The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold ~ Book Review

Aiden Kelley is a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star.  Having spent a year in this position Aiden is debating whether to go over her supervising editor's head and send an email to the main editor of the paper asking for a feature story.  When her friend sends the email for her it earns Aiden a huge reprimand and relegates her to writing an obituary for a woman who just entered hospice care.  Aiden can't believe she has to stoop so low but in order to save face, and her job, off to the facility she goes where she meets one Clara Kip.

Clara is a live wire on the cusp of turning 80 who is not wanting to be in hospice care.  While loving life she does figure she has lived a very unextraordinary life.  So when "Miss Kelley" is sent to her to do her obituary, she asks Aiden to invent some extraordinary deaths for her.  The catch is for every extraordinary death that Aiden invents she will be allowed to ask Clara three questions.  Clara can see Aiden is struggling, not just with being there interviewing her, but with her place in life.  At once Clara knows God has placed this ambitious young lady into her path.

This is the debut novel of this author and what a debut it is.  I had heard nothing but good reviews about this book and couldn't wait to read it and it definitely lived up to the hype.  It is a Christian fiction novel and this, in my opinion, is what Christian fiction should be.  Interesting characters, a relatable story that in the end makes the reader reflect and think.  The story also delves into the Laotian refugee resettlement crisis of the '70's when the Vietnam war ended and how Kansas City was involved in that world history.  It was a story I have never read about in fiction.  This was a lovely account of a senior at the end of their life connecting with a young person just beginning theirs.  It is, in essence, uplifting with grace, love and mercy even while it breaks the reader's heart.  Recommend having tissues on hand.

Rating 10/10

2023 Reading Goals Accomplished:  Read a book of my library to read shelf