Book Review: On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen

This was actually a very sweet story about death and the process of getting through grief. It takes place on a fictional Fire Island off New York. The main character, Julia Morse, holds off crossing over to spend one last summer “with” her husband, family, and friends as they navigate her death and the changes life brings. The method in which Rosen wrote the character’s stories was really well done, allowing the reader to step in their shoes as they lived the human experience. I really enjoyed the ups and downs of all the characters, seeing young, old and even expired love, how grief’s story was told and overall how relatable the events were. (SPOILER) In the end of the book, the characters successfully navigate this chapter in their lives and I really enjoyed how the author interpreted the afterlife, where Morse finally is able to pass on but still can be a part of her loved one’s lives both on earth and after in observing. The only negative I had with the story (which I think is a me-problem, not necessarily the writing, was my inability to sit down and read… this might be though a general struggle with getting back into reading and telling myself it is okay to take a seat and detach from my reality for a moment. This may be an adult thing when there are so many things to do and the brain goes to that rather than being in the moment.)

I would recommend this book, I think it does a lovely way of sharing the story of grief.

FINAL RATING: