many lines to my Notes app where I keep a running list of quotes I never want to forget. I think this book is beneficial to anyone that’s grieving, but also for those who want to understand and support someone else that’s grieving.
I’ll be in a book hangover for awhile from this one. I can easily claim that Cleo is one of my favorite characters I’ve ever read in a book; I wanted to hug her big and assure her that everything will be ok. The writing is beautiful and heartfelt and real. I was hesitant to read this book because of what I’ve experienced, but I shouldn’t have been. And neither should you. Cleo and the rest of these unforgettable characters will take very good care of you.
I promise. ❤️
*Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced reader copy. This book hits shelves on April 14.
February 4, 2026
What a heartbreaking and raw, but absolutely beautiful book. I feel changed for the better, reading this. I don’t know if I can properly articulate its impact.
Death is complicated, but Mai wrote about it so eloquently. She didn’t shy away from the realities of death and its impact on the living: jobs, relationships, personalities. Mai’s writing style is engaging, relatable and humorous. It was refreshing to read a story that felt realistic and honest, even the messy parts. As much as this is a story about death, it’s also about healing and how you live with grief.
It was interesting to learn more about Vietnamese culture as it was scattered throughout the story; the ways culture shows up in grief.
Last thought - wow wow wow Palmoa is such an understanding friend. She held Cleo accountable when she needed it, but was soft when that was needed too.
I am so grateful to Atria books, who provided this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Death is complicated, but Mai wrote about it so eloquently. She didn’t shy away from the realities of death and its impact on the living: jobs, relationships, personalities. Mai’s writing style is engaging, relatable and humorous. It was refreshing to read a story that felt realistic and honest, even the messy parts. As much as this is a story about death, it’s also about healing and how you live with grief.
It was interesting to learn more about Vietnamese culture as it was scattered throughout the story; the ways culture shows up in grief.
Last thought - wow wow wow Palmoa is such an understanding friend. She held Cleo accountable when she needed it, but was soft when that was needed too.
I am so grateful to Atria books, who provided this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2025
I loved Sunshine Nails and I love Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead. I think I will read anything Mai Nguyen will write.
Cleo Dang is a brutally honest look at what it feels like to lose a baby. Sometimes there is humor when dealing with terrible things, looking at the absurd helps buffer the awfulness. This novel is heartbreaking, heartwarming, and most of all, sincere and completely candid. It packs a punch.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cleo Dang is a brutally honest look at what it feels like to lose a baby. Sometimes there is humor when dealing with terrible things, looking at the absurd helps buffer the awfulness. This novel is heartbreaking, heartwarming, and most of all, sincere and completely candid. It packs a punch.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
November 17, 2025
What an absolutely incredible novel on grief. Beautiful and devastating in equal measure. I had almost nothing in common with the main character, however those feelings of grief are so universal, and Nguyen put them into words in an absolutely magnificent way. With so much care and love.
Thank you to net galley and the publishers for the e-arc. Checking her previous book out of the library ASAP.
Thank you to net galley and the publishers for the e-arc. Checking her previous book out of the library ASAP.
Want to read
October 25, 2025A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This story resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced loss, leaving a mark on my heart.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
review to come
November 15, 2025
This is an excruciating read. The author honors her dead child by sharing her grief but it's a painful read. I didn't find any "dark humor" and just wanted to finish it to honor her too.
November 30, 2025
5 stars
See the image of the woman on the cover laid out like she's gone to another time and space and is living in an alternate reality? That's how I felt the entire time I read this devastating gem of a book, and I expect most readers will have a similar, life altering experience. Before I go any further, a note on those prospective readers. This entire book centers on loss: specifically, the loss of a very young child. If you are not in a space to read about this for any reason, stay away. If you can, this book will take you on an emotional roller coaster that you'll be glad you rode. To go a little deeper, I am very intentionally child free and now am at the stage of life where that's getting close to a permanent decision biologically, too, and I couldn't be happier with my choices. With this as my personal background, I still found this book totally devastating. There's some added context.
Cleo Dang gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Daisy, and Daisy almost immediately dies. They know as soon as she's born that she won't make it, and when we meet Cleo, she and her husband are already at Daisy's funeral, which has been fully orchestrated by Cleo's best friend, Paloma. Now these two women have done everything together, including ultimately going into labor at the same time. Imagine that you have lost your child, and your best friend and neighbor is just feet away with her living child, who is exactly the same age. This is just some of what Cleo has to face.
In Cleo's attempt to survive this horrifying situation, she makes a lot of wild moves and bonkers choices, and no one blames her at all - not REALLY. One of the most fascinating moves she makes is to accept a position at the funeral home where her daughter was cared for. In doing so, she meets a series of coworkers who - like her - are also particularly empathetic; they've all experienced loss. She uses this new role, along with many other strategies, to move along. She knows she's not getting over what's happened, but she does start to see a way forward, and readers do, too.
This book is so incredibly sad, not just because of Daisy's death but, much more importantly, because of what happens to Cleo as a result and the ensuing conversations about grief that happen not just with her but with many other characters. It's fascinating to watch how people interact, respond, and try to grapple with the unimaginable, especially when Cleo is living 'the unimaginable.'
But more than being sad, this book is wildly moving. Though I do not have children, I have experienced loss, and I know that the longer I'm around, the more of that I'll encounter. I learned a lot from this book not only about myself but about others' processes, and I am very appreciative of this.
Do not miss the author's note. It won't surprise you, but it will pop a bow on what is already a beautiful gift.
I loved this, though I never want to read it again. I will look forward to much more from this author.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
See the image of the woman on the cover laid out like she's gone to another time and space and is living in an alternate reality? That's how I felt the entire time I read this devastating gem of a book, and I expect most readers will have a similar, life altering experience. Before I go any further, a note on those prospective readers. This entire book centers on loss: specifically, the loss of a very young child. If you are not in a space to read about this for any reason, stay away. If you can, this book will take you on an emotional roller coaster that you'll be glad you rode. To go a little deeper, I am very intentionally child free and now am at the stage of life where that's getting close to a permanent decision biologically, too, and I couldn't be happier with my choices. With this as my personal background, I still found this book totally devastating. There's some added context.
Cleo Dang gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Daisy, and Daisy almost immediately dies. They know as soon as she's born that she won't make it, and when we meet Cleo, she and her husband are already at Daisy's funeral, which has been fully orchestrated by Cleo's best friend, Paloma. Now these two women have done everything together, including ultimately going into labor at the same time. Imagine that you have lost your child, and your best friend and neighbor is just feet away with her living child, who is exactly the same age. This is just some of what Cleo has to face.
In Cleo's attempt to survive this horrifying situation, she makes a lot of wild moves and bonkers choices, and no one blames her at all - not REALLY. One of the most fascinating moves she makes is to accept a position at the funeral home where her daughter was cared for. In doing so, she meets a series of coworkers who - like her - are also particularly empathetic; they've all experienced loss. She uses this new role, along with many other strategies, to move along. She knows she's not getting over what's happened, but she does start to see a way forward, and readers do, too.
This book is so incredibly sad, not just because of Daisy's death but, much more importantly, because of what happens to Cleo as a result and the ensuing conversations about grief that happen not just with her but with many other characters. It's fascinating to watch how people interact, respond, and try to grapple with the unimaginable, especially when Cleo is living 'the unimaginable.'
But more than being sad, this book is wildly moving. Though I do not have children, I have experienced loss, and I know that the longer I'm around, the more of that I'll encounter. I learned a lot from this book not only about myself but about others' processes, and I am very appreciative of this.
Do not miss the author's note. It won't surprise you, but it will pop a bow on what is already a beautiful gift.
I loved this, though I never want to read it again. I will look forward to much more from this author.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
November 19, 2025
I knew immediately that this novel came torn from the broken heart of a woman who had lost a child. This is not something you can write about if you have not experienced this worst of all possible losses. we, my husband, son and I experienced the death of our 24 year old daught5er in a tragic accident. You go back and back to how it could have been made not to have happened, yet the outcome is unchanged and recovery and normalcy seem impossible.
Cleo is a Vietnamese woman, married to a Japanese doctor whose newborn baby does not survive. With real emotion and humor (yes, if you can believe that) the author relives the first year following the death of this beautiful baby girl. Mai Nguyen writes the intense reality of grief, strange behaviors and the slow moving on from unimaginable loss. As some have said, you get used to it, but you never get over it.
If you can hang in there despite the subject matter, you will be rewarded by a rare experience: That of climbing into another person's mind and experience to come to the end with a sigh of hopefulness that this beautiful writing was worth your reading. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. The opinions are my own.
I knew immediately that this novel came torn from the broken heart of a woman who had lost a child. This is not something you can write about if you have not experienced this worst of all possible losses. we, my husband, son and I experienced the death of our 24 year old daught5er in a tragic accident. You go back and back to how it could have been made not to have happened, yet the outcome is unchanged and recovery and normalcy seem impossible.
Cleo is a Vietnamese woman, married to a Japanese doctor whose newborn baby does not survive. With real emotion and humor (yes, if you can believe that) the author relives the first year following the death of this beautiful baby girl. Mai Nguyen writes the intense reality of grief, strange behaviors and the slow moving on from unimaginable loss. As some have said, you get used to it, but you never get over it.
If you can hang in there despite the subject matter, you will be rewarded by a rare experience: That of climbing into another person's mind and experience to come to the end with a sigh of hopefulness that this beautiful writing was worth your reading. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. The opinions are my own.
Cleo is a Vietnamese woman, married to a Japanese doctor whose newborn baby does not survive. With real emotion and humor (yes, if you can believe that) the author relives the first year following the death of this beautiful baby girl. Mai Nguyen writes the intense reality of grief, strange behaviors and the slow moving on from unimaginable loss. As some have said, you get used to it, but you never get over it.
If you can hang in there despite the subject matter, you will be rewarded by a rare experience: That of climbing into another person's mind and experience to come to the end with a sigh of hopefulness that this beautiful writing was worth your reading. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. The opinions are my own.
I knew immediately that this novel came torn from the broken heart of a woman who had lost a child. This is not something you can write about if you have not experienced this worst of all possible losses. we, my husband, son and I experienced the death of our 24 year old daught5er in a tragic accident. You go back and back to how it could have been made not to have happened, yet the outcome is unchanged and recovery and normalcy seem impossible.
Cleo is a Vietnamese woman, married to a Japanese doctor whose newborn baby does not survive. With real emotion and humor (yes, if you can believe that) the author relives the first year following the death of this beautiful baby girl. Mai Nguyen writes the intense reality of grief, strange behaviors and the slow moving on from unimaginable loss. As some have said, you get used to it, but you never get over it.
If you can hang in there despite the subject matter, you will be rewarded by a rare experience: That of climbing into another person's mind and experience to come to the end with a sigh of hopefulness that this beautiful writing was worth your reading. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. The opinions are my own.
October 22, 2025
4.5 stars! Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead combined witty writing and dark humor with a ridiculously raw, emotion evoking story for mother's who have experienced the loss of a child. When picking up this read, I did not realize the emotional impact it would have on me as a reader, even without experiencing what Cleo, the main character, did.
This plot was realistically heartbreaking, and that's what will make it stick in all of its readers' minds for eternity. Writing a book of this capacity is no easy feat. The whole time I was thinking, "Wow, it seems as if Mai Nguyen did her research on this topic and truly realizes the levels of grief that come with this experience, including the people surrounding them." Only for the author's note at the end to completely rip my heart apart that she experienced the loss of a child, and it all clicked how this story reached the potential that it did.
Mai Nguyen not only represented the main character in an amazing way, but every single character was done and acted in the ways that I could actually imagine them to. I loved how we got to hear every single character's experiences with loss and grief, even when it was unexpected. Not only this, but the way that Cleo's partner, Ethan, dealt with her was so accurate and sweet. Cleo was having a breakdown (as she should), but she was going completely off the walls. At first, you expect Ethan to react in a negative way. Instead, he shows calmness and compassion, bringing Cleo to an environment that would release tension between them. This showed the beauty of having someone to rely on.
Another aspect that was done well was the portrayal of grief overall. I liked how it should the fluidity of grief. Cleo is okay one second and not the other. We also are able to see how this affects her day-to-day activities, since grief does not stop for anybody.
The character development was amazing. We see the growth not only through the writing, but we got snippets of journal entries. Slowly over time, we start to see the changes in the journal entries and Cleo.
The ending gives a sense of hope. Not only for Cleo, but for all of the readers that can relate to this story.
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, & Mai Nguyen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is released on April 14, 2026!
This plot was realistically heartbreaking, and that's what will make it stick in all of its readers' minds for eternity. Writing a book of this capacity is no easy feat. The whole time I was thinking, "Wow, it seems as if Mai Nguyen did her research on this topic and truly realizes the levels of grief that come with this experience, including the people surrounding them." Only for the author's note at the end to completely rip my heart apart that she experienced the loss of a child, and it all clicked how this story reached the potential that it did.
Mai Nguyen not only represented the main character in an amazing way, but every single character was done and acted in the ways that I could actually imagine them to. I loved how we got to hear every single character's experiences with loss and grief, even when it was unexpected. Not only this, but the way that Cleo's partner, Ethan, dealt with her was so accurate and sweet. Cleo was having a breakdown (as she should), but she was going completely off the walls. At first, you expect Ethan to react in a negative way. Instead, he shows calmness and compassion, bringing Cleo to an environment that would release tension between them. This showed the beauty of having someone to rely on.
Another aspect that was done well was the portrayal of grief overall. I liked how it should the fluidity of grief. Cleo is okay one second and not the other. We also are able to see how this affects her day-to-day activities, since grief does not stop for anybody.
The character development was amazing. We see the growth not only through the writing, but we got snippets of journal entries. Slowly over time, we start to see the changes in the journal entries and Cleo.
The ending gives a sense of hope. Not only for Cleo, but for all of the readers that can relate to this story.
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, & Mai Nguyen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is released on April 14, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received this book via a Goodreads Giveaway.
It is a book about losing a baby, but could be about losing anyone…in any way. Your emotions will be rocked reading it, but it is beautifully written.
“Go ahead and cry, … It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s the mightiest display of courage there is.”
“Everybody thinks grief makes you a monster, but it’s my belief that grief makes you more human. It can be, in a way, a sort of gift.”
“I like to think crying is our final expression of love and one should never suppress that love.”
“The worst kind of loss is always your own.”
“Our relationship to God should not be transactional. We do not do good by each other with the expectation that God will recites with a long life.”
“So, if you are still wondering if this is God’s plan, the answer is God always has a plan. And we must trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“to experience bereavement is to have something violently stolen from you”
“PGD. Prolonged Grief Disorder.”
“Life is an endless seesaw of things being terrible and things being wonderful. That pain you talk of, I like to believe it is a by-product of love. And look at all the things we gain from love. Laughter, security, comfort, joy.”
“Goodbyes are only for those that love with their eyes. Because for those who live with their heart and sole there is no such thing as seperation”
“Sometimes we break our own hearts more fiercely than anyone else’s.”
“If you keep wallowing like this, you’ll turn your sadness into a sickness that you’ll never recover from.”
“the more you drag the past to the present, the less at peace you will be.”
“Sometimes it’s the people closet to us that understand the least.”
“If you want to ensure a life of little pain, then it might be wise to keep to yourself, not attach yourself to anything too much, keep the people in your life at a distance. To love anything is to jump on a speeding train to heartbreak.”
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
“What gives somebody the ability to get over tragedies? … People. Community. Nobody can get out of a pit by themselves, particularly if it’s a deep, cavernous one. We depend on one another, like it or not.”
“Grief is a beast, but I promise you you can handle it.”
“If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that living is hard.”
It is a book about losing a baby, but could be about losing anyone…in any way. Your emotions will be rocked reading it, but it is beautifully written.
“Go ahead and cry, … It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s the mightiest display of courage there is.”
“Everybody thinks grief makes you a monster, but it’s my belief that grief makes you more human. It can be, in a way, a sort of gift.”
“I like to think crying is our final expression of love and one should never suppress that love.”
“The worst kind of loss is always your own.”
“Our relationship to God should not be transactional. We do not do good by each other with the expectation that God will recites with a long life.”
“So, if you are still wondering if this is God’s plan, the answer is God always has a plan. And we must trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“to experience bereavement is to have something violently stolen from you”
“PGD. Prolonged Grief Disorder.”
“Life is an endless seesaw of things being terrible and things being wonderful. That pain you talk of, I like to believe it is a by-product of love. And look at all the things we gain from love. Laughter, security, comfort, joy.”
“Goodbyes are only for those that love with their eyes. Because for those who live with their heart and sole there is no such thing as seperation”
“Sometimes we break our own hearts more fiercely than anyone else’s.”
“If you keep wallowing like this, you’ll turn your sadness into a sickness that you’ll never recover from.”
“the more you drag the past to the present, the less at peace you will be.”
“Sometimes it’s the people closet to us that understand the least.”
“If you want to ensure a life of little pain, then it might be wise to keep to yourself, not attach yourself to anything too much, keep the people in your life at a distance. To love anything is to jump on a speeding train to heartbreak.”
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
“What gives somebody the ability to get over tragedies? … People. Community. Nobody can get out of a pit by themselves, particularly if it’s a deep, cavernous one. We depend on one another, like it or not.”
“Grief is a beast, but I promise you you can handle it.”
“If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that living is hard.”
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Ghosts the Living Inherit
How did the book make me feel/think?
A recurring question surfaced while reading: What happens after you die?
Cleo Dang searches for an acceptable answer. I found myself doing the same.
Real Life: December 2025.
A friend’s mother dies. Another loses his grandmother. An acquaintance dies—not a particularly good person, but human, nonetheless.
An epiphany: those we lose haunt the living. The good and the bad. Death resurrects unresolved issues. Old relationships return uninvited, carrying unfinished conversations, buried hurts, and emotional debris we thought time had swept away. A lifetime of losses can arrive all at once.
Personal: A Memorial.
Grief storms back. The gathering becomes less about the person who died and more about the people still here—what was lost between us, what can no longer be repaired. We soften the bad and elevate the good, not out of dishonesty, but survival. Life is hard. Sometimes it’s easier—healthier—to grieve privately. There is no clock on grief. No correct posture. If the person we lost wasn’t a saint—because nobody is—that’s allowed too. We’re permitted to wash away the baggage they leave behind so it doesn’t follow us forever.
I think when someone dies, the only way to survive the onslaught of pain is through small, personal threads of comedy—tiny salves that make endurance possible.
Mai Nguyen takes an unfathomable premise—the loss of a newborn child—and renders it survivable by weaving humour into every page. Not to diminish grief, but to make space for breathing.
This is a book about the deeply personal nature of grief and how we find a way forward without pretending we’re healed.
Once, a doctor told me about a patient who asked if she had to take her medication for the rest of her life. He replied, “You can stop the week before you die.”
This weekend, I’ll attend another memorial. I hope I can survive the ghosts it resurrects. I feel guilty for my feelings—but there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
There is no timeline.
There is only grief.
WRITTEN: 28 January 2026
How did the book make me feel/think?
A recurring question surfaced while reading: What happens after you die?
Cleo Dang searches for an acceptable answer. I found myself doing the same.
Real Life: December 2025.
A friend’s mother dies. Another loses his grandmother. An acquaintance dies—not a particularly good person, but human, nonetheless.
An epiphany: those we lose haunt the living. The good and the bad. Death resurrects unresolved issues. Old relationships return uninvited, carrying unfinished conversations, buried hurts, and emotional debris we thought time had swept away. A lifetime of losses can arrive all at once.
Personal: A Memorial.
Grief storms back. The gathering becomes less about the person who died and more about the people still here—what was lost between us, what can no longer be repaired. We soften the bad and elevate the good, not out of dishonesty, but survival. Life is hard. Sometimes it’s easier—healthier—to grieve privately. There is no clock on grief. No correct posture. If the person we lost wasn’t a saint—because nobody is—that’s allowed too. We’re permitted to wash away the baggage they leave behind so it doesn’t follow us forever.
I think when someone dies, the only way to survive the onslaught of pain is through small, personal threads of comedy—tiny salves that make endurance possible.
Mai Nguyen takes an unfathomable premise—the loss of a newborn child—and renders it survivable by weaving humour into every page. Not to diminish grief, but to make space for breathing.
This is a book about the deeply personal nature of grief and how we find a way forward without pretending we’re healed.
Once, a doctor told me about a patient who asked if she had to take her medication for the rest of her life. He replied, “You can stop the week before you die.”
This weekend, I’ll attend another memorial. I hope I can survive the ghosts it resurrects. I feel guilty for my feelings—but there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
There is no timeline.
There is only grief.
WRITTEN: 28 January 2026
November 8, 2025
📚Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
✍🏻Mai Nguyen
Blurb:
A darkly humorous yet uplifting novel about a grieving mother who starts working at a funeral home and discovers that the best way to honor the dead is to live—from the author of the “insightful, moving” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author) Sunshine Nails.
All Cleo Dang has ever wanted was to be a mother. The day she discovers she’s pregnant is the happiest of her life, especially when she learns that her best friend, Paloma, is also expecting. It’s a wonderful surprise and together, they enjoy their pregnancies. But when they both go to the hospital in labor, something goes very, very wrong. Paloma comes home with a baby. Cleo does not.
Now a grieving Cleo must navigate life after losing her baby. She alienates herself from the world, especially her best friend who is living the life she so desperately wanted. Forced to quit her demanding job as an actuary, Cleo manages to find a job at a funeral home where she meets a revolving door of bereaved locals and discovers the power of confronting grief.
My Thoughts:
It beautifully in a somewhat strange way explores grief and the graph of learning to live with the kind of loss that feels all-consuming. I myself have never experienced such a loss but I have a family member and friends who have experienced this loss. They continue to grief.
There are many beautiful takeaways in this story of how we handle grief and continue living. Cleo has to deal with her grief, her marriage, a job, and difficult relationships with others and it was fascinating to see how she navigated it all. The book is heartbreaking. I read this in two settings, would have been one but I fell asleep. I recommend this book.
Thanks NetGalley, Simon&Schuster and Author Mai Nguyen for the complimentary copy of "Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Simon&Schuster
#CleoDangWouldRatherBeDead
#MaiNguyen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Mai Nguyen
Blurb:
A darkly humorous yet uplifting novel about a grieving mother who starts working at a funeral home and discovers that the best way to honor the dead is to live—from the author of the “insightful, moving” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author) Sunshine Nails.
All Cleo Dang has ever wanted was to be a mother. The day she discovers she’s pregnant is the happiest of her life, especially when she learns that her best friend, Paloma, is also expecting. It’s a wonderful surprise and together, they enjoy their pregnancies. But when they both go to the hospital in labor, something goes very, very wrong. Paloma comes home with a baby. Cleo does not.
Now a grieving Cleo must navigate life after losing her baby. She alienates herself from the world, especially her best friend who is living the life she so desperately wanted. Forced to quit her demanding job as an actuary, Cleo manages to find a job at a funeral home where she meets a revolving door of bereaved locals and discovers the power of confronting grief.
My Thoughts:
It beautifully in a somewhat strange way explores grief and the graph of learning to live with the kind of loss that feels all-consuming. I myself have never experienced such a loss but I have a family member and friends who have experienced this loss. They continue to grief.
There are many beautiful takeaways in this story of how we handle grief and continue living. Cleo has to deal with her grief, her marriage, a job, and difficult relationships with others and it was fascinating to see how she navigated it all. The book is heartbreaking. I read this in two settings, would have been one but I fell asleep. I recommend this book.
Thanks NetGalley, Simon&Schuster and Author Mai Nguyen for the complimentary copy of "Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Simon&Schuster
#CleoDangWouldRatherBeDead
#MaiNguyen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 30, 2026
Read with the caveat that this can either be the most cathartic thing you've ever read or the most triggering thing you've ever read.
I am reviewing as a person who has never been pregnant, lost a child, or experienced overwhelming grief. Yet I was choked up the entire time reading Cleo Dang. This raw, gut-wrenching portrayal of grief and a mother's love ripped my heart to shreds and had me highlighting countless lines. Every page, every sentence dripped with a magnitude of grief unthinkable (yet, as the book points out in the latter half, unfortunately too common). It takes Cleo a long time to start attempting healthy coping mechanisms, and her journey to that point is devastating. Yet each side character is interesting and complex, each on their own path. The prose itself is perfect and poignant, and most importantly, you can feel Nguyen's love of her daughter Gemma in every word. In some ways I wish the author's note was at the beginning (beyond just the dedication to Gemma) so I could pay Gemma the best respect I could.
Again, PLEASE take care of your heart. This book has the potential to be healing for those grieving, but the long stretch of unhealthy things that Cleo does sometimes reads like a blueprint. I would consider reading with someone who can remind you that you are not alone, your relationship with grief is valid no matter where you are, and you are better living for your loved one than dying because of them. Because, as Nguyen writes so eloquently, "Nobody can get out of a pit by themselves, particularly if it's a deep, cavernous one. We depend on one another, like it or not."
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest reviews.
I am reviewing as a person who has never been pregnant, lost a child, or experienced overwhelming grief. Yet I was choked up the entire time reading Cleo Dang. This raw, gut-wrenching portrayal of grief and a mother's love ripped my heart to shreds and had me highlighting countless lines. Every page, every sentence dripped with a magnitude of grief unthinkable (yet, as the book points out in the latter half, unfortunately too common). It takes Cleo a long time to start attempting healthy coping mechanisms, and her journey to that point is devastating. Yet each side character is interesting and complex, each on their own path. The prose itself is perfect and poignant, and most importantly, you can feel Nguyen's love of her daughter Gemma in every word. In some ways I wish the author's note was at the beginning (beyond just the dedication to Gemma) so I could pay Gemma the best respect I could.
Again, PLEASE take care of your heart. This book has the potential to be healing for those grieving, but the long stretch of unhealthy things that Cleo does sometimes reads like a blueprint. I would consider reading with someone who can remind you that you are not alone, your relationship with grief is valid no matter where you are, and you are better living for your loved one than dying because of them. Because, as Nguyen writes so eloquently, "Nobody can get out of a pit by themselves, particularly if it's a deep, cavernous one. We depend on one another, like it or not."
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest reviews.
December 6, 2025
Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen is an incredibly emotional story about the loss of a child. Cleo and Ethan live in Toronto, she is an actuary and he is an anesthesiologist. Cleo’s best friend Paloma lives down the street. Both women get pregnant at the same time with their firsts, and have plans for the kids to be as best of friends as they are. They go into labor at the same time. They are in side by side hospital rooms for the births. Unfortunately, Cleo’s daughter Daisy is born with a fatal brain disease and doesn’t make it home.
The story that follows is the grief Cleo, Ethan and their friends and family work through with the loss of Daisy. Cleo ends up leaving her actuary job and working in a funeral home of all places. She falls apart in her grief and it’s a slow hard road to get back up again. We see the nitty gritty grief, the hope for the future, and the strength of love, family and friendships. The final chapter will have readers in tears. Nguyen’s writing feels so real and her characters so vivid.
I would not call this humorous because it is really really sad, but many characters have some quirky unpredictable moments that lighten up the mood throughout the telling.
I also really enjoyed the additions of Vietnamese culture that Cleo’s parents bring to the story-superstitions, food and approaches to life. Seeing how all the different characters in this book faced grief in their own ways was realistic and a good reminder that people handle grief differently. The author’s note at the end broke my heart just a bit as did this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for my ARC.
The story that follows is the grief Cleo, Ethan and their friends and family work through with the loss of Daisy. Cleo ends up leaving her actuary job and working in a funeral home of all places. She falls apart in her grief and it’s a slow hard road to get back up again. We see the nitty gritty grief, the hope for the future, and the strength of love, family and friendships. The final chapter will have readers in tears. Nguyen’s writing feels so real and her characters so vivid.
I would not call this humorous because it is really really sad, but many characters have some quirky unpredictable moments that lighten up the mood throughout the telling.
I also really enjoyed the additions of Vietnamese culture that Cleo’s parents bring to the story-superstitions, food and approaches to life. Seeing how all the different characters in this book faced grief in their own ways was realistic and a good reminder that people handle grief differently. The author’s note at the end broke my heart just a bit as did this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for my ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
[ 4.5/5 stars ]
Cleo Dang and Paloma are best friends who got pregnant at the same time. But when they go to the hospital in labor, Paloma comes home with a baby. And Cleo does not.
The story follows a grieving mother trying to make sense of life after losing her baby. Nguyen dissects the complexity of grief - the way grieving feels different for each person, that there's not a right or wrong way, that grief is not linear and might not have an end. Cleo is a very real person, whose satirical thoughts can be humorous if not tragic, whose complaints can initially feel annoying but are deeper and relatable signs of mental health.
Grieving is mostly unreasonable and this story is laden with profound emotions. There are hard yet necessary truths to swallow, making this journey dramatic while one get enraged at the insensitive (yet real) comments, sorrowful and devastating as one navigates through Cleo's monologues while she often enjoys being miserable. Nguyen touches on the intersection between grief, suffering and the passage of time, allowing a distinct look on death and mourning. In the process of 'healing', the exposition of friendship feels genuine and can easily move one.
The emotions (especially the heartfelt conversations) are beautifully orchestrated and it is what makes this book a solid and tenderhearted story. Based on the author's personal experiences, one will need a handkerchief while reading CLEO DANG WOULD RATHER BE DEAD.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Atria books . All thoughts are my own ]
Cleo Dang and Paloma are best friends who got pregnant at the same time. But when they go to the hospital in labor, Paloma comes home with a baby. And Cleo does not.
The story follows a grieving mother trying to make sense of life after losing her baby. Nguyen dissects the complexity of grief - the way grieving feels different for each person, that there's not a right or wrong way, that grief is not linear and might not have an end. Cleo is a very real person, whose satirical thoughts can be humorous if not tragic, whose complaints can initially feel annoying but are deeper and relatable signs of mental health.
Grieving is mostly unreasonable and this story is laden with profound emotions. There are hard yet necessary truths to swallow, making this journey dramatic while one get enraged at the insensitive (yet real) comments, sorrowful and devastating as one navigates through Cleo's monologues while she often enjoys being miserable. Nguyen touches on the intersection between grief, suffering and the passage of time, allowing a distinct look on death and mourning. In the process of 'healing', the exposition of friendship feels genuine and can easily move one.
The emotions (especially the heartfelt conversations) are beautifully orchestrated and it is what makes this book a solid and tenderhearted story. Based on the author's personal experiences, one will need a handkerchief while reading CLEO DANG WOULD RATHER BE DEAD.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Atria books . All thoughts are my own ]
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