This book was heartbreaking. Somebody somewhere suggested it to me (it could’ve even been an article I read). We start out with Travis, who is Death. He kinda meanders through his life taking people when it’s their time. I think he lives in New York. Oh and a random white cat finds its way into his apartment (you can see it on the cover) and he’s just very kind to the cat.
His solitude cracks a little bit when an eight-year-old neighbor named Layla starts to interact with him. She invites him to her birthday party and then they basically absorb him into the family. They don’t know at first, or for a while that he is Death, they just think he’s a lonely neighbor.
We see Travis interact with new people every few chapters. We see their last moments where they usually talk to Travis and welcome him. Sometimes he visits people when it’s not their time. One old lady was like “I DO NOT want to see you until you’re here to take me away”, because she’s basically done and ready to die.
Layla’s mom Dalia and Travis start to “date” and Travis spends more and more time at their apartment. Here’s where the heartbreak ramps up. We know that something is going to happen to this little family because Travis is always there. I was so sad when I read the tragedy and then saw how the family nearly fell apart so many times.
The writing in this book is beautiful. The stories are beautiful, but also just mundane too.
About a third of the way through the book, it does something that I love… the title is written out in the story:
Then she smiles, as though she’s thought of something. As if everything is beautiful and nothing hurts, and she closes her eyes. She is peaceful.
Four stars
