“Eudora Honeysett is invisible, and she doesn’t care one jot. She has lived her life as best she can. She is ready for the next step, the final destination, or whatever half-baked euphemism people insist on using these days. Death. The end. She’s rather looking forward to it. It may be a black hole or, if she’s lucky, she’ll be reunited with all the people she’s ever loved.”–Annie Lyons, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett
This book is slightly reminiscent of “A Man Called Ove,” but has a charm that is all its own. It is a compelling story and the characters are well drawn and believable. While set in the present, the book employs multiple flashbacks to tell Eudora’s story. Eudora is a complex character who illustrates well that we are all the sum of our life’s experience. After living a long life, she ready to call it quits and starts investigating an assisted suicide center in Switzerland. Her new 10 year old neighbor, Rose, and an older neighbor, Stanley, work to engage Eudora in enjoying life once again. Rose is delightful and nearly steals the show! I enjoyed this book very much and it was a hit with my book club.
Content warning: some language, talk of assisted suicide, domestic violence