How to Talk to a Widower is a raw, deeply relatable portrait of grief that made me feel less alone in my own struggle with loss and the exhausting effort of pretending to be okay. I'm glad I read this book!
We read to know we're not alone
-William Nicholson
Some friends can finish each other's sentences.
Friends who know precisely what you're thinking by merely looking at you.
Friends who understand how you're feeling without you having to explain anything.
That's the kind of friendship I share with Doug. The fictional main character in How to Talk to a Widower.
How to Talk to A Widower by Jonathan Tropper Book Review
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Talk to a Widower is hilarious but poignant. It's unpretentious, realistic, and easy to relate to. It's very human.
Why I love How to Talk to a Widower
I know exactly what it means to act as normally as possible for the world to see.
I know how hard it is to hold on to something you used to have but isn't there anymore.
I know how awful it is to deal with something that happened so abruptly, so suddenly, and how cruel it is that the world won't even give you enough time to let it sink in before it moves on.
I know how crazy it is to get pissed, then feel guilty about getting pissed, and then get pissed about feeling guilty.
I know how difficult it is to cry yourself to sleep, wake up without feeling the purpose of waking up anymore, but get up anyway and show the world you're still okay.
I just know how messed up Doug felt, and I'm glad he made me realize I'm not alone, even if he's just a fictional character.
If you like how informal and raw The Catcher in the Rye is, I think you'll like How to Talk to a Widower too.
The characters are ordinary and flawed. Their relationships are dysfunctional and, well, normal.
It doesn't have a happily-ever-after ending, and that's the other beautiful thing about it. The story goes on.
Doug moves on, but he takes his sweet time. Hailey, his deceased wife, will always be a part of him.
The way he refuses to forget about her, even after over a year, made me wish I had a Doug, too.
Even when women throw themselves at him, he remains loyal to her memory.
Yes, he dated again and even so humanly and irrationally jumped into something he shouldn't have, but at the end of the day, it's still Hailey.
Laughing and grieving with Doug was a refreshing experience. I feel alive…and normal again.
Soulmate in a book
I felt like I had found a soulmate in Doug, the widower in the story.
I admire his frailty. He grieved because he had to.
He didn't like the shallowness of the people around him. He loved Hailey with all his heart.
Recommend it?
Yes. The honesty in this book is really refreshing. It doesn't hide human weakness but also shows how resilient we are, and that our lives don't end when one chapter closes.
How To Talk To A Widower is available on Amazon.
- eBook: https://amzn.to/3LjJKKz
- Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4hEuK5Z
- Paperback: https://amzn.to/47zDQwb
- Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3Lbi3DQ
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6 comments
Hi, this sounds like a sweet story. Thanks for sharing on Book Musing Mondays.
ReplyDeleteSounds very interesting, and I love that the universe planned for you to read it 4 years after you bought it! Visiting from Mary's linkup
ReplyDeletewill have to look into this book, thanks for sharing. I'm always looking for more books to read.
ReplyDeleteIntriguing premise! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJan (visiting from Ashley's linkup)
Hi,
ReplyDelete1. My husband was a widower. Extremely insightful and realistic writing.
2. Catcher in the Rye was my favorite book of all time not sci fi. A tie with ...Mockingbird
3. I met you at the Literary Musings Linky.
Very insightful writing!
Janice
I do like informal and raw books. I'll check this out.
ReplyDelete