The Brief History of the Dead - Kevin Brockmeier

Engrossing and thought-provoking

One measure of a book is how quickly the reader is pulled through from cover to cover. I devoured Kevin Brockmeier's "The Brief History of the Dead" in a little under three days. The book provides a well written, thought-provoking view on death, memories, life, religion and belief, and how we live our lives.

"Brief History" presents a city between life and death, a sort of limbo where people exist after they die and only so long as someone who remembers them remains alive in the actual world. A plague is ravishing the population of the real world, with dramatic consequences on the city. "Brief History" is seen largely through the eyes of city inhabitants attempting to unravel its mysteries before time runs out.

Brockmeier has a strong command of storytelling. I would compare him to the recently departed Michael Crichton: he jumps back and forth between the perspectives of several characters, one being in our world and many in the city. Right before each jump, he carefully plants a nugget of suspense to urge the reader on.

Brockmeier fleshes out his characters with intricate life details that are entertaining but not gimmicky. It all weaves in very well with the story's themes of life, death, and memories.

As others have pointed out, "Brief History" slows down dramatically in the last half. The ending is quite open-ended, though not nearly as open as Space Odyssey, which others have mentioned. Furthermore, the most intriging notions of Brockmeier's story are actually already presented on the back cover summary. The book stays focused on what is happening in the specific plot presented, rather than delving into other possibilities.

Others have criticized this lack of development. Brockmeier presents an intriging world connected to our own reality. There are so many detailed questions about precisely how this system works. IMO, Brockmeier did the right thing by leaving these questions unanswered. It gives the reader more to ponder and prevents the book from getting bogged down in minor details.

All in all, I would highly recommend "The Brief History of the Dead" for anyone interested in a philosophical sci-fi novel about the afterlife.

Interesting premise, but lacking in the end.

Like many others who have read this book, the premise of the story was quite interesting. We all wonder what happens after we die, and I found this story to be quite original and unheard of. This being said, I should explain why I gave this book a three star rating. I hesitated between three and four stars, but in the end, realized that behind the originality of the book, and the good writing, the characters ended up being quite dull, and the finality of the story quite a contrast to the novelty of the plot. I do not want to reveal too much of the story in this review because, while I gave this book three stars, I still believe it is worth a read. I will not describe the book, as other reviews have done this. I will simply say that my initial impression of the book was very positive, and I found myself looking forward to picking up the book. However, around the middle of the novel, my interest started to dwindle. The chapters about Laura's trek through the Arctic land became quite trying and difficult to get through. Moreover, upon her finding out what happened in the world, her journey seemed pointless. The author introduced some decent characters but failed to truly develop them and tie them to Laura life in the living world. There were a few stories, such as the blind man, the religious fanatic, the Coke executive, that were all fairly interesting in their own merit, but the true connection that links them all, that is Laura, was not clearly established. Finally, as the novel neared its end, the uniqueness and freshness of the initial story was replaced by dull chapters in which the only possible conclusion came, without surprise and excitement, and the book ended. It is as if the author came up with this very original story, but struggled to bring it to an exciting and inventive end, so he just wrote the ending that was clearly inevitable, without adding any hint of suspense, any elements of surprise or clever twists.
The good thing about this book, besides the innovative story, is that it is only 250 pages, and is therefore an easy, and fairly interesting read despite its misgivings.

One of the best books I have read in a while

With the world spinning around series like Twilight and Harry Potter, it is rare that one hears about a single book that is worth reading. I came across this book at the bookstore, drawn in by the title and cover. I started reading and instantly fell in love. The idea of multiple narrators is a lost art, and usually does not turn out well, but I found that this book was a shining example of what such a book should consist of.

I found myself completely immersed in this book, and crying when it ended because there was nothing left to read. I will definitely read other books from this author.

I believe that this book has what many books are lacking in today's mainstream literature: a cohesive plot, a "what if" answered, and a very strong message about our society and where it is headed. As someone who over thinks books, I can tell you that this book does not disappoint. The message is a great one, and the way it was delivered is amazing.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book to anyone looking for a new book worth their time.

Stunningly imaginative

I highly recommend this book. It absolutely blew me away -- the originality, the fantasy-without-outlandishness, and even the totally expected ending that somehow became tear-jerkingly touching. The first chapter alone, published as a short story in the New Yorker, is thrilling by itself. This novel was a joy.

Well written, well conceived, but deeply depressing

I don't have any new critique of this novel to add but I want to mention that several of the themes and certainly the ending, have left me feeling deeply sad and hopeless. I was drawn in by the first few chapters and an admiration for the creative undertaking. The last quarter of the book is perhaps the most depressing thing I've ever read -- not something I typically walk away with from a book. Maybe not a good book to take on if you're not in the mood.