Genres: Adult Fiction, Contempory, Family, Fiction
Format: eBook
Now that I have dried my eyes….
A Matter of Life and Death is just that. There is living in this book, there is dying in this book and all the messy things that go on in between. It’s about a man, Tom, who is alive but not really living. It’s about saying goodbye, making amends, moving on, loving someone you have issues with, friendship, connection, relationships, and new beginnings.
Tom is a mess at the beginning of the book. He quit his job and two days later his wife left him. Just when things can’t get any worse for him, they do. He receives a phone call from his sister, Sophie, informing him that his mother’s cancer is back and it’s time to come home. Home means many things for people. It can be a place of warmth, resentments, love, memories, secrets, togetherness, and comfort. For others, like Tom, it is a place that has been avoided.
As Tom goes home, we are introduced to his siblings, his father, and his mother (who he calls by her first name). While he spends time with the mother he despised, they get the chance to talk- really talk to each other. Tom also gets the chance to spend time with his sister, Sophie and his brother Pete and his family. When not with his family, he gets to reconnect with his friend, Mike, and develop a friendship with Emma (from the author’s book Hunger for Life).
Family dynamics are interesting, and this family had their own interesting family dynamic. We see (read) it play out in the pages. As they navigate each other and their individual and shared grief, we observe them connecting, laughing, crying, and realizing what is important.
This book deals with heavy subjects – cancer, dying, marital issues, and bullying. But there is also humor, lovely friendships, and growth. This book evoked emotion (I laughed, I cried) and was thought provoking. The power in this book is in relationships and growth. The characters felt real, and I could feel their pain seeping through the pages. I rooted for them and felt for them. Sometimes being put in an uncomfortable position/situation is the best way to grow (Just ask Tom’s brother, Pete).
Highly recommend.
Thank you to Andy Marr who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.