Sonntag, 22. November 2015

Camille Pagán - Life and Other Near-Death Experiences

When Libby Miller is diagnosed with cancer and returns home to be comforted by her husband, he himself drops a bomb: he actually is gay. Confused by this news, she throws him out and decides spontaneously to end the life she led until that day. She quits her job, arranges to sell the apartment and leaves Chicago for Puerto Rico where she hopes to find some relief. Although she had decided to give up life and enjoy the last months which remain, she has to learn that there are people who care about her and want her to fight for her life.

It is rare to find a book in which the main character suffers from a deadly illness and yet narrates in such a laughable way. Camille Pagan’s style of writing is the perfect balance between hilarious and serious. Neither does she take the diagnosis easy not does the make you feel depressed as a reader. I can imagine that being in this situation makes you in one second laugh out loud and cry in the next and after all, you are alone in you struggle with the illness and the question how to react to it. The author does not provide an answers, it is not a book to motivate you to fight because this is the only good thing to do. There are reasons underneath which could also lead to a completely different decision.


All in all, albeit the very serious topic a very humorous and entertaining story to read.
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