The Language of Dying is a gorgeous, gut-punch of a book. It is a story about death and family, about crisis and everyday problems. It is about coping and then not coping. the narrative begins with our protagonist in her childhood house that she bought from her father. Her father lives with her, dying of cancer. She has called all her siblings together for their last goodbyes. The reunion starts well. The two sisters bond and laugh despite the heartache. But there are cracks beneath the surface, and as the brothers come, our protagonist begins to drift (as she likes to tell us). Well, not us. She speaks to her father throughout the book. It is an unusual, but compelling way of telling this story, allowing the protagonist to engage in a confessional about her life without ever actually saying a word to the people around her. Grief and trauma from throughout her life are intertwined, and the conclusion of the book is arresting and uncomfortable, but very fitting. The book is magic realism. There are moments of the fantastical, particularly at the end. But most of the narrative is a quiet, tormented exploration of the pain of caring for a loved one near death, trying to bring disjointed families together during times of crisis, and dealing with past abuse.

Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC! This beautifully written story has a magical realism element, but that doesn't affect the realist sadness the reader experiences throughout the whole book, thanks to the heart-wrenching truthfulness in the narrative style. Full review. En esta historia escrita de manera hermosa hay un elemento de realismo mágico, pero eso no afecta la tristeza realista que el lector experimenta a lo largo del libro gracias a la veracidad desgarradora del estilo narrativo. Reseña completa.