Review: The Collected Regrets of Clover

Title: The Collected Regrets of Clover

Author: Mikki Brammer

Publisher: 6th July 2023 by Penguin General

Pages: 320 pages

Genre: contemporary, fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

In her work as a ‘death doula’, Clover Brooks ushers people peacefully through their last days, collecting their final words into three notebooks: ADVICE, CONFESSIONS and REGRETS.

But Clover spends so much time with the dying that she’s forgotten how to live . . .

Can her clients’ hard-won wisdom – and the inspiring love story of a spirited old woman named Claudia – show Clover the way to a happy ending?

After all, what’s the point of giving someone a beautiful death if you can’t give yourself a beautiful life?

My Thoughts

I love a book that makes me think and reflect and The Collected Regrets of Clover certainly did this. This book is not only thought provoking but also due to its unusual content, most heartfelt. It is also unique, uplifting and inspirational. One might think that because the themes of dying and death are forefront it might be melancholy but not so. Yes, it is a book about grief and regrets but it is also a book about moving forward and living your best life. 

‘Grief plays tricks on you that way - a familiar whiff of cologne or a potential sighting of your person in a crowd, and all the knots you’ve tied inside yourself to manage the pain of losing them suddenly unravel.’

Clover lost both her parents at a young age and now lives alone in an apartment in Manhattan. She is a death doula - a companion for the dying and their family through the process of death. She is very good at her job - assisting those to die with dignity and see their wishes carried out. Clover records their final words in three books - Regrets, Advice and Confessions. She often reflects on the words in these books, selecting an entry and trying to fulfill or live by what is said for a week - it might involve eating something or attending a museum as an example.

‘I realized that it wasn’t my job to help them gloss over that reality if they didn’t want to; it was to sit with them, listen, and bear witness. Even if they were unhappy right up until their final exhale, at least they weren’t alone.’

Mikki Brammer has done an outstanding job for a debut novel. Interwoven throughout the tale is a celebration of life, urging you to enjoy each moment, take life by the hand, learning to live with as few regrets as possible. It is a beautiful message. Some readers found Clover a difficult character to warm to but I appreciated all she had been through. I loved the flashbacks of the memories with her grandfather and the character of Claudia and her story was truly beautiful. 

‘It wasn’t just the regrets of the dying people I was trying to resolve—it was my own …. maybe it was time I addressed my own regrets.’

All up this is a lovely story that I thoroughly recommend, feeling that its message will resonate with many. There is so much to appreciate, reflect and linger over. With heart wrenching topics of aging, loneliness, dying with dignity, I found Mikki was very sensitive, making the subjects both relevant and mindful. 

‘Here’s to living a life with fewer regrets’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.