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A review by rhadams
The Dead Wife's Handbook by Hannah Beckerman
5.0
*This review is for an ARC of the hardback edition which was received in return for honest feedback*
I was absolutely blow away by Hannah Beckerman's The Dead Wife's Handbook. Only after reading the book did I discover, in my quest to get my hands on other offerings from this author, that it is her debut novel, and what a debut it is.
Beckerman opens the novel by introducing Rachel who you quickly discover departed the world one year ago and has since been granted "access" to her husband, Max, and daughter, Ellie, at critical moments in their lives. She enters and retreats from each scen through white mist starting on that first anniversary as they ready themselves to go to her grave and following through a variety of firsts, and some seconds, that they have to endure without her. Through these moments we meet Max and Ellie who have a bond which truly warms your heart, who are grieving for Rachel and trying to find their way in a world without her. We meet Ralph and Joan, Max's parents, Conner, Max's brother, Celia, Rachel's mom, and Harriet, Rachel's best friend since college. We weave our way through Max and Ellie's relationships with each of these people and learn about Rachel's relationships with them. Eventually we are introduced to the women that Max dates as he tries to figure out how to move on without Rachel and are given window to how Max, Ellie and Rachel all deal with those circumstances.
The book is divided into parts that correlate with the stages of grief and I can honestly say that I felt like I went through each stage myself. I cannot remember the last time a book (or movie) took me through the emotional wringer the way this one did and at the end it left me wanting more of the story. What more can you ask for?
I was absolutely blow away by Hannah Beckerman's The Dead Wife's Handbook. Only after reading the book did I discover, in my quest to get my hands on other offerings from this author, that it is her debut novel, and what a debut it is.
Beckerman opens the novel by introducing Rachel who you quickly discover departed the world one year ago and has since been granted "access" to her husband, Max, and daughter, Ellie, at critical moments in their lives. She enters and retreats from each scen through white mist starting on that first anniversary as they ready themselves to go to her grave and following through a variety of firsts, and some seconds, that they have to endure without her. Through these moments we meet Max and Ellie who have a bond which truly warms your heart, who are grieving for Rachel and trying to find their way in a world without her. We meet Ralph and Joan, Max's parents, Conner, Max's brother, Celia, Rachel's mom, and Harriet, Rachel's best friend since college. We weave our way through Max and Ellie's relationships with each of these people and learn about Rachel's relationships with them. Eventually we are introduced to the women that Max dates as he tries to figure out how to move on without Rachel and are given window to how Max, Ellie and Rachel all deal with those circumstances.
The book is divided into parts that correlate with the stages of grief and I can honestly say that I felt like I went through each stage myself. I cannot remember the last time a book (or movie) took me through the emotional wringer the way this one did and at the end it left me wanting more of the story. What more can you ask for?