Grief is a universal emotion which we experience throughout our lives. Here is a list of fiction books which explore the myriad ways we respond to grief and, in turn, may provide a path for our own journeys. Annotations from Kirkus Reviews, unless otherwise noted. Created by The Seattle Public Library Older Adults Program Manager and Readers Services librarians. (Created September 2020)
What We Owe
Always arresting, never sentimental; gut-wrenching, though not without hope.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
View What We OweLast One Home
Traces the reunion of the three disparate Palmer sisters, one responsible, one rebellious, and one free-spirited, who reveal imperfections in their respective lives while mourning their mother's death. (NoveList)
Format: Book
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View Last One HomeThe Great Believers
As compulsively readable as it is thoughtful and moving: an unbeatable fictional combination.
Format: Book
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View The Great BelieversApeirogon
Imperfect but ultimately triumphant, McCann’s latest novel might be his finest yet.
Format: Book
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View ApeirogonIt's Not All Downhill From Here
If only things went so well in real life! Enjoy the wish fulfillment of ready cash and ideal outcomes.
Format: Book
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View It's Not All Downhill From HereThe Friend
Breathtaking both in pain and in beauty; a singular book.
Format: Book
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View The FriendHamnet
A gripping drama of the conflict between love and destiny.
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
View HamnetGrief Is the Thing With Feathers
Elegant, imaginative, and perfectly paced. A contribution to the literature of grief and to literature in general.
Format: eBook
View Grief Is the Thing With FeathersThe House
In Paco Roca's intimate and international award-winning graphic novel, 'The House', three adult siblings return to their family's quaint vacation home a year after their father's death with the intention to clean up the residence and put it on the market. But as garbage is hauled off and dust is wiped away, decades-old resentments quickly fill the vacant home. (NoveList)
Format: Graphic Novel
Availability: Available
View The HouseLincoln in the Bardo
With this book, Saunders asserts a complex and disturbing vision in which society and cosmos blur.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
View Lincoln in the Bardo