An astonishing, deeply moving novel about finding beauty in the brevity of life, as narrated by the one who knows it best: Death.
This is a book that will find people when they need it the most. It’s not necessarily an easy read for anyone, least of all those navigating recent loss and grief, but it does explore death and the end of life in an incredibly sensitive and moving way. It reminds us of the beauty in every day life, without being overwhelming. And then by contrast, there are times when it focuses on the sadness of death, loss, and a life coming to an end.
It is a quiet book, contemplative and full of compassion, ultimately it is about death but also about the joy of being alive. Narrated by one who has seen both sides.
About the Book
Travis lives an unassuming life with his cat in a small English town. Travis also happens to be the cosmic force of Death, visiting people in their final days and hours of life, before shepherding them into whatever happens next.
He listens to their stories, doesn’t judge, and never tries to change anyone’s fate… until he meets a young, single midwife called Dalia and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter, Layla. As he gets closer to this small, seemingly unremarkable family, Travis begins to learn what it is that makes life so worth living, and so what it is that is irrevocably lost in death.
Full of compassion and deep magic, Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt might be a novel about Death, but it’s also about the joy of being alive – appreciating each day we have, from the people around us to the strange wonder of our spinning world.
About The Author
Ben Reeves lives in Peterborough with his wife and two children, and he won the Bath Novel Award 2024 for this novel. When he’s not writing, he paints, makes music, and works as a web designer for a book printing company.
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