Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: This collection showcases a varied but equally arresting array of essays on visiting and appreciating cemeteries. While at first glance, this may seem like a macabre topic, and some pieces certainly frame it in that light, in other hands, the perspective is legitimately and movingly life-affirming.
Prose: Despite the multiple contributors here, the writing is clear, concise, and engaging.
Originality: While cemeteries feature prominently in every essay, each contributor offers a different perspective, from childhood memories, to a graveyard tour guide, to cemetery administration, and more. Collectively, these pieces celebrate and honor the dead, their legacies, and burial traditions.
Character/Execution: This is a wonderfully distinctive and memorable collection that, despite its focus, contains surprisingly uplifting moments and a deep reverence for the final resting places described. Accompanying photos, though varying in quality, provide an appealing visual element.
Date Submitted: January 30, 2024
"Who would I recommend read this? Absolutely everyone with a human body and a mortal life span."
Death’s Garden Revisited: Personal Relationships with Cemeteries was a finalist in the Travel/Travel Guide category of this year’s Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
