Member Review

After the tragic, sudden death of her older brother, Ray, Cass is left alone to not only mourn his death but also try to hold her family together. She finds comfort in Vince, the funeral director and her brother's best friend, whom she also had a crush on a few years ago.

I usually steer away from topics like death, grief, and loss because I try to lean toward happier subjects when I read (why look for more sadness). But something about this book made me very curious.

Sophie Andrews dives into the raw stages of mourning the loss of a loved one in the most candid ways I've ever seen. She doesn't sugarcoat it. At all. She perfectly demonstrates the sadness, anger, and resentment one feels towards not only the people around them but also the loved one she lost. Cass mentions multiple times how it angers her how people are "selfishly" living their lives, while her brother is gone.

I loved how Andrews gave the theme of "love and loss" so many layers. mourning the death of a loved one, a marriage crumbling amidst the terrible grief of losing a child, and the struggling relationship between Cass and her parents who are neglecting the only child they have left. I loved how she wove them together so seamlessly.

For the story between Vince and Cass, I think it added a whole other layer to it. It showed us how Cass's inner turmoil with her struggle with self-love was seeping into her relationship with Vince, and how she felt like she was using him as a temporary fix and as an escape from her reality. I loved that she acknowledged what she was doing, instead of stringing him along. I felt like their relationship was very realistic and raw, and I appreciated that it wasn't a fluff piece for the story and it actually added depth to it.

I could write a whole essay on this book, but I'll sum it up and say that I loved this book! It was different from anything I've ever read, and I can't wait to read more of Sophie Andrews's books!

I just reviewed Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews. #LoveataFuneralandOtherAwkwardConversations #NetGalley
https://www.netgalley.com/book/361207/review/1350762