Reviews with content warning for Grief - Death Valley

Melissa Broder has a very distinct writing style that I love. She is able to capture complex feelings so succinctly. This is the third novel of hers that I’ve read and I’ve enjoyed all of them.

First, I have to give it up for the title. INCREDIBLY fitting, in every sense of the word. The story follows an unnamed woman dealing with anticipatory grief who gets lost in the desert. The story is very surreal. The middle section of the book is a little on the slow side but I appreciated the short chapters.

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carly_reads's review

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emotional funny reflective

Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“Help me not be empty,” I say to god in the Best Western parking lot.

If I’m honest, I came to escape a feeling- an attempt that’s already going poorly because unfortunately I’ve brought myself with me.

People are such a commitment. I would "reach out" more often if everyone promised not to check in again later.

I always say that I don’t believe a person has to suffer to make art. But that’s only because I imagine it’s true for others (also, I don’t want to be accused of inspiring teen suicide).

Melissa has such a distinct writing style, I think I could recognize it anywhere. She has the sharp ability to meld together big themes with the most absurd situations you could ever come up with. I feel like she’s also able to be concise with what she’s trying to say, but still make an impact. In this case, I think she’s making a statement about how you can’t avoid/escape your life and feelings forever as well as finding the silver linings in life despite circumstances. This felt like an exploration into depression, anticipatory grief, so much anxiety you can’t live your life, how the wants and needs of your inner child never go away, and searching for reasons that would make life meaningful.

This truly reads like a fever dream- very surreal and absurd but in a good way. I think it was very different than her other books. The main character is much more redeemable (imo lol). I appreciated the commentary about how hard being a caregiver for a loved one with a chronic illness can be. I think it’s unfair to assume that people don’t have less than positive feelings when put in that position despite wanting to be there for that person. I think the author does a good job saying things that a lot of people think but are too afraid to say (both in that context and generally).

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lindsayerin's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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gondorgirl's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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rosyapple's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

didn't enjoy this one. if it sounds interesting i would recommend mona awad's "alls well" instead. on the other hand if you enjoyed "something new under the sun" by alexandra kleeman then you probably would like this book

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breanneporter's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really like Melissa Broder’s voice as an author, and there was some really beautiful writing and commentary on grief in this, but it just didn’t hit for me. It follows a 41 year old author as she embarks on a trip to Death Valley in order to get inspiration for her in-process novel about a woman not unlike herself. During the journey she goes on hikes in the desert, finds and enters a magical cactus, gets lost, anthropomorphizes many many inanimate objects and animals, and confronts her grief and feelings around her father’s illness and her husband’s chronic pain. I read on audio and while I liked the protagonist, I found it hard to stay totally focused on the strange, meandering, half-real/half-imagined journey (without drifting back into my own thoughts). I think I may have enjoyed this more if I had read it with my eyes, and especially if I had recently processed/was processing a similar grief. Overall kind of a meh for me, though I wished I liked it more.

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neverfarfromthesea's review

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adventurous funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Witty, likeable but flawed main character. I was touched my some of her vulnerably honest descriptions of chronic illness and anticipatory grief.

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