Title: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer
Author: Frederik Backman
Pages: 96
Genre: Fiction
Source: Free ARC from Atria
Rating: B
Note: As stated under the Source (above), I received this book for free from Atria via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review (and trust me, honest is always what you’ll get).
Summary: Getting old is difficult, particularly for those who suffer from dementia, who have to struggle with the loss of memories, the loss of recognition of their loved ones, and also for those who love them. This is a sweet story about how one family wrestles with the slow loss of their grandfather, father, and how the man himself struggles to come to terms with what he is going through.
Review: What a quick read! I went in knowing it was a novella, but I finished it in under 40 minutes, and felt certain part of the book must be missing. But it was 40 minutes well spent. I fell in love with Backman when I read A Man Called Ove, so it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this. I didn’t find it as compelling or emotional as Ove, but it was lovely and sad and hopeful. The relationship between grandfather and grandson was wonderful, the kind of relationship any child would be lucky to have. There is a lot of heart in this novella, and I’m starting to get the impression that is just Backman’s way.
Loads of heart + quirky characters = everything I love about Backman.