I’ve been intrigued by Death as a character ever since I read Mort by Terry Pratchett. However, Ben Reeves’ debut novel, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is certainly not funny. Reeves says he reads for language and voice and tone. His narrator, Death, in the form of a man named Travis Smith, has his own voice. He’s a gentle man, as caring as Death can be.
Before I discuss the book, let me give a warning. This book is definitely not for everyone. While I zipped through it in one afternoon, captivated by the the voice, the subject matter is not for anyone dealing with illness or grieving. Chapters begin with Travis’ visits to bedsides, apartments, homes. He says everyone “Knows who I am and why I’ve come. Everyone knows, at the end.”
Death is a lonely figure whose only companion is a white cat that won’t leave him alone. That’s how Travis makes his biggest mistake. He asks his next door neighbor if she has cat food. Dalia is a midwife who lives with her eight-year-old daughter, Layla, and a toddler, Neda. Layla invites him to her birthday party, draws pictures for him, shares her photographs. Without meaning to, Travis gets sucked into friendship with the family. “Day by day, this little family has sunk its roots into my skin…I have fallen for them.”
Travis doesn’t feel pain, love, or other emotions. He’s a watcher, who walks the streets of a grey town, observing life on the streets or behind the windows. It’s because of Travis’ observations that the world comes alive in this book through his matter-of-fact narration. He can’t change the world or a person’s death. He can only be there when it happens, and mark down a person’s life in years, days, minutes. Unfortunately, he knows what’s going to happen when tragedy strikes Dalia’s little family.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a moving story of death and grief, and the beauty in the everyday details of ordinary life. It’s those little details that Death finds awe-inspiring. He wants people to be aware of those details, to celebrate the minutiae of a finite life. “People amaze me. All of you. Every single one of you amazes me. The things you’re capable of. The pain you’re capable of enduring.”
This is a quiet, sometimes painful, sometimes sad book, narrated by a figure who has seen it all. Don’t forget, though, that he’s walked the streets, and seen the joyful moments, the celebrations of life, as well as the loss. If you’re ready for Death’s observations, take a chance on a debut.
Ben Reeves’ website is https://benreeves.co.uk/
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves. Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 2026. 256p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought an online copy of the book.
What a thoughtful and caring review. I just preordered this book a few days ago and feel better prepared and hopeful to read it. Thanks.
Thank you, Pamela. A little different than my review yesterday. It was a thoughtful book. I hope you let us know on a Thursday what you think when you read it.
I downloaded a copy from the Cloud Library as you made it sound so interesting, and I ‘ll see how it goes, but so far it’s beautifully written. Thanks for recommending it because I doubt I ‘d have chosen it otherwise.
I know I downloaded a copy because I wanted to read it now, but it was a local independent bookstore that recommended it, Jeff. I’ll be eager to see what you think. I don’t think I would have normally read it either. But, Death as a narrator caught my attention.
Thanks for satisfying my curiosity Lesa. I was wondering how you even knew about such an unusual book.
Gramercy Books sends out a newsletter of new releases every Tuesday, MM. Sometimes, I buy from them, especially children’s books. But, I wanted to read this one NOW, out of curiosity.
I would say the real reward for reading this book is how it is tied together at the end.
I like death-as-a-character/narrator books, too! I might need to check this one out.
Beautiful writing. Very literary, E.R. Let me know what you think if you read it, please.
Even without the warning, I am pretty sure this is so not the book for me. Do better, Lesa.
(laughing)
Preferred the cozy review the other day, huh, Kevin? No, this one isn’t for you.
Sounds like a fascinating book. Funny you mention Terry Pratchett, since I’ve read most of his books, and Death is a great character in many of them. Including MORT!
I love Death in Terry Pratchett’s books, Kim.
I was lucky enough to host him when I was at a library in Arizona, thanks to one of my staff members. I’m so glad I had a few minutes to meet him!