The far country of grief is a lonely place where our emotions are always shifting and the weather is always partly cloudy. In her graceful first novel, Marsena Konkle delves into the experiences of Miriam, a young married woman whose 39-year-old husband Paul, a lawyer, drops dead while shoveling snow. The suddenness of his passing puts his widow on a rollercoaster ride as she is forced to deal with choosing a casket, arranging the funeral ,and dealing with in-laws and friends who are as uneasy as she is with the events that have overtaken her.
Miriam is familiar with grief, having lost two brothers when she was young. Steven, her gay brother, has looked after her most of her life and is a saving presence again. Adding to her burdens, Miriam finds out that she is pregnant and must decide whether to keep the child. Perhaps the biggest surprise in her life is Svetlana, a client of Paul's, whom she meets at the funeral. Svetlana turns out to be a resilient woman, an abuse survivor, and empathetic soul who steers Miriam in the right direction.
In times of suffering, some friends are like Job's in the Bible, eager to explain away or to judge us with reasons for our pain. Miriam is fortunate to be surrounded by loving souls who honor her pain and, by doing so, help her find a way into a new day.
