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A review by bookswithbibi
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
5.0
4.75 stars
Wow, what a lovely, poignant tale about living, loving and death.
I am not sure if I will be able to adequately put into words my thoughts and feelings, but here it goes.
This book was an incredible slow burn, which means it took time for me to fully engage (after the first few chapters) but was worth the wait and patience. Clover lives a very insular life, and while I understand why she structured her life that way, sometimes her thoughts/actions made me frustrated and wished it wasn't that way. I also felt a great connection to Clover as an introvert and someone with social anxiety. Several of the strategies/techniques she uses to get through her day in a busy place are things I do too, and so I really connected with her anxieties and hesitancy to put herself out there.
I've never heard of a death doula before, but I love the idea, especially for Clover. I really appreciated the frank conversations and inner monologues about death, grief and what it's like to really live a full and beautiful life. I also appreciated the recognition that this looks different for everyone and how Clover understood and emphasized this. I highlighted many passages as I was touched by them and the reflections they sparked within me. I also loved that Clover had the journals and tried different things based on the people she met and assisted. I think that the conversations about death were handled extremely well and respectfully, and I liked that we had a glimpse into how other cultures view death and dying.
I loved Leo and Sylvie and would definitely read a book (or novella) about their adventures and/or building gossip (bodega cat drama!!!). It took a while to really get to the heart of the story/plot, and I wish it had come a bit sooner so that later relationships and the ending could've been developed a bit more. I wouldn't necessarily categorize this as a romance, but some romantic pieces were important to the story.
Overall though, I highly recommend this book. It was beautiful, refreshing and poignant. An incredible debut and an author to watch.
Wow, what a lovely, poignant tale about living, loving and death.
I am not sure if I will be able to adequately put into words my thoughts and feelings, but here it goes.
This book was an incredible slow burn, which means it took time for me to fully engage (after the first few chapters) but was worth the wait and patience. Clover lives a very insular life, and while I understand why she structured her life that way, sometimes her thoughts/actions made me frustrated and wished it wasn't that way. I also felt a great connection to Clover as an introvert and someone with social anxiety. Several of the strategies/techniques she uses to get through her day in a busy place are things I do too, and so I really connected with her anxieties and hesitancy to put herself out there.
I've never heard of a death doula before, but I love the idea, especially for Clover. I really appreciated the frank conversations and inner monologues about death, grief and what it's like to really live a full and beautiful life. I also appreciated the recognition that this looks different for everyone and how Clover understood and emphasized this. I highlighted many passages as I was touched by them and the reflections they sparked within me. I also loved that Clover had the journals and tried different things based on the people she met and assisted. I think that the conversations about death were handled extremely well and respectfully, and I liked that we had a glimpse into how other cultures view death and dying.
I loved Leo and Sylvie and would definitely read a book (or novella) about their adventures and/or building gossip (bodega cat drama!!!). It took a while to really get to the heart of the story/plot, and I wish it had come a bit sooner so that later relationships and the ending could've been developed a bit more. I wouldn't necessarily categorize this as a romance, but some romantic pieces were important to the story.
Overall though, I highly recommend this book. It was beautiful, refreshing and poignant. An incredible debut and an author to watch.