What a sad story this is. While it's not one to read to cheer you up, it's well written and thoughtful. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC>

I wanted to like this book, but at 20% I just could not read it anymore. I was initially thrown off by the first chapter. I just couldn't understand what was happening. I became more interested from there, but I just didn't feel connected to the characters at all. I also struggled with the writing going from hard to understand to too simplistic. One of the main characters got cancer and I just had no emotional reaction to it when I should have. I lost my own grandfather to cancer so I'm usually very affected by that type of story line, but I just didn't feel invested with them at all. So I didn't care to finish and find out what happened. I don't mind a story that isn't fast past, but I need to feel something for the characters. Because I did not finish the book, I won't be posting a review or star rating on any other platforms, but I needed to express why I would not be finishing the book.

Berend and Sari want to see Europe with their camper bus...they have waited a long time to do it...but Sarie is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer...they will take the trip together... Touching and somber, brutal and gentle, caring and hurtful...you will remember this novel.

A heart-breaking novel about love, dedication, and broken dreams.

Barend and Sarie are excited to start to travel all over Europe in their camper after they retire. Sarie plans the trip details, prepares the list of places they will go and see. Barend is energized by picking the right model of the camper. Finally, the day arrives.

Shortly after their departure Sarie falls sick. The diagnosis changes their plans and throws a big shadow on their so far sunny lives – stage four lung cancer, spreading to brain.

From the beginning of the story we see how different the couple perceives the illness. To Sarie the cancer is her fate. She feels devastated at start, but quickly realizes that whatever must happen will happen and that things are out of her control. She surrenders to everything that doctors recommend and quietly follows the directions, medication and tests.
What Sarie saw as surrender, Barend sees as giving up. To him, the cancer is the enemy. And enemy should be fought. Barend keeps on researching, looking for new ways to buy his wife more time. When things get worse, he concentrates on searching for ways to improve the quality of her last days, and make the dying process easier for Sarie.
Sarie sees Barend’s actions as his denial.

Barend soon starts to comply with Sarie’s wishes and follows through even the one he never expected to hear.
Although I did like the main core of the story, I am not a huge fan of the way this book has been written.
The author jumped a lot between the real time events and memories of either of the characters, and at times I felt a little bit confused. Also, the parts describing medical conditions, felt a little bit like I was reading a wikipedia’s symptoms and causes page.
The book could have been great, if only written in a different manner.

Regardless, the novel is a great reminder to live life while it lasts, and to not always keep the best for last.

I did not post a negative review . This book wasn't what I was looking for, but others may enjoy it. Thank you

“When the sky arches high and open, he sometimes gets the feeling that the island wants to rise up and fly away like a butterfly.”
A novel about death, but more important life.
Interesting and in-depth detail of a woman’s transition to the next part of her journey.
The ending was definitely not expected!

Beautiful descriptions of place and of life in general. This book is a reminder to people; do not to wait to live and in the end it should be our choice whether to live in trauma or choose to end it. The shocking end was a stomach punch to read, but was a powerful look at choice and the what those who love will do, I would like to use this book for book discussions and talk about the ramifications for the husband and mentally how he deals with his actions.

4 stars

Berend Vervoort is sixty-four and a retired police officer and his wife, Sarie at sixty-two is a retired geography teacher. Their dream is that when they retire, to travel in a camper all over Europe. Sarie has always dreamed of traveling. She would pour over maps and dream about going to these places in reality; places she has only gone to in her mind.

They set out to their first destination. In Belgium, Sarie falls ill and is taken to the hospital. A diagnosis of stage four lung cancer sends Berend and Sarie reeling. It has spread throughout her body. She has chemotherapy which makes her ill. Her hair falls out. She is tired. But, most pointedly, she has what she calls her “poison dreams.” She recalls the thousands of snapshots of her life. She likens it to dreaming her own memories.

Berend looks into euthanasia. Sarie decides that she is done with chemotherapy and she doesn’t want euthanasia. She is dying – just accept it.

The reader then flashbacks to 1968 when Berend and Sarie first met. But, most of all, it describes the love this couple felt for one another. This book is about the acceptance of dying, the anger and hopelessness and the memories we hold dear and those that still bring pain.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. The ending was a surprise, but I can understand what caused it? Why it was done? (I’m not sure what I want to say here.) I liked the novel, but it brought pain. Especially when one is of a certain age where thoughts of mortality weighs on one’s mind. It is well written, but wanders in the plot a little. I would suppose that such thoughts do wander at a time like that.

I want to thank NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for forwarding to me a copy of this thoughtful book to read and give me pause.

There is no doubt that Stage Four is a very interesting read. It tells the story of a Dutch couple who first met in Sweden back in 1968, and now want to enjoy their golden years by traveling around Europe in a camper van. Those dreams are crushed as Sarie is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer before the trip has even started... Stage Four both shows us the past, how the two main characters first met, and how they react to the terrible news all those years later, try to live with this new reality and make the most of the time they have left. The writing is interesting and includes a lot of descriptions of both the places they visit (which made me feel as if I were visiting Sweden myself) and facts related to Sarie's illness. The decline in Sarie's character is tragic and heartbreaking; their love and devotion beautiful. I have to say I was quite shocked by the ending though!