This haunting novella is a story of a gravely wounded Iraq veteran, partially blind, brain damaged and near comatose. He lives on for three years by the miracle of modern medicine and his wife’s refusal to pull the plug.
The narrator is this soldier’s unnamed Marine Corps buddy who was killed in the same IED explosion that injured Eden. He tells the story from beyond the grave of a complicated relationship between the three of them prior to deployment.
It’s such an intimate portrayal of grief that begins even before death…hence the title. Mary never leaves his side and struggles with her decision of whether or not to take her husband off life support even as she wishes him to die.
Although framed by consequences of war, this is not a war novel. Instead,iIt details what happened to Eden because of the war. It was powerful, evocative and full of symbolism revealing the human cost of America’s endless wars. Thank goodness the story is brief, because there’s only so much heartbreak a reader can take.
Posted By: Regina C.
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