The Joy of Funerals: A Novel in Stories by Alix StraussQuirky, slightly disturbing, yet oddly fascinating, describes this collection of short stories which has cleverly been woven into a novel. In it, the subject of death becomes something we can talk about and relate to, rather than tiptoe around. The stories are delicately balanced with dark humor - edgy without being too intense or morbid.
The first part of the book is composed of eight distinct short stories. Each of the main characters has either lost someone dear to her or lost her own life. Among these women are a young widow who has sex with strangers at the cemetery where her husband is buried; a thrill seeker who feels most alive when she's in grave danger; a singleton who becomes convinced that a horrible blind date could have been the lost love of her life; and an artist who has lost her identity by becoming the perfect window dressing for her husband's life. Each has a sad story to share, and you find yourself engrossed in their aching tales.
The second part of the book is a story which intertwines the previous ones and brings a common connection. The main character, Nina, is a lonely young woman who uses funerals as therapy to connect with people and fill her empty life. She is obsessed with attending them, scoping out the obituaries daily, seeing where she might be able to make a connection. She recreates herself at each one - she's the eternally thankful patient, the long lost college friend, the loosely connected work colleague. Whatever it takes for her to touch people's lives - feel needed, wanted and loved. But when she can't keep up with lies, and her charade starts to unravel, she realizes that she may have taken things too far.
Death, mourning and funerals are not exactly light topics, but this book addresses them head on without the typical doom and gloom. There is, of course, some doom and gloom, but it is blended with enough dark humor and touching moments to carry you through. A very thought provoking, interesting read. Fans of Six Feet Under will be sure to appreciate and enjoy this unusual collection.
About the author: Alix Strauss is a writer whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, the New York Post, Men's Health, Marie Claire, and Self, among many others. Her short fiction has been published in the Hampton Shorts Literary Review, Idaho Review and Quality Women's Fiction. The short story "Shrinking Away" won the David Dornstein Creative Writing Award. She has been featured on several morning shows discussing lifestyle and food trends. She lives is
The Joy of Funerals: A Novel in Stories