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The Grief Nurse
Imagine you could be rid of your sadness, your anxiety, your heartache, your fear.
Imagine you could take those feelings from others and turn them into something beautiful.
Lynx is a Grief Nurse. Kept by the Asters, a wealthy, influential family, to ensure they’re never troubled by negative emotions, she knows no other life.
When news arrives that the Asters’ eldest son is dead, Lynx does what she can to alleviate their Sorrow. As guests flock to the Asters’ private island for the wake, bringing their own secrets, lies and grief, tensions rise.
Then the bodies start to pile up.
With romance, intrigue and spectacular gothic world-building, this spellbinding debut novel is immersive and unforgettable.
Imagine you could take those feelings from others and turn them into something beautiful.
Lynx is a Grief Nurse. Kept by the Asters, a wealthy, influential family, to ensure they’re never troubled by negative emotions, she knows no other life.
When news arrives that the Asters’ eldest son is dead, Lynx does what she can to alleviate their Sorrow. As guests flock to the Asters’ private island for the wake, bringing their own secrets, lies and grief, tensions rise.
Then the bodies start to pile up.
With romance, intrigue and spectacular gothic world-building, this spellbinding debut novel is immersive and unforgettable.
284 pages, Hardcover
First published April 13, 2023
21 people are currently reading
1918 people want to read
About the author
Angie Spoto
3 books28 followersAngie Spoto is an American writer living in Scotland. She grew up near Chicago, lived in the Netherlands, and eventually moved to Scotland to get her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. She loves stories that are dark and surreal, strange and magical, and is inspired by writers like Ursula Le Guinn, Octavia Butler, Leonora Carrington, and Naomi Novik. She loves fairy tales, especially Scottish ones. She lives beside the shore with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
May 19, 2025
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Lynx is known as a grief nurse, someone who alleviates your sorrow. I liked the idea of this book. I have recently lost both an aunt and an uncle, so I can completely understand not wanting to sit with your grief. I appreciated the unique plot and the vivid descriptions of the setting of an isolated Scottish island. I loved Lynx, she was a very complex character. You’d think it would be positive to remove your sorrow, but it was kind of disturbing to me…in a good way.
Grief is a character in and of itself. It’s dark and relentless, taking over your thought process, emotions and behaviour. It’s unpredictable and persistent. Where the book lost me is in the pacing. It was very slow going at times, and the plot seemed to drift. While I am a reader who appreciates the descriptions, the world-building felt like something was missing. I also found some of the lesser characters lacked development, and I didn’t feel invested in their stories. Grief is a very personal thing, so I wish the author had handled this a little differently.
Overall, this was a unique debut with a great premise and beautiful writing. It just fell a bit short because of the slow pace, underdeveloped characters and other missing elements. It's pretty good for a debut, and I would read this author again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
Lynx is known as a grief nurse, someone who alleviates your sorrow. I liked the idea of this book. I have recently lost both an aunt and an uncle, so I can completely understand not wanting to sit with your grief. I appreciated the unique plot and the vivid descriptions of the setting of an isolated Scottish island. I loved Lynx, she was a very complex character. You’d think it would be positive to remove your sorrow, but it was kind of disturbing to me…in a good way.
Grief is a character in and of itself. It’s dark and relentless, taking over your thought process, emotions and behaviour. It’s unpredictable and persistent. Where the book lost me is in the pacing. It was very slow going at times, and the plot seemed to drift. While I am a reader who appreciates the descriptions, the world-building felt like something was missing. I also found some of the lesser characters lacked development, and I didn’t feel invested in their stories. Grief is a very personal thing, so I wish the author had handled this a little differently.
Overall, this was a unique debut with a great premise and beautiful writing. It just fell a bit short because of the slow pace, underdeveloped characters and other missing elements. It's pretty good for a debut, and I would read this author again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
February 20, 2023
In a Nutshell: A compelling premise but needed somewhat better implementation. The ending was nice, but the proceedings were slow. Might work better for literary fiction lovers because of its pace and style. (Of course, you must enjoy fantasy also.)
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Lynx’s role as the grief nurse is well written. It offers a lot of introspective points. The idea of ‘how much is too much’ comes up time and again through her work of eliminating grief.
✔ The modus operandi of ‘grief removal’ creates some amazing atmospheric moments. I loved how the author wove the picture of grief and the interconnected memories vividly. Also memorable was the idea of grief tokens.
✔ Grief is one of the unsung characters of the book. The author makes grief sound almost personified. I adored every aspect of grief explored in this work, right from how it behaves to how it affects. It even takes things to a somewhat bizarre level by including some masochistic ideas connected to grief.
✔ For a book that gets quite dark (not surprisingly as grief is the central motif), the ending is surprisingly hopeful. I liked how the author chose to wind things up without making the finale too neat.
✔ Great Queer rep.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ Though the characters are adults, their portrayal, especially that of Lynx, is quite YA in style. There are a lot of inner monologues and from Lynx’s point of view, plenty of talk of physical attraction. This kind of writing never works for me.
❌ Despite the novelty of the story, the characters, especially the moneyed ones with their highhanded behaviour towards the grief nurses and servants, are somewhat clichéd.
❌ The character motivations are a bit weird at times. While I am okay with characters not being likeable, their behaviour should progress naturally from the plot and shouldn’t seem ad hoc. I couldn’t connect with many of the characters because of their capricious behaviour.
❌ Aside from the grief nurse, there is one more kind of person mentioned in the book: a Fader. I read the whole book and I still don’t exactly know what a Fader is. But there are plenty of them in the story and the plot partly depends on them too. So something was definitely missing here.
❌ There are many flashbacks in the writing that are somewhat random and unindicated. These break the smooth flow of the current timeline.
❌ The book has shades of various genres: low fantasy, suspense-mystery, literary fiction, crime, family drama, historical fiction, and gothic fiction. All of these don’t work well in sync because of the writing style.
❌ The book is a character-oriented slowburner. It will need to be read in the right mood, else the languid pace interferes with the enjoyment.
All in all, this story had great potential. But the mishmash of genres worked somewhat against the writing as there is no cohesion across the styles. This debut writer certainly has an astounding imagination. I am sure that with more years of experience, she will be able to overcome the minor hiccups and produce an entertainer.
Recommended to those who are looking for a combination of light fantasy cum mystery written in a slow and simplistic style. If you do go for this, please try actual reading as the audio might be too confusing with the recurring unmarked flashbacks.
3 stars.
My thanks to Sandstone Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Grief Nurse”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Lynx works for the wealthy Aster family as a grief nurse. Her role is to take away their negative emotions and keep them ‘Bright’.
When the eldest Aster son dies, guests come to the Aster’s private island for the wake. It is Lynx’s job to ensure that the guests and the hosts are kept in best spirits during the visit. But soon, there’s another death, and then another. Is anyone out to get the family? How can Lynx perform her job without endangering her own life?
The story is written in a limited third person perspective.
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Lynx’s role as the grief nurse is well written. It offers a lot of introspective points. The idea of ‘how much is too much’ comes up time and again through her work of eliminating grief.
✔ The modus operandi of ‘grief removal’ creates some amazing atmospheric moments. I loved how the author wove the picture of grief and the interconnected memories vividly. Also memorable was the idea of grief tokens.
✔ Grief is one of the unsung characters of the book. The author makes grief sound almost personified. I adored every aspect of grief explored in this work, right from how it behaves to how it affects. It even takes things to a somewhat bizarre level by including some masochistic ideas connected to grief.
✔ For a book that gets quite dark (not surprisingly as grief is the central motif), the ending is surprisingly hopeful. I liked how the author chose to wind things up without making the finale too neat.
✔ Great Queer rep.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ Though the characters are adults, their portrayal, especially that of Lynx, is quite YA in style. There are a lot of inner monologues and from Lynx’s point of view, plenty of talk of physical attraction. This kind of writing never works for me.
❌ Despite the novelty of the story, the characters, especially the moneyed ones with their highhanded behaviour towards the grief nurses and servants, are somewhat clichéd.
❌ The character motivations are a bit weird at times. While I am okay with characters not being likeable, their behaviour should progress naturally from the plot and shouldn’t seem ad hoc. I couldn’t connect with many of the characters because of their capricious behaviour.
❌ Aside from the grief nurse, there is one more kind of person mentioned in the book: a Fader. I read the whole book and I still don’t exactly know what a Fader is. But there are plenty of them in the story and the plot partly depends on them too. So something was definitely missing here.
❌ There are many flashbacks in the writing that are somewhat random and unindicated. These break the smooth flow of the current timeline.
❌ The book has shades of various genres: low fantasy, suspense-mystery, literary fiction, crime, family drama, historical fiction, and gothic fiction. All of these don’t work well in sync because of the writing style.
❌ The book is a character-oriented slowburner. It will need to be read in the right mood, else the languid pace interferes with the enjoyment.
All in all, this story had great potential. But the mishmash of genres worked somewhat against the writing as there is no cohesion across the styles. This debut writer certainly has an astounding imagination. I am sure that with more years of experience, she will be able to overcome the minor hiccups and produce an entertainer.
Recommended to those who are looking for a combination of light fantasy cum mystery written in a slow and simplistic style. If you do go for this, please try actual reading as the audio might be too confusing with the recurring unmarked flashbacks.
3 stars.
My thanks to Sandstone Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Grief Nurse”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
January 4, 2023
“A Grief Nurse must be detached from the flurry of emotions around her. She must stay poised and unaffected in the face of great feeling.”
Well that was a brilliant start to the year!!! You know a book is good when you have really spooky dreams about it right?
Angie Spotos debut novel is a unique look at grief in all its forms- sadness, sorrow, self-loathing heartbreak and the memories around them, looking at how they shape us. It’s such an intimate and deep novel taking the reader on a journey of emotion and imagination. Not to mention with many queer characters HELLO!
In a world where Grief Nurses are currency and only available to the families of high reputation. Where nurses have the ability to remove negativity from a person making them “bright” once again. Everyone wants a grief nurse just like our main protagonist Lynx, nurse to the Aster family on the secluded island of Mount Sorcha. However, even though she has this special ability events occur that make Lynx look at the world she lives in and whether in fact she has more power than she realises.
I adored the worlds that Lynx enters into when she is looking at someone’s grief. I love the fact that when grief is at its worst symbols of the sorrow grow (these come in forms such as fire, water, snakes, the sea). This against the suffocation of the island itself made for an intense read at times. It really encapsulated the feeling of a deep depression or grief for me as in my own experience it’s almost like something inside me is growing taking over me. It doesn’t matter how much happiness you have in your life, it just keeps growing.
The portrayal of a classist society was brilliant too. The handling of grief nurses reminded me of slavery almost. When grief nurses are kept in the household and made to feel special and yet in other ways belittled, controlled, owned and trapped- an almost Stockholm syndrome like quality to it. Lynx was allowed to be there… but she was not allowed to be touched, to be noticed or to be loved.
The Grief nurse is a terrific portrayal of all of the above wrapped in a Scottish (it mentions tattie scones!) fantasy dystopiany style world. I so wish there was more of this universe for me to read- it’s utterly fascinating!
Well that was a brilliant start to the year!!! You know a book is good when you have really spooky dreams about it right?
Angie Spotos debut novel is a unique look at grief in all its forms- sadness, sorrow, self-loathing heartbreak and the memories around them, looking at how they shape us. It’s such an intimate and deep novel taking the reader on a journey of emotion and imagination. Not to mention with many queer characters HELLO!
In a world where Grief Nurses are currency and only available to the families of high reputation. Where nurses have the ability to remove negativity from a person making them “bright” once again. Everyone wants a grief nurse just like our main protagonist Lynx, nurse to the Aster family on the secluded island of Mount Sorcha. However, even though she has this special ability events occur that make Lynx look at the world she lives in and whether in fact she has more power than she realises.
I adored the worlds that Lynx enters into when she is looking at someone’s grief. I love the fact that when grief is at its worst symbols of the sorrow grow (these come in forms such as fire, water, snakes, the sea). This against the suffocation of the island itself made for an intense read at times. It really encapsulated the feeling of a deep depression or grief for me as in my own experience it’s almost like something inside me is growing taking over me. It doesn’t matter how much happiness you have in your life, it just keeps growing.
The portrayal of a classist society was brilliant too. The handling of grief nurses reminded me of slavery almost. When grief nurses are kept in the household and made to feel special and yet in other ways belittled, controlled, owned and trapped- an almost Stockholm syndrome like quality to it. Lynx was allowed to be there… but she was not allowed to be touched, to be noticed or to be loved.
The Grief nurse is a terrific portrayal of all of the above wrapped in a Scottish (it mentions tattie scones!) fantasy dystopiany style world. I so wish there was more of this universe for me to read- it’s utterly fascinating!
Want to read
July 6, 2024Imagine you could be rid of your sadness, your anxiety, your heartache, your fear.
Imagine you could take those feelings from others and turn them into something beautiful.
Imagine you could take those feelings from others and turn them into something beautiful.
April 24, 2023
I think I'd give this a 3.5 rating. Overall i enjoyed the book and the premise was intriguing. Loved the descriptions of the island and the atmosphere. A couple issues were that it felt a little rushed and i think it could benefit from a little more development. The end of some characters' stories felt unfinished. And the beginning did confuse me a little at times with the sudden transition to a memory. Would love to read what happens next. This book did raise some good questions, however.
June 7, 2023
✨ The Grief Nurse // Angie Spoto ✨
Details: 284p, 2023, fantasy/gothic.
TW/CW: death, grief, suicide, murder.
First notes: Almost (almost) went to a talk by the author on release day in Edinburgh because the premise sounded fantastic, didn’t make it but did get the book the day after in Typewronger bookshop (signed and embossed and stamped and all)(stunning hardcover (with foiling!) included), fell for the cover, fell for the blurb, fell for it all, hard.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: The concept was incredible: wealthy families are able to own so called grief nurses who are able to take away someone’s grief, sadness, dread, fear, everything. The idea of taking away the darkness that arises when there’s great loss around is as intriguing as it is terrifying, the topic alone made me want to read it! Sadly the plot lacked a little and fell flat, there was so much in it, but to me felt unexplored.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: I love how diverse all characters were, lots of queer representation, but I couldn’t feel connected to any of them. I felt like I was on the outside of the story trying to get to know people who weren’t really in it themselves? Somehow the characters were a bit hazy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: General numbering, nothing distracting but also nothing that added to the story, just fine!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 + 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞): Lovely eerie gothic setting, remote island with large family mansion, sea around and gloomy dark days filled with lots of grief and anger and loss and hurt and disappointment and regret. Exactly my cup of tea haha.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞: This was alright, but not spectacular! More like it didn’t stand out to me, it wasn’t too simple but it also didn’t excel.
Final notes: In theory this book had everything for me to praise it highly, but I sadly didn’t love it as much as I hoped. There was so much potential and I still think the idea is incredible, but my hopes just weren’t met and there were too many loose ends and plot lines left to .. float? It was just.. fine? But just fine is not enough? It reminded me of The Binding by Bridget Collins, do read both if you like the topic choice!
3⭐️
Details: 284p, 2023, fantasy/gothic.
TW/CW: death, grief, suicide, murder.
First notes: Almost (almost) went to a talk by the author on release day in Edinburgh because the premise sounded fantastic, didn’t make it but did get the book the day after in Typewronger bookshop (signed and embossed and stamped and all)(stunning hardcover (with foiling!) included), fell for the cover, fell for the blurb, fell for it all, hard.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: The concept was incredible: wealthy families are able to own so called grief nurses who are able to take away someone’s grief, sadness, dread, fear, everything. The idea of taking away the darkness that arises when there’s great loss around is as intriguing as it is terrifying, the topic alone made me want to read it! Sadly the plot lacked a little and fell flat, there was so much in it, but to me felt unexplored.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: I love how diverse all characters were, lots of queer representation, but I couldn’t feel connected to any of them. I felt like I was on the outside of the story trying to get to know people who weren’t really in it themselves? Somehow the characters were a bit hazy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: General numbering, nothing distracting but also nothing that added to the story, just fine!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 + 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞): Lovely eerie gothic setting, remote island with large family mansion, sea around and gloomy dark days filled with lots of grief and anger and loss and hurt and disappointment and regret. Exactly my cup of tea haha.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞: This was alright, but not spectacular! More like it didn’t stand out to me, it wasn’t too simple but it also didn’t excel.
Final notes: In theory this book had everything for me to praise it highly, but I sadly didn’t love it as much as I hoped. There was so much potential and I still think the idea is incredible, but my hopes just weren’t met and there were too many loose ends and plot lines left to .. float? It was just.. fine? But just fine is not enough? It reminded me of The Binding by Bridget Collins, do read both if you like the topic choice!
3⭐️
April 21, 2023
Grief. It affects us all. Grief can cling to you through your whole existence, creating a veil so heavy you can never quite see the world as you once did, try as you might.
There is no relief or forgetting. We must learn to train our minds to understand that grief helps us grow. Helps us be better people.
Yet imagine you could be rid of your sadness, your anxiety, your burden lifted, heartache, your fears. Gone. For good.
How far would you go to feel that way?
Enter a world where such a thing is possible, but only for those of means and circumstances befitting the most powerful and rich. No, grief is only for the poor.
Lynx is a Grief Nurse. Kept like a sort of pet by the Asters - a wealthy, influential family who live alone isolated from the outside world - to ensure they’re never pestered or troubled by negative emotions, Lynx knows no other life.
That is until news arrives that the Asters’ eldest son has died, Lynx doing all she can to help alleviate their sorrow as guests flock to their private island to celebrate the life of someone they all loved but tensions begin to grow when another Grief Nurse appears which starts a deadly game of hard truths, the darkest grief, and when the bodies start to pile up, Lynx is faced with a choice of solving this macabre puzzle of death or flee while she has the chance. But Lynx forgets, the outside world is not a nice place for someone of her talents…
Devastating, enchanting, gothic, and so uniquely original, The Grief Nurse is truly a modern masterpiece of fiction.
There is no relief or forgetting. We must learn to train our minds to understand that grief helps us grow. Helps us be better people.
Yet imagine you could be rid of your sadness, your anxiety, your burden lifted, heartache, your fears. Gone. For good.
How far would you go to feel that way?
Enter a world where such a thing is possible, but only for those of means and circumstances befitting the most powerful and rich. No, grief is only for the poor.
Lynx is a Grief Nurse. Kept like a sort of pet by the Asters - a wealthy, influential family who live alone isolated from the outside world - to ensure they’re never pestered or troubled by negative emotions, Lynx knows no other life.
That is until news arrives that the Asters’ eldest son has died, Lynx doing all she can to help alleviate their sorrow as guests flock to their private island to celebrate the life of someone they all loved but tensions begin to grow when another Grief Nurse appears which starts a deadly game of hard truths, the darkest grief, and when the bodies start to pile up, Lynx is faced with a choice of solving this macabre puzzle of death or flee while she has the chance. But Lynx forgets, the outside world is not a nice place for someone of her talents…
Devastating, enchanting, gothic, and so uniquely original, The Grief Nurse is truly a modern masterpiece of fiction.
April 26, 2023
3.5 stars
The Grief Nurse is an intimate and heart-wrenching story that explores the theme of grief in a unique and authentic way. Low fantasy, mystery and romance are mixed together in this immersive and haunting gothic family drama.
This story follows Lynx, who works as a Grief Nurse for the Aster family. Life on their private secluded island of Mount Sorcha isn’t too eventful, until the eldest Aster son turns up dead. Tensions rise as guests come to pay their respects, and it doesn’t take long for bodies to start piling up.
I found the premise of this story to be incredibly compelling and I think that the theme work was the strongest aspect of this novel by a mile. I was very impressed with the way that the importance of grief, in all its various forms, is explored in this story. And I also found the whole idea of these highly coveted Grief Nurses being used as a type of currency among the high society families also equally interesting and tragic.
That said, I think the overall execution of this story left something to be desired. To me, the world building felt a bit weak in places, with made-up terms and magical abilities being left unexplained.
And even though this is a very character-driven story, I personally found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional. Lynx’s inner monologue felt a bit tedious to me and I just didn’t buy into the interpersonal relationships here. So for a story that could/should have been very emotionally impactful, I found it quite disappointing that I ended up feeling rather apathetic by the end.
Now, I did love the overall atmosphere of this story! The Scottish aesthetic, the eerie island setting, the high society classism... it all gave this book a very unique flair that I personally found to be very captivating and immersive.
And there is some good queer representation that I really appreciated, though I would have loved it if the author leaned more into the romance aspects to explore those complex relationships a bit depeer.
Overall, I think this is a promising debut novel that offers a fresh and unique take on the fantasy genre. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally-driven story that explores grief in interesting ways, then this is a great one to pick up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sandstone Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Grief Nurse is an intimate and heart-wrenching story that explores the theme of grief in a unique and authentic way. Low fantasy, mystery and romance are mixed together in this immersive and haunting gothic family drama.
This story follows Lynx, who works as a Grief Nurse for the Aster family. Life on their private secluded island of Mount Sorcha isn’t too eventful, until the eldest Aster son turns up dead. Tensions rise as guests come to pay their respects, and it doesn’t take long for bodies to start piling up.
I found the premise of this story to be incredibly compelling and I think that the theme work was the strongest aspect of this novel by a mile. I was very impressed with the way that the importance of grief, in all its various forms, is explored in this story. And I also found the whole idea of these highly coveted Grief Nurses being used as a type of currency among the high society families also equally interesting and tragic.
That said, I think the overall execution of this story left something to be desired. To me, the world building felt a bit weak in places, with made-up terms and magical abilities being left unexplained.
And even though this is a very character-driven story, I personally found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional. Lynx’s inner monologue felt a bit tedious to me and I just didn’t buy into the interpersonal relationships here. So for a story that could/should have been very emotionally impactful, I found it quite disappointing that I ended up feeling rather apathetic by the end.
Now, I did love the overall atmosphere of this story! The Scottish aesthetic, the eerie island setting, the high society classism... it all gave this book a very unique flair that I personally found to be very captivating and immersive.
And there is some good queer representation that I really appreciated, though I would have loved it if the author leaned more into the romance aspects to explore those complex relationships a bit depeer.
Overall, I think this is a promising debut novel that offers a fresh and unique take on the fantasy genre. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally-driven story that explores grief in interesting ways, then this is a great one to pick up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sandstone Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 25, 2023
Grief is painful. It's heart wrenching. And we've all experienced it in our lives. Imagine having a special and powerful person in your life who can eradicate it.
Lynx is the grief nurse who both lives and belongs to the opulent Aster family. They live on the island of Mount Sorcha and she has relieved them of their 'Sorrow' for 12 years, keeping them 'Bright'. The story begins with the Aster family all coming together due to the death of the eldest sibling, Sculptor. But before long there are further deaths under suspicious circumstances.
I've never been a fantasy fan, but I was really drawn to this book and its beautiful cover. I'll be honest and say Mr & Mrs Aster, the majority of their children, and Sculptors betrothed aren't a particularly nice bunch of people. But the authors prose are descriptive, imaginative and so vivid I was able to build up this beautiful world in my own imagination with ease, and I quickly became invested in the very likeable Lynx and her journey.
This beautiful book is a lesson on grief and the huge importance of it in life. It genuinely resonated with me and really touched my heart. I'm no wordsmith, so I hope my review does this book justice. I genuinely hope people pick up this touching work of art.
"Grief, love, it was a two-sided coin, a double edge sword. One did not exist without the other"
Lynx is the grief nurse who both lives and belongs to the opulent Aster family. They live on the island of Mount Sorcha and she has relieved them of their 'Sorrow' for 12 years, keeping them 'Bright'. The story begins with the Aster family all coming together due to the death of the eldest sibling, Sculptor. But before long there are further deaths under suspicious circumstances.
I've never been a fantasy fan, but I was really drawn to this book and its beautiful cover. I'll be honest and say Mr & Mrs Aster, the majority of their children, and Sculptors betrothed aren't a particularly nice bunch of people. But the authors prose are descriptive, imaginative and so vivid I was able to build up this beautiful world in my own imagination with ease, and I quickly became invested in the very likeable Lynx and her journey.
This beautiful book is a lesson on grief and the huge importance of it in life. It genuinely resonated with me and really touched my heart. I'm no wordsmith, so I hope my review does this book justice. I genuinely hope people pick up this touching work of art.
"Grief, love, it was a two-sided coin, a double edge sword. One did not exist without the other"
April 22, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨️ (4.5*)
I really enjoyed this book. The Grief Nurse was a very unique story about how the upper class could get rid of their grief, dread, or sorrow just by allowing a Grief Nurse to take it. The Aster family didn't treat their nurse with any respect, considering the amount of power she truly had and what she could have done with it aswell. The descriptions of the house and island were so vivid, and the details just brought it all to life in my mind. The only thing I didn't like was the way Mensa treated Lynx, couldn't get to grips with that, and I found some parts of the book a little slow. Still, I loved this and gave it a 4.5*.
Thank you to #sandstonepress and #angiesprotowrites for the chance to read and review this extraordinary book.
I really enjoyed this book. The Grief Nurse was a very unique story about how the upper class could get rid of their grief, dread, or sorrow just by allowing a Grief Nurse to take it. The Aster family didn't treat their nurse with any respect, considering the amount of power she truly had and what she could have done with it aswell. The descriptions of the house and island were so vivid, and the details just brought it all to life in my mind. The only thing I didn't like was the way Mensa treated Lynx, couldn't get to grips with that, and I found some parts of the book a little slow. Still, I loved this and gave it a 4.5*.
Thank you to #sandstonepress and #angiesprotowrites for the chance to read and review this extraordinary book.
August 31, 2022
It all starts at a big event, a big celebration after the death of the son of a rich and prominent family. They are all happy, radiant/Bright, and joyful as they feel no sorrow, pain, or regret. All grief was taken away from them by their resident grief nurse, Lynx. The biggest question that arises is who will succeed the son's grief nurse and how will such competition affect Lynx and her status in the household.
Descriptions of grief are full of imagination, as grief can be beautiful, but is grief just some kind of cage that hinders Lynx's freedom?
I was seduced by the beautiful cover and the description of the story, but despite the extraordinary idea, the story didn't convince me. The reading dragged on and on, and the author did not pay enough attention to the depth of the protagonist and described too many side characters and their countless names, which are actually irrelevant to the main thread of the story.
The compelling idea about negative emotions, but unfortunately, this is not the book for me.
Descriptions of grief are full of imagination, as grief can be beautiful, but is grief just some kind of cage that hinders Lynx's freedom?
I was seduced by the beautiful cover and the description of the story, but despite the extraordinary idea, the story didn't convince me. The reading dragged on and on, and the author did not pay enough attention to the depth of the protagonist and described too many side characters and their countless names, which are actually irrelevant to the main thread of the story.
The compelling idea about negative emotions, but unfortunately, this is not the book for me.
July 14, 2023
The writing was more literary fiction than I had expected based on the premise of the book. Yet the MC often read as if she was a YA heroine (lots of inner monologue), but all characters were adults. There wasn't enough world-building and the pacing was too slow to keep me interested.
DNF @32%
DNF @32%
August 20, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Think whodunit but make it fantasy.
Beautifully written and I was pulled in by the exploration of grief and its complexities, but I think I would have rated this higher if certain aspects of the characters had been explored further.
Think whodunit but make it fantasy.
Beautifully written and I was pulled in by the exploration of grief and its complexities, but I think I would have rated this higher if certain aspects of the characters had been explored further.
September 4, 2025
This book was unexpectedly different than what I thought I was getting into. I wish there would have been more background detail, but I did enjoy the overall vibe of the book.
April 30, 2023
Headlines:
A dystopian feeling world
Gothic and historical vibes
Power or weakness
What if Agatha Christie clashed with a dystopian world obsessed with grief and it's relief? The Grief Nurse contained an eclectic bunch of upstairs downstairs people 'trapped' on an island having a power struggle. Who needed who? Did the grief nurses need their guardians or did the guardians need their grief nurses more? Was grief an outpouring of weakness or did it render power? These were the questions running through my head from the front to the back of this book.
The start to this story was a little jarring to me, I struggled to find my footing in the world, how it worked, who was who and why things were the way they were. As I kept reading things did fall into place but I would have benefitted from a more linear introduction I think. Lynx was the MC, a grief nurse, a servant owned by the rich Aster family. She was surrounding by a collection of characters, most of whom were unlikeable with the exception of Orion (in my opinion).
Bodies began to pile up and things got really interesting as a power struggle in the family but also in the context of grief nurses and ownership ensued. Lynx was pretty isolated as a character and I felt for her in this. Despite some promising allies, Lynx wasn't really able to trust anyone. We got some twisty late reveals that I didn't expect and the plot kept the pages turning.
Overall, this was a really unusual concept that I was mostly on board with. I liked the gothic feels, the remote island that gave a locked-in mystery vibe and the suspense.
Thank you to Sandstone Press for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
A dystopian feeling world
Gothic and historical vibes
Power or weakness
What if Agatha Christie clashed with a dystopian world obsessed with grief and it's relief? The Grief Nurse contained an eclectic bunch of upstairs downstairs people 'trapped' on an island having a power struggle. Who needed who? Did the grief nurses need their guardians or did the guardians need their grief nurses more? Was grief an outpouring of weakness or did it render power? These were the questions running through my head from the front to the back of this book.
The start to this story was a little jarring to me, I struggled to find my footing in the world, how it worked, who was who and why things were the way they were. As I kept reading things did fall into place but I would have benefitted from a more linear introduction I think. Lynx was the MC, a grief nurse, a servant owned by the rich Aster family. She was surrounding by a collection of characters, most of whom were unlikeable with the exception of Orion (in my opinion).
Bodies began to pile up and things got really interesting as a power struggle in the family but also in the context of grief nurses and ownership ensued. Lynx was pretty isolated as a character and I felt for her in this. Despite some promising allies, Lynx wasn't really able to trust anyone. We got some twisty late reveals that I didn't expect and the plot kept the pages turning.
Overall, this was a really unusual concept that I was mostly on board with. I liked the gothic feels, the remote island that gave a locked-in mystery vibe and the suspense.
Thank you to Sandstone Press for the review copy.
Find this review at A Take From Two Cities Blog.
May 29, 2025
3.12⭐️ plot twist ja loppu oli tosi hyvä mut ajoittai vähä tylsää luettavaa toiston vuoks
February 18, 2023
I really enjoy a book that gets right in there from the very start, like 'The Grief Nurse'. Angie Spoto's prose is punctuated with shortfire clippy phrases of a few words or more, here and there, to keep her reader's interest, and there's a terseness to her writing that's surprisingly appealing.
Spoto's debut is full of tender little moments, quiet in their craftswomanship. For instance:
I'm only withholding the final star of five, because - what's probably a point in its favour, really - the book should have been longer! There was certainly room for Spoto to delve deeper into what is an exceptionally original and well crafted conceit. The world she's built is believable and compelling, and I only felt that there were points where more could have been expounded. Is it a bad thing to want more of a book?
This is a title I would certainly re-read. If it reminded me of anything, a comparison might be made with 'The Sin Eater' by Megan Campisi. 'The Grief Nurse' is wonderfully enjoyable; a novel truly to get lost in. I can say I'll wait with eager anticipation for what Angie Spoto publishes next!
My deep thanks to Sandstone Press for an eARC via Netgalley. Citation taken from a galley proof and therefore subject to change.
Spoto's debut is full of tender little moments, quiet in their craftswomanship. For instance:
Karina wrapped her fingers around the teacup and blew gently across its surface. White wisps of steam danced in Lynx's direction before fading into nothing.We get just enough description when we need to know where we are or what characters are sensing, but for the most part, this novel is gentle with its reader; 'The Grief Nurse' is full of astute and considered delicacy that speaks of true dedication to style and wordsmithery.
I'm only withholding the final star of five, because - what's probably a point in its favour, really - the book should have been longer! There was certainly room for Spoto to delve deeper into what is an exceptionally original and well crafted conceit. The world she's built is believable and compelling, and I only felt that there were points where more could have been expounded. Is it a bad thing to want more of a book?
This is a title I would certainly re-read. If it reminded me of anything, a comparison might be made with 'The Sin Eater' by Megan Campisi. 'The Grief Nurse' is wonderfully enjoyable; a novel truly to get lost in. I can say I'll wait with eager anticipation for what Angie Spoto publishes next!
My deep thanks to Sandstone Press for an eARC via Netgalley. Citation taken from a galley proof and therefore subject to change.
August 21, 2022
Thank you to Sandstone Press and NetGalley for my advance review copy of this book.
The jewels of grief ★★★★☆
Lynx is the Aster family’s grief nurse, responsible for absorbing all of their difficult emotions. They are dependent on each other: Lynx needs the protection of a guardian and the Asters need the status symbol and ease of a grief nurse.
When Sculptor Aster is found dead, Lynx must help Mr and Ms Aster and their three remaining children overcome the loss. But as petty jealousies and dangerous secrets come to light, the body count starts to build up. Something has Mount Sorcha in a deadly grip.
Alongside the family rifts are the struggles for those who are attracted to grief – the dangers of being a Fader – and the lack of freedom and rights of the grief nurses themselves.
This is a beautifully written novel full of lush descriptions which take us deep into a world where grief can take physical form.
A rich fantasy tour de force for fans of Bridget Collin’s novel ‘The Binding’.
The jewels of grief ★★★★☆
Lynx is the Aster family’s grief nurse, responsible for absorbing all of their difficult emotions. They are dependent on each other: Lynx needs the protection of a guardian and the Asters need the status symbol and ease of a grief nurse.
When Sculptor Aster is found dead, Lynx must help Mr and Ms Aster and their three remaining children overcome the loss. But as petty jealousies and dangerous secrets come to light, the body count starts to build up. Something has Mount Sorcha in a deadly grip.
Alongside the family rifts are the struggles for those who are attracted to grief – the dangers of being a Fader – and the lack of freedom and rights of the grief nurses themselves.
This is a beautifully written novel full of lush descriptions which take us deep into a world where grief can take physical form.
A rich fantasy tour de force for fans of Bridget Collin’s novel ‘The Binding’.
April 16, 2023
DNF at 30%
This book sounded very promising but sadly didn’t quite do it for me.
The writing wasn’t bad but I couldn’t really get into it and it kinda dragged on. I also couldn’t connect to the characters at all, probably because we don’t find out much about them.
The world building was pretty much nonexistent and I had only a very shallow idea of how the world, society and grief nurses worked. It seemed by not giving explanations, the author was trying to make it seem mysterious so the reader would want to keep going but that just didn’t work for me. At 30% I still had no real idea what was going on and what the story was supposed to be and for me that is too far in for it to deliver so little.
I was also hoping for some nice gothic vibes which were kinda there but I still couldn’t really feel them, like they just stayed on the page and didn’t come alive.
Having said all of that, the concept of having grief nurses to rid you of negative emotions it pretty interesting and if the book sounds interesting to you I do not want to deter you from giving it a go in any way.
This book sounded very promising but sadly didn’t quite do it for me.
The writing wasn’t bad but I couldn’t really get into it and it kinda dragged on. I also couldn’t connect to the characters at all, probably because we don’t find out much about them.
The world building was pretty much nonexistent and I had only a very shallow idea of how the world, society and grief nurses worked. It seemed by not giving explanations, the author was trying to make it seem mysterious so the reader would want to keep going but that just didn’t work for me. At 30% I still had no real idea what was going on and what the story was supposed to be and for me that is too far in for it to deliver so little.
I was also hoping for some nice gothic vibes which were kinda there but I still couldn’t really feel them, like they just stayed on the page and didn’t come alive.
Having said all of that, the concept of having grief nurses to rid you of negative emotions it pretty interesting and if the book sounds interesting to you I do not want to deter you from giving it a go in any way.
September 25, 2025
Thank you Independent Publishers Group for my ARC of The Grief Nurse!
Based on the description, I l was excited about the dystopian concept of the elite wealthy using grief nurses to avoid experiencing grief themselves. I was entertained by this book from the first chapter. I felt Lynx was a very likeable character and I enjoyed how she saw everyone's grief in a different way. I did feel like the story lost steam in the middle for a bit and I was unsure how the ending would go/what the main problem would be but the final 1/4 of the book pulled me right back in. Spoto did a great job at developing characters and I felt that I was attached to certain ones throughout the story. Overall, this was a great and entertaining read. 4/5 stars
Based on the description, I l was excited about the dystopian concept of the elite wealthy using grief nurses to avoid experiencing grief themselves. I was entertained by this book from the first chapter. I felt Lynx was a very likeable character and I enjoyed how she saw everyone's grief in a different way. I did feel like the story lost steam in the middle for a bit and I was unsure how the ending would go/what the main problem would be but the final 1/4 of the book pulled me right back in. Spoto did a great job at developing characters and I felt that I was attached to certain ones throughout the story. Overall, this was a great and entertaining read. 4/5 stars
February 26, 2023
I don’t think I expected the story that unfolds in this book when I started reading it. Not a bad thing, just a comment, because I did enjoy the book.. So what did I find? This is a story of the rich having a toy to parade and play with; a Grief nurse to remove sorrow and to always look your best. But the stigma of baring a Grief nurse child, and the consequences to the mother are not a game at all. And from that dark revenge will come a visiting! Thank you to Sandstone Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
April 14, 2023
The concept of a grief nurse intrigued me but unfortunately "The Grief Nurse" by Angie Spoto didn't really give me enough of a back story to understand or enjoy the book enough. We were expected to be content with just accepting that grief nurses existed but I felt as if the concept, along with the Faders could have been explored more. It also gave off a Greek Myth vibe which I didn't particularly enjoy. Not for me.
March 4, 2023
thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc!
set on an isolated island, inhabited by a wealthy family, this book centres its story around lynx, a grief nurse, whose job it is to take away her guardians' grief. when a son of theirs dies under mysterious circumstances, there is plenty of work for her to do - especially at the funeral. this story revolves around themes of hierarchy and the true meaning of grief - and its place amongst the human psyche.
i'm still questioning what rating i should give this - whether it's a 2.5 or 3 stars simply because i feel like there were some aspects of this book that i really enjoyed - the premise of grief nurses and the world-building was very interesting and unique. the characters in this book were also very distinct and enjoyable to read, however, i feel as though there was a lot of missed opportunities to fully flesh them out (i was so upset that we never got to meet syril). where this book fell a little flat for me was the plot. it wasn't bad by any means, i just think it could've benefitted from a longer time frame so that the character backgrounds and motivations could have been more prominent as well as having a more well-rounded ending that didn't leave so many loose ends. i also found the romance slightly lacking - i wish we got to see more of lynx and karina's relationship because they were actually so cute ngl. i did enjoy the writing style and the overall concepts about grief and death were really cool.
set on an isolated island, inhabited by a wealthy family, this book centres its story around lynx, a grief nurse, whose job it is to take away her guardians' grief. when a son of theirs dies under mysterious circumstances, there is plenty of work for her to do - especially at the funeral. this story revolves around themes of hierarchy and the true meaning of grief - and its place amongst the human psyche.
i'm still questioning what rating i should give this - whether it's a 2.5 or 3 stars simply because i feel like there were some aspects of this book that i really enjoyed - the premise of grief nurses and the world-building was very interesting and unique. the characters in this book were also very distinct and enjoyable to read, however, i feel as though there was a lot of missed opportunities to fully flesh them out (i was so upset that we never got to meet syril). where this book fell a little flat for me was the plot. it wasn't bad by any means, i just think it could've benefitted from a longer time frame so that the character backgrounds and motivations could have been more prominent as well as having a more well-rounded ending that didn't leave so many loose ends. i also found the romance slightly lacking - i wish we got to see more of lynx and karina's relationship because they were actually so cute ngl. i did enjoy the writing style and the overall concepts about grief and death were really cool.
January 19, 2024
This book took me completely by surprise. I picked it up on a complete whim because the cover looked pretty cool (yes I judged a book by its cover but it paid off in this case), but the beautiful writing, thought provoking themes it introduced, the characters and the politics of the world were all so brilliant, the book really swept me off my feet and I’m just kind of in love with this novel.
The story takes place in a world where some people, called grief nurses, are (shockingly) able to control and remove grief. A concept in itself which I thought sounded pretty cool but I think what was the real selling point of the book for me was the way this concept was incorporated into the political system of the world. I really loved how the grief nurses represented another way to gain influence and power, and the way this interacted with money and aristocracy in the world. I just spent the whole time admiring how well thought out the world was. I also thought the Angie Spoto took the time to allow you to really get to know the characters and understand their motivations and opinions and it made me feel more connected to them. I just think the biggest thing I was impressed by the novel was how real it felt, it genuinely felt like if grief nurses were real that this would be how the situation would play out.
The story takes place in a world where some people, called grief nurses, are (shockingly) able to control and remove grief. A concept in itself which I thought sounded pretty cool but I think what was the real selling point of the book for me was the way this concept was incorporated into the political system of the world. I really loved how the grief nurses represented another way to gain influence and power, and the way this interacted with money and aristocracy in the world. I just spent the whole time admiring how well thought out the world was. I also thought the Angie Spoto took the time to allow you to really get to know the characters and understand their motivations and opinions and it made me feel more connected to them. I just think the biggest thing I was impressed by the novel was how real it felt, it genuinely felt like if grief nurses were real that this would be how the situation would play out.
May 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
The concept of this book was why I requested it. The idea of being able to take someone’s grief and reshape it, or absorb it, reminded me very much of the concept of medieval ‘sin eaters’ who would consume the food to represent the sins of the deceased. I was hopeful I’d be presented with something similar to this, that brought across the impact of the consumption of something so visceral and yet also symbolic.
Unfortunately, I don’t feel like this book made it there for me. I was left a bit high and dry- the story was disjointed, there was a lot of exposition for not too much happening, and I don’t feel it even read very much as a fantasy novel. The narrative structure was not the best, and I was just left feeling a bit disappointed by it. I didn’t connect with the characters either, which was a shame.
The grief consumption was also lacking in that we see so little of it and the impacts- it’s like the premise was disconnected from the action. I would love to read this book with some changes, but I’m not sure it would be quite the same thing if I did.
The concept of this book was why I requested it. The idea of being able to take someone’s grief and reshape it, or absorb it, reminded me very much of the concept of medieval ‘sin eaters’ who would consume the food to represent the sins of the deceased. I was hopeful I’d be presented with something similar to this, that brought across the impact of the consumption of something so visceral and yet also symbolic.
Unfortunately, I don’t feel like this book made it there for me. I was left a bit high and dry- the story was disjointed, there was a lot of exposition for not too much happening, and I don’t feel it even read very much as a fantasy novel. The narrative structure was not the best, and I was just left feeling a bit disappointed by it. I didn’t connect with the characters either, which was a shame.
The grief consumption was also lacking in that we see so little of it and the impacts- it’s like the premise was disconnected from the action. I would love to read this book with some changes, but I’m not sure it would be quite the same thing if I did.
May 9, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
All I can say is, it's a very bizarre book 😅 The writing is really eerie which I liked, and very atmospheric. There's a tinge of sinister in every character, especially with the Aster family. There was also pride representation so that's always a plus for me.
I would say though, the world building and the political and cultural situation were a little bit vague and I wished that they were explained more. While I like the premise of the story, with the process of removing the grief very interesting in theory, I really had to exercise my imagination here. Lots of fantastic elements involved but again, they're very bizarre and I had a difficult time picturing it. Nevertheless, I was fascinated and entertained.
All I can say is, it's a very bizarre book 😅 The writing is really eerie which I liked, and very atmospheric. There's a tinge of sinister in every character, especially with the Aster family. There was also pride representation so that's always a plus for me.
I would say though, the world building and the political and cultural situation were a little bit vague and I wished that they were explained more. While I like the premise of the story, with the process of removing the grief very interesting in theory, I really had to exercise my imagination here. Lots of fantastic elements involved but again, they're very bizarre and I had a difficult time picturing it. Nevertheless, I was fascinated and entertained.
April 19, 2025
this was such a unique and atmospheric read. the premise was marvelous, and the world created is dark, unnerving, and rich with detail. i really appreciated how the story explored themes like power, memory, and trauma. that said, i did find parts of the book a bit slow, and while the emotional depth was there, it didn’t hit me as hard as i hoped it would and the characters could’ve used a little more development to really bring the story to life but i really loved the atmosphere. i'm definitely curious to see what Angie Spoto writes next.
Thank you to Independent Publishers Group and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Independent Publishers Group and NetGalley for the ARC!
November 8, 2023
I'm not a fan of fantasy so I suppose I'm not really the intended audience. The prose is cluttered, rather unoriginal and full of complex, difficult to envisage imagery. I agree with other reviewers who have described it as more like young adult fiction, as it definitely feels quite juvenile and immature, lacking nuance, with a cast of clichéd characters. The narrative also suffers from its snail's pacing.
June 9, 2023
Gorgeous writing, aching reflections on grief, gothic vibes, queer storylines, and a stunning ending by breaking free of the narrative
Still don't know what a Fader is supposed to be though, but I don't mind in the slightest because the audiobook I listened was narrated by a person with the strongest Scottish accent, which was delightful
Still don't know what a Fader is supposed to be though, but I don't mind in the slightest because the audiobook I listened was narrated by a person with the strongest Scottish accent, which was delightful
April 25, 2025
Had to DNF around 13%. The premise sounded really interesting based on the description but the FMC seemed to have a grief fetish, like… she got sexual pleasure from taking people’s grief. That made me super uncomfortable and I couldn’t read anymore.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc.
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