I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

What a unique novel. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this. It’s moving, deep, dark, fascinating… A real page-turner and thought-provoker. Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy!

Three stars for my personal enjoyment. This book is poetry disguised as a novel and it’s beautiful and full of important lessons and thoughts. When Wolf said ”I am not catastrophising This is a fucking catastrophe.” about the world I felt it. But it was just a little to esoteric for me to love it.

In general I liked Mrs. Death Misses Death, though at times it did feel more like a polemic than a novel. It took me a while to really get into it but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. I wish Wolf's gender identity was more clearly defined, but at the same time I like that it's left somewhat ambiguous—I just find it frustrating that so many reviewers are referring to them as either he or she when the text is fairly clear about them being nonbinary.

A very poetic story which, at times, I found difficult to read. A lot of interesting topics and the prose is very beautiful but sometimes a bit repetitive. I'm sure lots of people will love this book but it wasn't for me.

An interesting way of personifying death as a black woman. This book was short and had a unique writing style. I wanted to love this book but sadly I didn't. I found myself trudging through this book and not completely enjoying my time reading it. I knew they'd be depictions of death, but unfortunately, I felt a bit triggered while reading this. Part of it is my fault, due to not being careful while reading a book about death. Overall I do think that this book is for someone, it's just not me.

Despite being a very short book, this story had a big punch. The writing was beautiful and lyrical and I absolutely flew through it. I loved that there was so much representation in this. Mrs. Death is a working class, older black woman and I loved the reasoning behind that decision.

This felt like a breeze. With such an interesting title I really didn't know what to expect but I wasn't disappointed even for a minute of it.
A 'magic' desk has come to Wolf's possession, who lost her mother in the tower block fire, is listening to the the voice of Mrs Death because of which a struggling writer as herself has found a calling to write again,
It was such a heartwarming and delightful read.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

While the prose of this book can be stunning at time and the concept of the book is original, I found the execution to lack the impact that I had hoped for. I just don’t really feel much about this book at all, which is a shame.

Do you see that old woman walking down the street, just a homeless black beggar-woman with matted hair, bent double, walking ever so slow, pushing a shopping trolley full of plastic bottles? You should take notice of her, befriend her and listen to what she has to say. Why? That's Mrs Death - and boy does she have some stories to tell...

Here are the collected memoirs of Mrs Death, edited and compiled by Wolf Willeford, a poet who lives in the attic rooms of the Forest Tavern in East London.

"This is a work of fiction and non-fiction, a work of dreams and nightmares. Some names, dates and details have been changed to protect the living and amuse the dead." Wolf declares. "I share this hoping that it is the beginning of your own conversation with yourself and with your own precious time here.
"Imagine if we knew our death date? ... Without death you wouldn't live; without knowing you die, this would be endless. That is why you need death."

Mrs Death's freewheeling journey through history is transmitted to Wolf and recorded as scraps of biography and history, poems and songs, and even transcripts of Mrs Death’s pyschiatric sessions.

It's an audacious reimagining of The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan's Christian allegory published in 1678.

Occasionally, it doesn't quite work, for this reader; but, overall it's a remarkable accomplishment.

In fact, one may agree with Wolf that "This book is a matter of Life and Death".

This book is first and foremost an experience. The way it plays with rhythm, repetition, a sort of prose poetry that keeps you on the edge of your seat is truly magnificent. There wasn't much plot, we go between a haunted novelist and Mrs Death's perspectives. At times it's chaotic and confusing but at other times it's tender, touching and truly poignant. That's why I say it's an experience, it's full of beautiful moving quotes, universal truths, and eerie imagery.

Finally, even though I got an e-ARC from the publisher, I ended up finding an audiobook of this novel read by the author and I'm so glad I listened to it. I highly recommend it because it almost feels like a performance piece.

This book is utterly poetic and gorgeous both in theme and style. Death is a shape-shifting Black woman who's getting weary of her calling and wanting her story to be known. As she tells her story to Wolf Willeford the narrative shifts perspectives from prose to verse as they both grow closer through contemplating death. I've truly never read anything like this book before.

Wolf meets Mrs Death at the age of 10 and the story follows how when a teenager Wolf starts to write her story.

Salena Godden's poet prose flows and expressing a range of human emotions and Mrs Death's philosophy of the world humans have created. Exploring some of the stories of historical crimes you may know, and everyday deaths, Wolf is incapsulated into her world.

This book was amazing to me. Please check content warnings as the story can be graphic in places.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Canongate for a eARC of this book for an honest review.

Although this one was written in an experimental fashion and was hard to follow at times, I loved the premise and the execution! If sassy Mrs. Death is there to greet me when I die, I think I'd be okay with that

Interesting but not really my cup of tea. Well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Predictable and honestly it was a struggle to keep my interest. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 ✨

"Once you have known Mrs Death there's no unknowing her."

Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden was not what I expected.

First of, what an intriguing book title! When I first read it, I thought the book would be about the couple of death, but I was way off.

Salena Godden describes Mrs Death as a "poor old black woman" because Death is invisible and there's no one in the human world more invisible than her and "only she who is invisible can do the work of death." As the story progresses, we see that a writer named Wolf narrates this story as he has purchased an old desk that once belonged to Mrs Death and through the Desk, Mrs Death communicates with Wolf and shares her stories and encounters with the humans.

So as it might seem obvious, I was expecting fantasy but don't let the premise fool you, this book is full of surprises, twists, and turns. It is also an interesting combination of fiction and poetry.

Wolf's writing is often a bit repetitive and it feels like the author gets so fascinated and hooked by a certain idea that he needs to explore it to the fullest. There are many quotable parts in the book overall and Wolf shares a lot of thought-provoking ideas like when he explains to us how our society often refers to higher powers as male, but that Death is certainly female.

"Surely only she who bears it, she who gave you life, can be she who has the power to take it."

Mrs Death Misses Death covers themes of climate change, police brutality, mental illness, family abuse, ancestral appreciation, race, and so much more. And of course since it's a book about death, it has some graphic details about murders and abuse. I believe the book did a great job overall in handling the concept of loss and grief as I often found solace in the author's words.

People are flawed and often hurt each other, either purposefully or without meaning to, but at the end of the day:

"We have each other: it is all we have.

It is enough and it is everything.

It is borrowed time."

It’s light, it’s dark, it’s twisted and it’s brilliant. As we all encounter life, so too we should all encounter Mrs Death. This is truly an unstoppable read! And I loved every minute of it!

DNF

This was one of my most anticipated reads and, sadly, it really wasn't for me. My main issue was the writing style. It felt like Godden needed to meet a word count and was just repeating meaningless words to get there.

Great intriguing premise and execution. Was delighted to include this novel in February’s Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction. (In Zoomer magazine’s Zed Book Club section.)

The cover is absolutely stunning which is why I requested this novel. Super interesting premise and beautiful poetic lyrical writing. Glad I picked up this one.