finished reading

Even though Death is the main character in this book, the story is gentle and rather hopeful.  It's the story of death and grief and the beauty in ordinary life.  Travis Smith is modern-day Death, a solitary, handsome man who's intrigued by deep feelings.  He can't change a person's fate and doesn't judge, but he can listen and offer awareness of the transitions of life. Travis befriends his neighbor, Dalia, a midwife, and her precocious daughter, Layla; it becomes more difficult for Travis to remain detached when he is challenged by Layla's boisterous curiosity.

The book offers value to ordinary moments, as seen through the characters that Travis encounters in his professional capacity.  I think the book balances the heavy theme of mortality with a hopeful tone.  This book left me with a lot to think about.  There are moments of profound sadness and the unfairness of death and grief, but it's beautifully written.

From the publisher:

Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.

Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla come to embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long. Their time together teaches him what’s truly important in life—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.

Written with radiant warmth, wisdom, and compassion, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting its end, and finding our place in the universe—especially when it feels most impossible—that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost or worried at time’s passing.