A review by eudaemonics
A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A really really beautiful read. I think it was a little rough around the edges in some ways, so you could tell it was Beagle's first novel, but it really painted a vivid picture of New York from within the confines of a cemetery. 

The romance in both aspects was deeply compelling for me, and I like the way Beagle depicts death in this world: a time after living where you try to hold onto life and all of its memories as tightly as you can before it disappears like a mist.

I also like that it wasn't but about death, but not being afraid to live- I felt a lot of myself in Rebeck's character. I, too, have thought of abandoning everything and running off to hide in some abandoned place for years. The way he develops from a living ghost to finding reasons to be comfortable in the real world really spoke to my heart.
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