by Diane Davies
Oculus Literary
book review by Nicole Yurcaba
“I woke up this morning thinking about my full day ahead with anticipation of a good day. Little did I know how this day would end, turning my whole world upside down and inside out.”
In this intimate book, Davies shares a deeply personal story about reckoning with death, grief, and life after losing a loved one. The author recounts her story of losing her husband in daily journal entries. These entries help readers understand the process of acceptance that happens after someone dies. They also learn about how the support of one’s family and community can make the grieving process more navigable. Throughout the collection, poems appear with certain journal entries, and these poems help memorialize the author’s husband, Butch. However, the poems’ inclusion is also a testament to the healing power poetry and literature offer during difficult times. As readers progress through the journal, they learn that the author’s assertion, “Grief demands to be handled on its own terms and in its own time,” is an adage to adopt and live by when facing grief and trauma.
As society progresses and more and more people advocate for a death-positive movement regarding the funeral industry and personal grieving, books like this are a necessary addition to those conversations. The author’s emotional vulnerability about her husband’s death is brave, and those who have endured similar situations will easily connect with the author’s experience. For readers currently processing their own grief about a loved one’s death, this book is not only a series of journal entries that will help them but also a valuable step-by-step guide. Meanwhile, for those who are preparing to face a loved one’s journey towards death, the experiences shared in this book will undoubtedly help them during the days and months that come after losing a loved one.
US Review of Books 