How Not To Die Alone
By Richard Roper
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Recommended For: Ages 18+ (some language) and people with a witty sense of humor looking for a fun read.

Andrew’s day-to-day is a little grim, searching for next of kin for those who die alone. Thankfully, he has a loving family waiting for him when he gets home, to help wash the day’s cares away. At least, that’s what his coworkers believe.

 

 

Andrew didn’t mean for the misunderstanding to happen, yet he’s become trapped in his own white lie. The fantasy of his wife and two kids has become a pleasant escape from his lonely one bedroom with only his Ella Fitzgerald records for company. But when new employee Peggy breezes into his life like a breath of fresh air, Andrew is shaken out of his routine. She doesn’t notice the wall he’s been safely hiding behind and their friendship promises to break it down.

Andrew must choose: Does he tell the truth and start really living his life, but risk losing his friendship with Peggy? Or will he stay safe and alone, behind the façade? How Not to Die Alone is about the importance of taking a chance in those moments when we have the most to lose. Sharp and funny, warm and real, it’s the kind of big-hearted story we all need. 

 

The Gist:
I decided to buy this book after I read the first paragraph. Right away I could tell it would be a light-hearted humor with a witty protagonist. Andrew works for the Death Administration in England. He’s good at his job and also good at maintain a years-long lie that he has a loving wife and two children. In reality, he’s all alone. The premise sounds sad, but the mood of the book is more hopeful than you’d expect. The plot is centered on Andrew dealing with the consequences of lying to his employer and coworkers. This peek into Andrew’s life lets the reader explore the themes of loneliness and isolation without feeling the weight usually ascribed to those two things. So don’t let the name full you. How Not To Die Alone, with its relaxed prose and easy humor, is a delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

 

What I Liked:
The voice of the novel was my favorite. In his debut novel, Roper crafted a light-hearted, yet thoughtful voice like the true masters. Roper created a protagonist that isn’t perfect, yet lovable all the same. Normally, I would have a hard time feeling sympathy for someone perpetuating such a significant lie as Andrew is. But, the way Roper molded him into a sympathetic character without making him obtuse or over-dramatic truly made me fall in love with Andrew, despite his faults. And I loved how Roper dropped little nuggets that showed underneath it all, Andrew really was a good person.

And it wasn’t just Andrew’s character I enjoyed. I thought all characters, main and side, were well developed with their own struggles and own small plot lines. None of them felt flat or thrown in for no reason. Instead, Roper used them as tools to feed Andrew’s own development and growth.

Roper really shows his strength in character development in this debut novel. Every element of the book, from his job that puts him around people who die alone, to his online forum friends, to his new acquaintances contribute to how he grows throughout the story.

I don’t know how he did it, but somehow Roper took a book essentially about death, and turned it into a charming narrative. Just kidding, I have some ideas about how he did it. But I think any time an author can take what we expect and turn it into the opposite of it and impossibly make us love it more, that’s the mark of a good book. I wasn’t in the mood for something heavy, something that would require me to sit and think for hours after I read to decompress what I’d just taken in. How Not To Die Alone was a quaint beauty that made me appreciate the people in my life and put a smile on my face thanks to the adorable protagonist and humor.

 

What I Didn’t Like:
There were a couple sideline subplots in the novel that dragged down the narrative flow. They were cute stories, but didn’t contribute much to the overall story and character arcs, add tension or momentum. However, Andrew’s charming voice made them enjoyable and durable nonetheless.

The ending was a a tad abrupt for me. I wished I could have seen more of him after his final realizations and changing point.

 

LunasLuckyRating: 4.5/5 Lunas