A bittersweet twist on the Death taking human form trope. This Death takes in the world in all its glory and ugliness, observing with a gentle, benign eye. Nothing hurts until he lets down his guard and comes to care deeply for a mother and daughter. This is a read to savor with graceful writing and carefully crafted characters.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves, (List Price: $18, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster, 9781668216361, July 2026)
Reviewed by Jan, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC