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Posthumously Yours
Not yet published
Expected 25 Mar 26According to Charlie Braun’s mother, he’s been trying to make his exit from the world since the day he was born—with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Charlie and Mel have spent their lives together bickering, Scrabbling, and discussing almost everything. Now that she’s passed on to the next life, he feels free, completely free, for the first time. He checks himself into Life Support Systems, LLC, for an “unspecified chronic malady” and prepares for his own final exit.
Yet others don’t want to let him go, or do they? When Charlie strikes up a quick friendship with Maeve, the brash representative from the suicide hotline, he wonders about her motivations. His neighbor, Grace, in addition to making surprising sexual advances, dishes out uninvited advice about having gumption and navigating life’s detours. And although Charlie never wavers in his desire to punch his ticket for the afterworld, he wonders about his ability to make good on this long-standing promise to himself.
Posthumously Yours is a novel by an anonymous author, a final missive, an explanation, an exploration of one man’s experience of the world. With acerbic wit and an intuitive, infectious, and disarmingly humorous voice, Charles D. Braun has written a stunning testament to a life less lived that will have every reader contemplating the biggest questions we have as humans and the author’s insistence on living (and dying) under his own terms.
"A sharp, witty, and deeply moving novel that explores life, death, and the complicated space in between with remarkable honesty. I was immediately drawn in by Charlie’s voice, which balances humor and vulnerability in a way that feels both raw and unforgettable. The characters surrounding him add warmth and unpredictability, making the story feel alive even as it contemplates mortality. I truly enjoyed this book and found it thought provoking and beautifully written." - Jessica, Netgalley reviewer
A portion of the proceeds for this novel will be donated to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (afsp.org). Are you in a crisis? Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741
Yet others don’t want to let him go, or do they? When Charlie strikes up a quick friendship with Maeve, the brash representative from the suicide hotline, he wonders about her motivations. His neighbor, Grace, in addition to making surprising sexual advances, dishes out uninvited advice about having gumption and navigating life’s detours. And although Charlie never wavers in his desire to punch his ticket for the afterworld, he wonders about his ability to make good on this long-standing promise to himself.
Posthumously Yours is a novel by an anonymous author, a final missive, an explanation, an exploration of one man’s experience of the world. With acerbic wit and an intuitive, infectious, and disarmingly humorous voice, Charles D. Braun has written a stunning testament to a life less lived that will have every reader contemplating the biggest questions we have as humans and the author’s insistence on living (and dying) under his own terms.
"A sharp, witty, and deeply moving novel that explores life, death, and the complicated space in between with remarkable honesty. I was immediately drawn in by Charlie’s voice, which balances humor and vulnerability in a way that feels both raw and unforgettable. The characters surrounding him add warmth and unpredictability, making the story feel alive even as it contemplates mortality. I truly enjoyed this book and found it thought provoking and beautifully written." - Jessica, Netgalley reviewer
A portion of the proceeds for this novel will be donated to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (afsp.org). Are you in a crisis? Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741
- GenresMental HealthFiction
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 25, 2026
6 people are currently reading
4232 people want to read
About the author
Charles D. Braun
1 book12 followersCharles D. Braun is the pseudonym of the author who, in six decades of life, never read a word of Shakespeare, watched Casablanca, Star Wars, or porn, bought a lottery ticket, pulled an all-nighter or experienced a hangover, owned a pet (or even a plant), or wrote a love letter… and whose final act was to leave his novel in trusted hands for publication.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 29, 2025
Charles D. Braun has been thinking of his death since he was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Now at the age of sixty, he and his eighty-something mother are still attached; living together in a codependent and weird relationship consisting of daily therapy sessions and games of Scrabble. When she dies, Charles thinks there is no reason to stick around. Misunderstanding the purpose of a suicide helpline, he calls and speaks to Maeve, looking for advice on suicide. When Charles moves into hospice with an “unspecified chronic malady”, Maeve visits him every day where they discusses his life and the reasons why suicide is (or isn’t) his next, logical step.
This is not a sad book. It is a delightful mixture of satire, black comedy, philosophy, and literature. I liked this book. It’s a good idea to read this book with an open mind.
I would like to thank Type Eighteen Books and Libraything for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
This is not a sad book. It is a delightful mixture of satire, black comedy, philosophy, and literature. I liked this book. It’s a good idea to read this book with an open mind.
I would like to thank Type Eighteen Books and Libraything for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
October 16, 2025
Charlie Braun hasn't really lived a life and now in his sixties, he's ready for that life to end. With the loss of his mother, he feels free of the relationship and obligation that has bound him to life. I greatly enjoyed his conversations with Maeve as she toed the line of being just a listening ear and a friend. Posthumoursly Yours addresses such complex themes with humour and wit while still giving those themes the seriousiness that they deserve. I really enjoyed reading this novel and know that I will continue to ponder the thoughts I've been left with.
Thank you Goodreads, Type Eighteen Books, and NetGallery for the e-ARC.
Thank you Goodreads, Type Eighteen Books, and NetGallery for the e-ARC.
November 24, 2025
This novel is pitched as the memoir of Charles Braun, a man in his early sixties who, having just lost his elderly mother, realises that his life is so empty he wants it to end. Charles has, quite literally, never done anything. Across seven decades he has contrived to avoid experiencing anything of note. He isn’t merely bored with life, he knows he is thoroughly boring.
Let me start by saying that I don’t buy into the idea that this is genuinely the memoir of a man who has taken his own life. It’s clearly a literary device. If I’m wrong and my comments below appear disrespectful to the departed, then so be it.
I can’t offer more than a three-star review for Posthumously Yours. Yes, it was readable, sometimes clever, and I never wished to abandon it. But I didn’t like it, and I certainly didn’t find the subject matter deep or meaningful.
The writing is skilful, although the regular deployment of long, showy words comes across as a bit smug and self-satisfied. Without a shred of irony, the text even references “logorrhoea”—something you could very fairly accuse Mr Braun of. The prose isn’t what lets the book down, though; it’s the character. I simply didn’t like him. What bothered me most was the way he goes about deciding whether to end his life. Braun concludes that he probably wants to kill himself and, having made that decision, checks himself into a hospice… and then carries on living there. He doesn’t notice anything about the other people in the hospice, paying no attention to the end of their lives. They are non-characters apart from the fact that they dislike him ordering in pizzas with garlic toppings. He isn’t mentally unstable, suffering, or even mildly depressed. He’s just bored. His worldview, anecdotes, humour, and even his despair have a relentless sameness. He doesn’t grow and never reveals hidden depths. That may be true to his psychological profile, but it makes for a static, airless reading experience. To be honest, I thought he was just a prick and wished he’d get on and do it.
Just as Braun is boring, so too are big chunks of the plot, and I found myself skimming. There’s a chapter that opens with him and his mother discussing, at numbing length, the relationship dynamics of neighbours who’ve moved from California to supremely dull Springfield. I had no interest in whether Mitchell was a househusband or a furniture-maker who only crafted furniture for his own home. There are numerous such anecdotes: Braun having a nightmare and firing an airgun into the sky, a visit to an orthodontist, staking out farmland for days to see if it might be developed. None of them go anywhere. They exist solely to underscore, again and again and again and again, how mind-numbingly boring the character is.
It’s also worth noting that the novel entirely fails to account for the stark difference between North American and UK hospice provision. Here in the UK, hospice places are rarer and more precious than gold dust. People who desperately need them often can’t get them, and thousands die horribly at home or in hospital. The idea that this ridiculous man can simply decide to go and live in one—presumably paying, as Americans seem to be able to do for anything—is frankly offensive to someone in the UK. Even in an American context, the notion that a healthy man could settle into a hospice as a lifestyle choice feels jarring and artificial. It offers an enclosed, convenient setting for the story, but it’s not remotely believable.
There is a lot of humour in this book, which is true to life (or death) for people contemplating their end. At times it is satirical and sharp. At other times it is puerile schoolboy stuff - for example playing ‘dirty’ words in Scrabble, the incident at the baseball stadium (which is peculiarly told from outside Braun’s perspective when no other part of the book deviates in this way) and the long running gag about the Tampax factory.
The supporting characters—Maeve, Vic, and the hospice chaplain—are far too patient and generous with him. Professional kindness would only go so far. In reality, any counsellor, nurse, or friend confronted with a perfectly healthy man behaving so pathetically selfishly, insensitively, and demandingly would eventually speak plainly, give him a shake, and tell him to get out there and do something instead of wallowing in his own self-loathing. No, that’s not fair. He doesn’t even have enough spark to loathe himself.
About three quarters of the way through the book changed direction abruptly, almost as if the author had become bored with what they were doing. Suddenly Braun was dead and we were getting input from other people discussing the circumstances of his death. Which rather violated the concept that as a reader as I was reading the autobiography of Braun, explaining why his meaningless life led him to do what he did. It was very confusing. The ending section was uninteresting and unenjoyable. I felt cheated that having invested time in a particular story, it was taken away and turned into a clumsy attempt to explain how things ended.
Some readers who enjoy dark humour about self-annihilation (normally, I’d say that includes me) or who love deep character studies may find Posthumously Yours intriguing. But for many readers. especially anyone who has supported a loved one through end-of-life care, or watched someone wrestle with mental health issues that put them at risk of suicide, the premise lands very badly.
Let me start by saying that I don’t buy into the idea that this is genuinely the memoir of a man who has taken his own life. It’s clearly a literary device. If I’m wrong and my comments below appear disrespectful to the departed, then so be it.
I can’t offer more than a three-star review for Posthumously Yours. Yes, it was readable, sometimes clever, and I never wished to abandon it. But I didn’t like it, and I certainly didn’t find the subject matter deep or meaningful.
The writing is skilful, although the regular deployment of long, showy words comes across as a bit smug and self-satisfied. Without a shred of irony, the text even references “logorrhoea”—something you could very fairly accuse Mr Braun of. The prose isn’t what lets the book down, though; it’s the character. I simply didn’t like him. What bothered me most was the way he goes about deciding whether to end his life. Braun concludes that he probably wants to kill himself and, having made that decision, checks himself into a hospice… and then carries on living there. He doesn’t notice anything about the other people in the hospice, paying no attention to the end of their lives. They are non-characters apart from the fact that they dislike him ordering in pizzas with garlic toppings. He isn’t mentally unstable, suffering, or even mildly depressed. He’s just bored. His worldview, anecdotes, humour, and even his despair have a relentless sameness. He doesn’t grow and never reveals hidden depths. That may be true to his psychological profile, but it makes for a static, airless reading experience. To be honest, I thought he was just a prick and wished he’d get on and do it.
Just as Braun is boring, so too are big chunks of the plot, and I found myself skimming. There’s a chapter that opens with him and his mother discussing, at numbing length, the relationship dynamics of neighbours who’ve moved from California to supremely dull Springfield. I had no interest in whether Mitchell was a househusband or a furniture-maker who only crafted furniture for his own home. There are numerous such anecdotes: Braun having a nightmare and firing an airgun into the sky, a visit to an orthodontist, staking out farmland for days to see if it might be developed. None of them go anywhere. They exist solely to underscore, again and again and again and again, how mind-numbingly boring the character is.
It’s also worth noting that the novel entirely fails to account for the stark difference between North American and UK hospice provision. Here in the UK, hospice places are rarer and more precious than gold dust. People who desperately need them often can’t get them, and thousands die horribly at home or in hospital. The idea that this ridiculous man can simply decide to go and live in one—presumably paying, as Americans seem to be able to do for anything—is frankly offensive to someone in the UK. Even in an American context, the notion that a healthy man could settle into a hospice as a lifestyle choice feels jarring and artificial. It offers an enclosed, convenient setting for the story, but it’s not remotely believable.
There is a lot of humour in this book, which is true to life (or death) for people contemplating their end. At times it is satirical and sharp. At other times it is puerile schoolboy stuff - for example playing ‘dirty’ words in Scrabble, the incident at the baseball stadium (which is peculiarly told from outside Braun’s perspective when no other part of the book deviates in this way) and the long running gag about the Tampax factory.
The supporting characters—Maeve, Vic, and the hospice chaplain—are far too patient and generous with him. Professional kindness would only go so far. In reality, any counsellor, nurse, or friend confronted with a perfectly healthy man behaving so pathetically selfishly, insensitively, and demandingly would eventually speak plainly, give him a shake, and tell him to get out there and do something instead of wallowing in his own self-loathing. No, that’s not fair. He doesn’t even have enough spark to loathe himself.
About three quarters of the way through the book changed direction abruptly, almost as if the author had become bored with what they were doing. Suddenly Braun was dead and we were getting input from other people discussing the circumstances of his death. Which rather violated the concept that as a reader as I was reading the autobiography of Braun, explaining why his meaningless life led him to do what he did. It was very confusing. The ending section was uninteresting and unenjoyable. I felt cheated that having invested time in a particular story, it was taken away and turned into a clumsy attempt to explain how things ended.
Some readers who enjoy dark humour about self-annihilation (normally, I’d say that includes me) or who love deep character studies may find Posthumously Yours intriguing. But for many readers. especially anyone who has supported a loved one through end-of-life care, or watched someone wrestle with mental health issues that put them at risk of suicide, the premise lands very badly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2025
**Thank you to the publisher, Type Eighteen Books, and NetGallery for providing me with an e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
✨️ Genre: Literary Fiction; Humour & Satire
⭐️ Star Rating: 4 / 5 stars
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Mental Health, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide, Death, Hospice Care
📅 Release Date: March 25, 2026
**Please note: While this book is insightful, witty, and incredibly thought-provoking, the themes discussed within it are heavy. Please take a moment to check in with yourself before continuing to read this review or this novel; prioritize your well-being first.**
“You are the only person on the planet who would know I was gone.”
Her voice lowered an octave. “That sounds very lonely.”
“Actually,” I said before ending the call, “I’ve never felt so free.”
Written under the pseudonym of Charles D. Braun, our author takes the approach of a first-person narrator in a fictional biography format. While I found this to be an interesting way to format a novel at first, I felt this really worked well in the author's favour. It allows the reader to view the world through the author, creating a more thought-provoking read while discussing themes of mental health, suicide, and how the world ethically views life as a whole.
Charles takes his readers on the emotional and devestatingly truthful rollercoaster of his life and death. For the moments in between, he infuses some wit and dark humour; holding some beautiful space for comedic relief amongst the darkness.
Seemingly just as important, readers are also lucky enough to experience the various perspectives of supporting characters, who were either relatively close to Charles and his mother, or were characters from the outside looking in. With the complexity of the themes discussed throughout Posthumously Yours, this is especially enlightening to understand all of the multifaceted components presented to readers.
I also thought it was in incredibly good taste for the publisher, Type Eighteen Books, to provide a disclaimer to its readers prior to diving in. With the heavy nature of this novel, it may not be suitable for all readers in that moment - something that should always be recognized and supported.
All in all, despite the gravity this novel holds, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is able to approach the heavy topics discussed. Due to the thought-provoking nature of Posthumously Yours, I would also highly recommend this book to relevant book clubs (or even in an educational and/or professional stance) to hold the necessary space and discussions on ethics, existentialism, mental health care and practices, as well as familial connections.
✨️ Genre: Literary Fiction; Humour & Satire
⭐️ Star Rating: 4 / 5 stars
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Mental Health, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide, Death, Hospice Care
📅 Release Date: March 25, 2026
**Please note: While this book is insightful, witty, and incredibly thought-provoking, the themes discussed within it are heavy. Please take a moment to check in with yourself before continuing to read this review or this novel; prioritize your well-being first.**
“You are the only person on the planet who would know I was gone.”
Her voice lowered an octave. “That sounds very lonely.”
“Actually,” I said before ending the call, “I’ve never felt so free.”
Written under the pseudonym of Charles D. Braun, our author takes the approach of a first-person narrator in a fictional biography format. While I found this to be an interesting way to format a novel at first, I felt this really worked well in the author's favour. It allows the reader to view the world through the author, creating a more thought-provoking read while discussing themes of mental health, suicide, and how the world ethically views life as a whole.
Charles takes his readers on the emotional and devestatingly truthful rollercoaster of his life and death. For the moments in between, he infuses some wit and dark humour; holding some beautiful space for comedic relief amongst the darkness.
Seemingly just as important, readers are also lucky enough to experience the various perspectives of supporting characters, who were either relatively close to Charles and his mother, or were characters from the outside looking in. With the complexity of the themes discussed throughout Posthumously Yours, this is especially enlightening to understand all of the multifaceted components presented to readers.
I also thought it was in incredibly good taste for the publisher, Type Eighteen Books, to provide a disclaimer to its readers prior to diving in. With the heavy nature of this novel, it may not be suitable for all readers in that moment - something that should always be recognized and supported.
All in all, despite the gravity this novel holds, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is able to approach the heavy topics discussed. Due to the thought-provoking nature of Posthumously Yours, I would also highly recommend this book to relevant book clubs (or even in an educational and/or professional stance) to hold the necessary space and discussions on ethics, existentialism, mental health care and practices, as well as familial connections.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Charles Braun has been thinking about death for his entire life (60 years when we meet him). He has lived with his single mother for his whole life. Even though she is a high school counselor who is beloved by the students, she has a somewhat unusual relationship with her own son. She is attentive (perhaps overly so) and gives him lots of attention, but doesn't seem to recognize his loneliness and unhappiness. Charles has never done many things in life -- never had an interest in romantic relationships, or travel, or much of anything at all. He gets a low-paid "entry level" job at the local free newspaper that he does halfheartedly until he's fired. Then he doesn't do much of anything but hang around the house. Predictably, after his mother dies, his disappointment in life and his situation leads his thoughts to taking his own life. Since he sees himself as having a shortened lifespan, he checks himself into a hospice facility. They have openings and Charles has been left well-off by his mother's death, so he can afford an indefinite stay. His call to a suicide prevention hotline acquaints him with Maeve, the Irish-born founder of the help line. She is so touched by his story of being totally alone in the world that she begins visiting him in the hospice facility, something that causes the staff at the facility to question her motivation.
I wasn't really sure where the story was going. Most of it is from the viewpoint of Charles, relating his life story and his failure to feel much of anything, either positive or negative. His relationship with his mother is everything and he seems to have not thought of what would happen after her death. I was really surprised at the turn of events about 2/3 of the way through and the questions that were brought up by those events. The last part of the book is the story of what happened to Charles from several different viewpoints. I enjoyed the book much more after we got out of Charles's head and into the different interpretations that the actions of the characters had, depending on who was narrating. There is a "publisher's note" at the beginning of the book stating that the author's name is a pseudonym and that he did take his own life, but this might be like the many films that start with, "this is based on a true story" so I'm taking that with a grain of salt!
I received a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway.
I wasn't really sure where the story was going. Most of it is from the viewpoint of Charles, relating his life story and his failure to feel much of anything, either positive or negative. His relationship with his mother is everything and he seems to have not thought of what would happen after her death. I was really surprised at the turn of events about 2/3 of the way through and the questions that were brought up by those events. The last part of the book is the story of what happened to Charles from several different viewpoints. I enjoyed the book much more after we got out of Charles's head and into the different interpretations that the actions of the characters had, depending on who was narrating. There is a "publisher's note" at the beginning of the book stating that the author's name is a pseudonym and that he did take his own life, but this might be like the many films that start with, "this is based on a true story" so I'm taking that with a grain of salt!
I received a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway.
December 5, 2025
I'm torn about this book because there were a lot of things that worked well and then there were moments where I felt the author struggling to keep the story going.
One of the things that I enjoyed was the author's sense of humor. There were many laugh out loud moments where the author did a great job with the dialogue creating a hilarious visual image of the situation.
The other thing that I enjoyed was the last chapter of the book that devoted a significant chunk of space to Maeve. I had no expectations that the reader would get more insight into her character than was presented through her interactions with Charles so that was a welcome surprise.
What I thought could have used some work was the sense of timing and order of chapters. Maybe it was me being inattentive, but I felt lost at times trying to get a sense of time (i.e., what year the characters were in or how old Charles might be at a given time). This is a book that I think would have benefited from having some chapters told in a less chronological order with the above caveat of putting a year in it to get a good time reference.
I understand from both the prologue and the "about the author" section that the author is no longer alive, but I sincerely hope someone goes back to edit this to have consistency with the spelling of "Sean Byrne." The last name altered between "Byrne" and "Bryne" which I found extremely distracting.
This book covers an important topic (suicide) and the moral/ethical/legal implications of those who are in positions to dissuade a person from carrying out those ideations. It certainly can make for an interesting debate regarding what role family, friends, or crisis employees undertake when a person wishes to end their life.
I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
One of the things that I enjoyed was the author's sense of humor. There were many laugh out loud moments where the author did a great job with the dialogue creating a hilarious visual image of the situation.
The other thing that I enjoyed was the last chapter of the book that devoted a significant chunk of space to Maeve. I had no expectations that the reader would get more insight into her character than was presented through her interactions with Charles so that was a welcome surprise.
What I thought could have used some work was the sense of timing and order of chapters. Maybe it was me being inattentive, but I felt lost at times trying to get a sense of time (i.e., what year the characters were in or how old Charles might be at a given time). This is a book that I think would have benefited from having some chapters told in a less chronological order with the above caveat of putting a year in it to get a good time reference.
I understand from both the prologue and the "about the author" section that the author is no longer alive, but I sincerely hope someone goes back to edit this to have consistency with the spelling of "Sean Byrne." The last name altered between "Byrne" and "Bryne" which I found extremely distracting.
This book covers an important topic (suicide) and the moral/ethical/legal implications of those who are in positions to dissuade a person from carrying out those ideations. It certainly can make for an interesting debate regarding what role family, friends, or crisis employees undertake when a person wishes to end their life.
I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I requested this book, I was hoping for a collection of insightful, witty reflections on life and death. What I found instead felt more like a stream of loosely connected thoughts, and I struggled to understand the overall purpose or direction of the book.
The tone wasn’t as humorous as the publisher description suggested, and at times the narrative felt heavy and introspective to the point of discomfort. The protagonist’s decision-making, particularly around seeking hospice care, was challenging for me to engage with and made it difficult to connect with him as a character. While I understand this may have been intentional, it left me feeling more frustrated than moved.
That said, this book may resonate with readers who enjoy deeply introspective, unconventional narratives that explore mental health and existential themes without clear structure or resolution.
Overall, this was not the right fit for me personally, but I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it ahead of publication. I’m grateful to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The tone wasn’t as humorous as the publisher description suggested, and at times the narrative felt heavy and introspective to the point of discomfort. The protagonist’s decision-making, particularly around seeking hospice care, was challenging for me to engage with and made it difficult to connect with him as a character. While I understand this may have been intentional, it left me feeling more frustrated than moved.
That said, this book may resonate with readers who enjoy deeply introspective, unconventional narratives that explore mental health and existential themes without clear structure or resolution.
Overall, this was not the right fit for me personally, but I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it ahead of publication. I’m grateful to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2025
Painstakingly slow, with woefully underdeveloped characters, and a mish-mash of a convoluted time line, Posthumously Yours: A Novel is the account of Charlie D. Braun who has harbored thoughts of suicide his entire life. Admitting he has never had a day of happiness in his life, after his single mom passes, the thought of ending of his life, becomes paramount in his mind.
However, at the crux of the story is a therapist who may or may not have encouraged him to ‘get on with it’ and end it all. Of course, his will has been altered (by Charlie as of late) to benefit the self help agency she was affiliated with. A trial ensues, and a verdict is reached…changing more than Charlie’s life.
It was a sluggish read. Not sure it could really help anyone clear their head as is was all over the place. If I were in the habit of abandoning books that do not appeal, this one would have been at the top of the list. But, I did make it through. Thankfully, it was a short 200+ pages.
Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Type Eighteen Books, and Charles D. Braun (whoever he may be) for this ARC.
However, at the crux of the story is a therapist who may or may not have encouraged him to ‘get on with it’ and end it all. Of course, his will has been altered (by Charlie as of late) to benefit the self help agency she was affiliated with. A trial ensues, and a verdict is reached…changing more than Charlie’s life.
It was a sluggish read. Not sure it could really help anyone clear their head as is was all over the place. If I were in the habit of abandoning books that do not appeal, this one would have been at the top of the list. But, I did make it through. Thankfully, it was a short 200+ pages.
Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Type Eighteen Books, and Charles D. Braun (whoever he may be) for this ARC.
September 1, 2025
*3.75 stars*
The book begins with a note from the publisher, explaining how this work came into existence—and from that very first page, I knew I was stepping into something delicate and profound. The subject matter feels heavy, and the fact that it can be read as either fiction or an autobiographical account makes it even more intriguing.
It’s beautifully written, filled with serious and thought-provoking points that linger long after reading. The ending, in particular, brought tears to my eyes. This is the kind of book that sparks meaningful discussion, the kind you want to unpack with others.
That being said, despite its brevity, the heaviness of the themes hit me hard. Having recently lost a family member, I found it difficult to engage with such a weighty narrative right now. It’s undoubtedly powerful and worth reading, but for me, it came at a time when I wasn’t emotionally ready.
And a portion of the proceeds is going to a good cause which is a great thing.
The book begins with a note from the publisher, explaining how this work came into existence—and from that very first page, I knew I was stepping into something delicate and profound. The subject matter feels heavy, and the fact that it can be read as either fiction or an autobiographical account makes it even more intriguing.
It’s beautifully written, filled with serious and thought-provoking points that linger long after reading. The ending, in particular, brought tears to my eyes. This is the kind of book that sparks meaningful discussion, the kind you want to unpack with others.
That being said, despite its brevity, the heaviness of the themes hit me hard. Having recently lost a family member, I found it difficult to engage with such a weighty narrative right now. It’s undoubtedly powerful and worth reading, but for me, it came at a time when I wasn’t emotionally ready.
And a portion of the proceeds is going to a good cause which is a great thing.
August 14, 2025
This wholly original novel tells the story of Charlie Braun, a man who has, according to him, had a "life less lived." And he doesn't want to live it anymore. Although this book raises many serious discussion points, it's also so unique and funny, with relatable characters and both realistic and outlandish situations. The voice reminded me of A Confederacy of Dunces--wry, intelligent, insightful, and also at times, playful. It's an arresting combination and an unforgettable read. This is is a book I'll be recommending to everyone, especially book clubs.
January 2, 2026
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it took me a while to get through it. This book covers a very heavy topic with suicide.
It was hard to follow the timeline at times and it was until probably the last quarter of the book that I really felt engaged with the story.
Just overall different.
It was hard to follow the timeline at times and it was until probably the last quarter of the book that I really felt engaged with the story.
Just overall different.
Review of advance copy
I failed to find anything relatable or discerning aout this book. I read it - I disliked it in its entirety. It meandered back and forth and some of the sexual innuendo was absurd. Oh wait and then he is gone and there is an arbitration and a potential court case and a bunch of supporters lurking about. What ? Just not for me.
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