Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful book by Anne Griffin - 4.5 stars!
Jeanie Masterson can hear the last words of the dead, a trait passed down to her by her father who runs the family funeral home in their small Ireland hometown. But her father doesn't always pass down the true words spoken by the dead, instead giving the grieving family platitudes. Jeanie struggles with her gift, alternately feeling that it is a curse, holding her to stay stuck in her life. When her parents let her know that they are retiring and moving away, leaving Jeanie and her husband, embalmer Niall, to run the business, Jeanie starts reflecting on her life, her choices and her future.
I started out reading the digital copy but totally got sucked into the beautiful narration by Nicola Coughlan on the audiobook. I loved imagining Jeanie's gift - that the dead had but a brief time to impart any last wishes to someone left behind. This really is a book that lets you think about dying, grief, but also living your best life. Jeanie felt stuck in her life and into her family style of not really communicating truthfully, so much so that she was paralyzed in moving forward or knowing what she wanted. Lots of life lessons here with a touch of magical realism.
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