Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt: A Novel

by Ben Reeves

Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.

Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla come to embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long. Their time together teaches him what’s truly important in life—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.

Written with radiant warmth, wisdom, and compassion, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting its end, and finding our place in the universe—especially when it feels most impossible—that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost or worried at time’s passing.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 7, 2026

About the author

@authorbenreeves

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will leave a forever impact on me. It made me look at life differently. This book is about death and the narrator is death itself. This book may be a tough topic to read, if you or a loved one is going through or have gone through something traumatic recently or right now. The main character (also known as death) is named Travis Smith and he also has a kitty companion. Travis begins to unravel, due to certain circumstances. The themes in this book are death and mortality, love and grief, life and death conversations, and ethics. It is a very heavy, yet powerful novel.

This is heartfelt in a way that it touched on the reason to love. It has strong character growth and lovable characters. It is very well written and thought provoking. Be sure to read the trigger warnings before reading the book itself, it does deal with heavy topics. If you want to skip the trigger warnings, that’s okay too. This gave me the movie “A Ghost Story” and the movie “Meet Joe Black” vibes! I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!

Thank you yo NetGalley, author Ben Reeves, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this eARC, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is set to be released on July 7, 2026!

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

my number one favorite read of 2025🩵

full rtc closer to pub day, but absolutely one of my top five reads of this year, and perhaps of all time. if only we all had twenty more minutes...

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would think a book about death, narrated by Death would be depressing. The opposite is true which makes Ben Reeves’s debut novel, EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT, all the more extraordinary. This is an uplifting, gorgeously human story.

Let’s first talk about the writing style. Lyrical, flowing, verse-like at times; there was a soothing rhythm to his prose. I felt buoyed by it; almost as if it was ethereal. Reeves’s use of phrasing, structure, and descriptive language added to the experience. And this book is just that—an experience.

His depiction of Death as an ordinary man you might pass on the street without a second glance is brilliant. It drives home the point that death does not discriminate. It comes for us all regardless of our circumstances. Death cannot be bargained with or swayed. It is inevitable.

The takeaway for me from this thought provoking book is that how and when we die matters far less than how we live and the legacy we leave. This struck a very personal note for me as I faced my own mortality a few years ago. That experience brought about a fundamental change in the way I live my life and the things I prioritize.

The book was recommended by the talented Sarah Damoff whose books both left me a sobbing mess with a heart pieced back together with hope. EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT had the same effect. Brilliance recognizes brilliance.

This is a book about death (occurring at all ages), so some may be sensitive to the content.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

[Liana Gold]

Death is the narrator in this book!


Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Ben Reeves for an early eARC.

Publication date: July 7, 2025

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Avid Reader Press for the free ARC! All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a book.

What if Death personified was a guy named Travis? That’s the protagonist here. He’s not a super creepy grim reaper type, just a person who visits others and keeps them company in their last moments. He doesn’t judge, and he’s not there to change their fate. He accompanies them in their journeys out of the physical world.

The book combines vignettes of the people Travis visits at the end with a storyline following his relationships with the single mom and daughters who live across the hall from him. Can he actually make emotional connections in the world, or is that off limits to him? And even if he can, should he?

The prose in this book is lyrical and poetic. I also loved author Ben Reeves’s imagery. It’s a short read, but a deeply reflective and emotional one too. It’s one of those books that breaks your heart but brings you some hope toward the end. And above all, it’s life-affirming, covering the beautiful and heartbreaking parts of our journeys all at once. Please do check trigger warnings as needed. Glad to discuss in DMs on Instagram.

I highly recommend this debut novel to readers looking to feel a wide range of emotions while they read - which I know is many of us!

[Jen W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about death and those few moments before it happens. The narrator is Death and he is just your average guy named Travis. No grim reaper to fear. Just an average guy who tries to offer comfort in those final moments.

The story also follows the Family across the hall at the apartment complex that Travis lives in. You see how he tries to navigate everyday life and the unusual friendship with that family.

This was a 5 star read for me. I think it will resonate differently for everyone based on their own life experiences. I took care of my Mom as she was dying with cancer. As her caregiver, I hope in those final moments she wasn't scared. Maybe she even had a Travis by her side.

This book is not really written in chapters. More like segments. Some segments are written more like a poem, others are individual's stories.

To me, this was a beautiful story about providing some peace to those getting ready to pass. It gave me all the feels and reminded me how much I loved my mom and how thankful I am that I was there in her final days.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book for my honest review.

[Abigail E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book completely took my breath away. The writing was brilliant and beautiful, the story was thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, and the whole reading experience felt as if I was living alongside the characters.

We accompany our narrator, Death (he goes by Travis) as he meets people in their final moments - some welcome him with open arms as a friend, others try to negotiate their way out of what is to come. His across-the-hall neighbors, Dalia and eight-year-old Layla, welcome him into their orbit and his job as Death suddenly takes on a new and different meaning to him, causing him to consider what is important in life.

While a difficult subject, this book explores life and death and grief with exceptional love and care. Definitely a heavy topic (especially as it explores death of people of all ages) so make sure you’re ready for it before reading this beautiful, beautiful book. I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy of this one when it comes out, as I know it will be worthwhile to revisit.

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book, though a difficult one to review, because I believe it will resonate differently with every reader. Having worked in palliative care, and being older, I approached it from the perspective of someone who has witnessed death closely and repeatedly. The protagonist is gentle and deeply human, yet ultimately powerless; the accumulation of loss weighs heavily on him, and he struggles under its burden.

The book is filled with moments of profound humanity—so many, in fact, that I found myself crying more than once. It touched me deeply. The writing is lyrical and poetic, carrying both tenderness and grief with great care. I very much look forward to reading more from this author.

[Courtney Autumn]

rtc

[CarrieLynn S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read anything like this. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful. It’s poetry. It’s art. This book has changed me. I’ll never look at death, or life or even a brick the same ever again. I’m completely gutted, I cried multiple times. If I could give it ten stars, I would.

Travis is Death. He lives across the hall from Dalia and her two daughters, Layla and Neda, and slowly becomes entwined in the rhythms of their everyday lives.

I’m not sure whether this is poetry or prose. The language is pure poetry, lyrical, elegant , and breathtaking. The formatting feels poetic too, with dialogue and structure unfolding more like stanzas than traditional chapters. And yet, the story itself is prose, with traditional narrative and characters. I’ve never experienced a book that blends the two so seamlessly.

Read this book.
Read this book.
Read this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for this digital ARC. This might be the best book I’ve ever read and I’ve already preordered a physical copy.

[Jo B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful gut punch that lives somewhere between poetry and prose. It’s a book that is going to linger with me for a long time.
It’s lyrical and somehow nostalgic but also surprising.
Read this book and revel in how deeply moving and painful and beautiful it is to be alive, to be anything at all.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press/Simon&Schuster and NetGalley for this eARC.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt, by Ben Reeves, from Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 4.5 ⭐

I am going to begin this Book Report by cutting and pasting a post (sans photos) I made to Facebook this morning.

I dreamed about Death as written by the incomparable Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series, and yes he (Death, not the author) WAS SPEAKING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

And I know this was because after I finished reading Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves I went looking for what I was trying to remember about the title and it was this: I first came across those lines in the Kurt Vonnegut Jr. book Slaughterhouse Five, which I read when I was in high school. Entirely too young/too little life experience/too little knowledge of real history for it to have made total sense then, but man what an impact it made, anyway. (I need to read it again.)

FTR, yesterday’s very, very good book will get only 4 stars from me because neither the author nor his editors/publishers credited Vonnegut (and because there was one little stretch that left me utterly confused about its meaning).

But of course the real reason I dreamed what I did is because Billa Bartlett is no longer with us on this plane of existence. Sweet, smart, funny Billa. Why does it seem like the universe takes all the wrong ones early?

In the midst of life we are in death. In the midst of death we are in life.

Love y’all.

So, yeah.

Grievous, grievous mistake not to have included a shout-out to Mr Vonnegut.

And as much as I liked quiet, introspective, thoughtful Travis, I think the author did us and him a disservice by not making that one particular stretch referenced above a little clearer. I don’t think it’s any kind of spoiler for me to say I was left wondering from then on if Death can die.

But everything else? Five stars, all day long. I think if I still had it left in me to cry I would have been sobbing at the end.

PS
Here’s a link to a write-up on an art exhibit that explore’s the meaning behind Vonnegut’s lines: https://henryart.org/exhibitions/ever...

DESCRIPTION
“This novel has all the ingredients of unforgettability: a plot you’ve never seen, characters you want to love, writing that glimmers on the page, and a spectacular ending that will smack you in the face with an aching joy. Days later, I’m still brimming.” —Monica Wood, bestselling author of How to Read a Book

For readers of Fredrik Backman and Virginia Evans, an unforgettable and exquisitely moving novel about finding beauty, hope, and meaning in the brevity of life, as narrated by the one who knows it best: Death.

Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.

Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla come to embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long. Their time together teaches him what’s truly important in life—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t often judge a book by its cover, but I was immediately struck by this title and knew I had to read the book. Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt announces its intentions right away; this is a meditation on mortality, love, and the fragile beauty of being alive.

This is also a surprisingly difficult book for me to rate. The original title and premise feel like an easy four stars all on their own, and in places the writing rises to five-star territory with quiet, luminous passages that capture grief, tenderness, and human connection with real grace. At the same time, there were sections that felt thinner or more familiar, where the novel landed closer to two or three stars for me.

Ben Reeves gives us a modern, quietly human incarnation of Death in Travis, who wears jeans, lives in a drab town, and approaches his work with gentleness, patience, and deep respect for the natural order of things. His role is not to interfere, only to witness and to comfort, and the novel’s early chapters are especially strong in conveying the dignity and tenderness of these final moments. There’s something profoundly soothing in the way Reeves allows Death to listen without judgment.

The emotional center of the book emerges when Travis forms a connection with Dalia, a midwife, and her spirited daughter Layla. The contrast between someone who ushers life into the world and someone who accompanies it out is handled with warmth and clarity, and Layla’s presence adds lightness without ever feeling forced. Through them, Travis begins to understand attachment, joy, and loss in ways that complicate his carefully maintained detachment.

This is a short novel, and its brevity is both a strength and a limitation. The writing is often lovely and sincere, but some ideas feel introduced and resolved a bit too quickly, as though there were room for deeper exploration that the book chooses not to take. Still, the emotional impact is real, along with plenty of compassion.

Ultimately, this is a gentle, thoughtful book about accepting impermanence and finding meaning anyway. I settled on 3.5 stars rounded up. The ambition, compassion, and moments of truly beautiful writing make this a worthwhile read, even if it doesn’t fully cohere at the same level throughout. For readers drawn to gentle reflections on life, love, and death, there is much here to appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on July 7, 2026

[Sherry Moyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦
Death is a scruffy man named Travis who lives across the hall from you, the holes in his socks one of the things that allow him to blend in.

What makes Travis stand out is the gentle grace, the tender patience, the deep respect he has for the people with whom he sits as he guides them toward death. He cannot interfere, but he does his best to ease the dying into acceptance.

Travis is not the heart of this story.

The heart lies in the apartment across the hallway where midwife Dalia lives with her infant daughter, and her spunky school aged daughter, Layla.

Though Travis keeps his distance, his job one of desperate loneliness, it is impossible to ignore Layla.

And so, an attachment forms between Death and this small family.

𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
This view of Death, as a regular man who soothes without judgment is profoundly moving.

The clarity that exists between bringing life into the world in Dalia’s work as a midwife, and ushering people out of it beside Travis is gorgeous. It is with this small family that Travis experiences joy, attachment, belonging, family.

It also allows him to see what is truly lost in the end of a life.

This is often lyrical, always heart wrenching. It moves through innumerable stories, always coming to rest with Dalia and Layla.

𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
I’ve read nothing like it before. It feels both like poignant, interconnected short stories and free verse poetry.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
This book is not easy. It will tear your heart from your chest and return only a few of the used up pieces, but it will also leave you changed.

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦
@avidreaderpress shared this ARC which is due July 7, 2026. This is not to be missed.

4.75⭐️ rounded up

[ISA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

The first thing that intrigued me about this novel was the title. And because I try to get into books without reading the blurb, the premise of this book was a nice surprise. I've read many books about Death and dying, and I really enjoyed how Reeves explored how Death worked and helped the dying people at the end of their lives. He was there for them, and they were able to look back on their life in those last moments because they knew that their time was up when he showed up in human form as Travis. In this novel, Travis was there for many people, young and old, as they were dying from old age, cancer, and other serious complications. It was heartbreaking but beautiful and comforting, especially when Travis came to know more about his young neighbor, Layla, her mother Dalia, and her sister from across his hall. They welcomed him to their small family, and he was able to imagine a different life for himself, even if it was just for a small amount of time that he allowed himself to do so.

This novel is like an ode to life and how everyone experiences life in different ways, but in the end, we all encounter the same end, which is death. We try to romanticize our lives and stress about making everything perfect and quickly moving on to the future, but this book reminds us to live in the present and take advantage of all the opportunities that allow us to do what we want to do, so that in the end we don't have any regrets.

[Cassidy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finding this book so incredibly hard to rate because I found some parts of it to be a two or three and some parts of five. I’m landing on four just for the sake of rating.

Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt read like a patchwork quilt of individual stories with one particular narrative focused on from start to finish but not necessarily in a cohesive way. In addition to this main storyline plus individual stories were pages of random sentences all jumbled together representing other people’s lives at a particular moment in time. Those parts were definitely my least favourite and I wish they had been left out of the book entirely.

It’s told from the perspective of Death himself, who seemed to have a very flat persona but also a quiet appreciation for every mundane human experience. I get the feeling the author was trying to drum up something deep inside of his readers, but it just didn’t land with me. I did find certain moments to be very compelling, but I found those five star moments to be something I had to wait for instead of the whole experience of the book itself.

Much like my review I just think this lacked focus, especially the most interesting part - Death experiencing life and humanity. Even if more time had been spent with the female lead, she was painted as someone who wasn’t very deep or likable outside of her own tragedy.

thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book and exchange for my honest review.

[Erica Stanforth]

Wow. This is a BEAUTIFUL book.

I won’t lie. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this for the first 30%. It is unlike anything I’ve ever read, and as many others have stated, its format almost reads like poetry. There are many stories being told at once and then about halfway through, you start getting more and more of one in particular and that becomes the main plot of the book. For the first third, I really wasn’t sure I cared for it. But you know those stories where the entire time you’re like “What is happening? Do I love this? Do I hate this?” And then you get to the end and your mouth is literally on the floor? That is this book. Talk about a landing. It’s hands down one of the most beautiful endings of a book I’ve ever read. So definitely don’t give up on this one if you’re not completely invested at the start. It pays off, I PROMISE.

For a book about death, this is beautiful, and strangely uplifting. So don’t let that deter you from it either. WITH THAT BEING SAID though, these ARE stories about people dying… people of all ages... So please go into it understanding that trigger warning. You certainly need to be in a place where you can comfortably think about death before going into this.

But MANNNN.

A truly unique and truly beautiful debut. First 5 star read of the year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

*Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publishers, and Ben Reeves for allowing me to read this in advance in exchange for my honest review*

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a unique and compelling novel. There were many moments I felt it veered into five star territory, but also segments that left me wanting more. The author is a gifted writer and I found myself pausing to savor his words and the feelings they evoked.

We follow Travis, otherwise known as Death, as he lives an ordinary human life in a very extraordinary way. I was reminded of The Book Thief and the movie Meet Joe Black, but the author took things in a very original direction. Much was left unexplained but I felt that was intentional.

When Travis allows himself to grow close to a neighboring family, he finds himself in new territory. Tragedy becomes personal, and his struggles with The Job lead him down a new path. Yes, death is a natural part of life, but what happens when it develops a vested interest?

There is so much pain in this story, but also so much beauty. I walked away feeling grateful for my experience here on earth and reflecting on the value of human connection. We don't know how much time we get, but that only makes it that much more precious.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Olivia Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travis is a human re-imagination of Death. He takes on a physical body, lives in an apartment, kind of has a job, and is able to interact with humans. Yet, he is able to appear at the side of the dying no matter their place in space and time.

When a stray cat enters through his window and won't leave, Travis asks his neighbor Dalia for food. This first encounter with Dalia sets into motion Travis' exploration into human connection. Slowly, Travis becomes attached to Dalia and her two daughters--an issue considering he already knows their fates.

We follow along with Travis as he grows closer to Dalia, travels to visit the dying, and struggles with his inability to fully feel the effects of all he sees and experiences. It's a unique take on the idea of the grim reaper and the format makes for nice micro-plots. The very ending borders a bit on cheesy but overall a good and quick read. It has a lot in common with The Midnight Library so lovers of Matt Haig may like this one.

CW: child death, suicide

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique novel that once I started reading I couldn't put down. Readers meet Travis, who is actually death in present-day times, who always wears blue jeans and a simple t-shirt and who lives in a small town and knows everyone. Travis is a comfort to those who are in the final minutes/ days of their lives, he listens, spends time with them and he never judges them. He makes people feel seen, sometimes for the first times in their lives. Travis knows that the system of life and death is a cog that must be maintained, that is until he meets the mother and daughter who live across the hall from him. It's then that he grasps what is truly important in life. Love and only love. An amazing novel that is going to make a splash in the publishing world and with book clubs.

*I read an advance novel and was not compensated.

[Shirley Freeman]

This short novel packs a punch. The main character/narrator is Death. The novel is a series of vignettes of people whose time has come. Death pays them a visit, they discuss a few things and then they expire. Woven throughout these stories of a bunch of random people is the story of Death's developing relationship with the family across the hall in his apartment building. A single mother, Dahlia, and her 2 young daughters, Layla and Nell, are kind and decent human beings struggling to keep it all together. Death has spent his life, so to speak, not feeling anything for anyone. He just exists. It is not his role to intervene or try to alter someone's dying, it just is. But his friendship with Dahlia, Layla and Nell challenges his notion of the world and his understanding of humanity. Quietly thoughtful novel.

[Stephanie Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I was not sure where the book was going and didn't have high hopes for the remaining 150 pages. However, once Lydia and Dalia are introduced into the plot more and more, it becomes more interesting. Almost giving Travis a human connection and feeling that was not truly expressed beforehand. This book made me full-on sob, for reasons I cannot explain without spoilers, but it definitely makes you look at your own life through different lenses.

I would recommend if you can stay true to the story and stick out the first little dull bit. Tugs at your heart strings and gives you a gratitude and appreciation for life.

Thank you, Net Galley, publisher, and Ben Reeves, for the eARC.

[Nicole Antle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so impactful and soul-scratching that I can’t get through more than a few pages without having to take a break. The writing is beautiful, the stories make you consider all walks of life with a joy and appreciation possibly not considered before, but also can be heart wrenchingly devastating at some points. The emotions this book has evoked from me is why I had been struggling to finish it. I’m in a hard season of life and am relating to many of the aspects and beauty of what Death brings in this novel. Five stars and a big thanks to Ben Reeves for this gift of a novel. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! A favorite I will definitely be purchasing when published.

[Julie Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect a book about death to be uplifting but this book was a bit depressing for me. The alcoholism, drug abuse and dreary setting made it a heavy read. I did like the character Travis who is death but I did have trouble with Dalia and did not find her very likable. It was very original but felt choppy with the poetry and short exerts of different people spending time with Travis before their deaths. It did make me think about loved ones who have passed and the message of enjoying all the little moments that make up your life. That made it worthwhile.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gets so many great reviews, I’m not sure why it didn’t reach me. Possibly the writing was too abstract for me. I’m not sure, but it definitely wasn’t a home run nor would I recommend it to a friend. There is value in the lesson it is meant to convey which is why I gave it three stars. It makes you look at your life differently, not knowing when it’s your time and all of a sudden Death is at your door. The book ends with a nice closure. Many of the characters are fleeting, but in a paragraph or two you learn all you needed to know about them before Death arrives at their door. With so many great reviews, don’t listen to me, get your copy and tell me your thoughts!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @NetGalley for the ARC. As I sit here after finishing this book, the idea of death has taken on a new meaning. I'm 65, and I've been pondering my life and what death will be like. I hope, a long time from now, when it is my time, I have someone like Travis to help me to the other side. The ending of this book had me feeling so sad for Dalia. But even in death, this book had a happy ending.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this book would make me cry. I knew it would make me ponder mortality, which is uncomfortable but really valuable. This book focuses on life’s little details and it’s a needed reminder for me to do the same.

Don’t give up on the book if you don’t love Travis. I don’t think he’s really supposed to be lovable. Stay for Dalia.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avid Reader Press for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a book in a while that captivated me in the way this one day - both darkly sad but also full of hope. I'll be sitting with this one for a while. The prose are a bit choppy in places but somehow it only enhances what you are feeling at any given page in the journey. There is so much humanity in these characters that we only get very small glimpses of and yet it feels like you have known their whole lives. A new imagination for what death is and can be - worth a read for sure!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quiet and contemplative. Heartbreaking and beautiful. A lovely story filled with many, many small stories about ordinary people whose lives were passionately depicted through a lens that honored and revered each one. I am better for having read this.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

[Angie Miale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was not for me. It was over-the-top sad. Not a good book to take with you to your own radiation appointments. That said, I read it because I saw any many five star raves. So even though I didn’t like it, you may love it. It was just not my thing, I thought it was very tragic.