Maybe death is a good thing? Death with Interruptions

This book is definitely my favourite read so far in the semester, as this type of read and genre is right up my alley. I loved how basically almost instantly we were raised with questions about the nature of human existence and our relationship as humans with morality. Basically, the “removal of death” in the beginning of this novel forces humans to confront the idea of immortality in a tangible way. It was initially celebrated as a victory but then reality came and then there was a shift. There was suddenly a strain on healthcare systems and the disruption of economic structures.

For example, the Prime Minister’s attempt to address the situation, aimed at calming the public arrest, sparked controversy with the Catholic Church, as its theological implications came into question. Also, the funeral industry finds itself in an existential crisis, with undertakers mourning (soft pun) the loss of business and offering some interesting suggestions to the government. One of these suggestions included to mandate the burial or cremation of all domestic animals that die naturally or accidentally, which is a crazy ask. Now we’re bringing animals into a pure human issue?? The society was honestly brutal to another level. Deeming the age of 80 as the year of death is a little cruel. Further, considering the age of 80 as the designated year of death seems rather harsh. Insurance companies imposing policy expirations at this age, effectively treating it as a symbolic “mandatory death” reflects some level of cruelty that realistically and sadly aligns with human tendencies. 

Furthermore, I think the character of death was really interesting. Especially, the depiction of Death as a woman, as opposed to the typical portrayal of major figures in literature and mythology, where characters like rulers, leaders, or supernatural entities are often depicted as male. The transformation of death from a concept into a character with life-like attributes is a really cool part of the book. I find this shift interesting because in many narratives, from what I’m thinking of right now the book “The Book Thief”, death is not personified at all. This unique portrayal adds depth and complexity to the story as it blurs the lines between life and death. 

I’ve previously read a book called “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue”, which is probably my favourite book ever to this time, which is about a young woman who makes a bargain to a dark spirit to live forever but instead is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. I’m connecting these two books together because like in Death with Interruptions, the dark spirit in the “Invisible Life of Addie Larue”, who’s name is Luc, is neither entirely human nor divine, but both a phenomenon and as an anthropomorphized character. They also both explore the realms of immortality and death and both the central characters grapple with the implications of eternal existence. Clearly, since I enjoyed the young adult book about Addie Larue, due to it’s creative plot and take on philosophical reflections on the nature of time and its impact on human existence, I also really enjoyed this book. I feel like this book compared to the other books we have read in class has taken a more intellectual and unique perspective that makes me think about life a whole lot more. It provided intellectual simulation and invited us readers to ponder about our existence, morality, society in general, and the nature of reality, in this case when people are made out to believe death simply does not exist anymore. It makes us think, what would we do, and what would we do potentially if we were in someone else’s shoes, like a business owner. Would we also choose a selfish route and propose new business plans like burying and or cremating all domestic animals.

Were you also surprised by the portrayal of Death as a woman in the book? How does this aspect challenge or conform to traditional representations of death in literature?