A review by amysbrittain
Our Short History by Lauren Grodstein

4.0

4+ stars for me. I really loved this fast and all-encompassing read. The premise is heartbreaking, and not one I'd normally dive in for, but Grodstein resists being emotionally manipulative and crafts what feels like an honest, sometimes very funny, quickly paced yet full story without yanking the reader's chain. It's a character-driven tragedy about preparing for death and telling the truth about a life that doesn't inspire tears or leave you with a cloyingly sweet taste in your mouth from end-of-life gems of inspiration. Karen is really faulted and smart and kickass, and is a really appealing character to see through to the end.