The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

This had a strong Man Called Ove theme and feel about it-somewhat cranky old person perfectly willing to end her life. In this case Eudora would like to travel to a Swiss clinic for a physician assisted suicide. She insists she’s not depressed she just wants to end life on her own terms-she’s elderly and doesn’t want to end up on machines and such. It’s all very straightforward and practical but of course we come to find out why she doesn’t have anyone who will object and why she is so ready to end this life.
New neighbors and a sparkling interesting ten year old who butts into Eudora’s life suddenly turn her life upside down. It all seems very predictable and yet it was a joy to read. I loved watching Eudora’s hard shell crack, gaining insight into being elderly (I liked it when she said she understood how irritating it was to watch an old person walk because now that she was a slow walker she hated it, too!), and reading the flashbacks of her life (and wondering how different her life might have been had she lived in a different era.)
This was, not surprisingly, very heartwarming, but it was also very thoughtful and I found myself really thinking about death and how we approach it, well after I finished the book. And then, in a strange coincidence, a couple days after finishing the NYTimes had an article about death doulas, which had featured in the book.
Would love to read more by this author.