Dottie and the Art of Dying is a novel that follows a woman diagnosed with cancer who must come to grips with her own mortality. We follow along through the stages of grief with her, right along to her eventual death. We then accompany Dottie in the space beyond death, where she must wander down multiple paths before being able to continue to the afterlife.

Dottie’s story was very emotional and thought-provoking. I can see why it might be a hard read for some. The first few paths that Dottie follows in the afterlife were interesting, touching, and had their place in the story. However, the remainder of the paths/stories were just strange and did not work for me. They just didn’t seem to fit into the story. I appreciate the author’s attempt to convey that time is but a human construct, but it was just weird to me. I found myself trying to fly through those chapters because they didn’t feel like they were tying into the story or leading anywhere. I felt like I was reading a different book entirely; One that was not even from Dottie’s point of view anymore. Finally, at the end of the book, we are back to following Dottie down her final paths. Overall, I enjoyed this book, just not the middle chapters that seemed to make no sense to the rest of the story.

Thank you @victoryeditingngc Co-op for allowing me access to this ARC via @netgalley All thoughts are entirely my own.

e-ARC from NetGalley.

For fans of The Midnight Library, Dottie and the Art of Dying explores the importance of connection and the impact we have on the lives of others, whether we realize it or not.

Told in rather straightforward prose, I was surprised by how quickly and fully I found myself engrossed in Dottie's story. I was even more (pleasantly) surprised that our protagonist dies before the 50% mark so that the majority of the story can be spent exploring the many paths she takes in the afterlife.

Where this story lacked for me was the sheer number of paths taken. The first few were interesting and powerful, but then they started to feel more like story ideas that were condensed for the sake of having them published as opposed to them being of any actual value to the book. At times, Dottie felt as though she had been inserted as an afterthought. It got to the point that I felt a wave of annoyance every time I turned the page and found myself in yet another short story.

But the stories that worked? They really worked. The two that spring most readily to mind, having given me goosebumps, were the stories of Noah and Mac. Another that struck me involved a dying star. They were beautiful. I think it'll be awhile before I stop thinking about Mac's childhood or Riley's dad.

Despite my critiques, I see so many reviews about how this book helped the reader navigate grief and loss, and I encourage others to read it for that reason alone. Having lost five family members and almost losing two more in the last 18 months, perhaps I am just numb to it right now.

A comfort read on death that didn’t work for me.

Published today, August 30, 2024

You’ll want to read this if
-you want an under the radar read about death that is both a bit comforting and strange.
-you’re in the mood for a short read.

Dottie has been given a year to live and fears that she will be forgotten.

I really appreciate reading (fiction and non fiction) literature on death and dying. It brings my anxious little heart some peace to read about how universal and even life affirming that fear is. Unfortunately, this book mostly missed the mark for me.

Structurally this book was interesting: split into two parts you follow Dottie through the five stages of death and into the liminal space between death and whatever comes next. Part 1 is realistic and specific to her life while part 2 is full of magical realism and dips into many other lives. But part 2 felt too much. A departure from part 1 and left me confused.

You can tell from Asermily’s dedication and acknowledgements that this story came from a place of love and familiarity. I was rooting for Dottie who is a funny and likable woman in her sixties, but the story fell short when it came to giving the story and character the depth it needed. There were some well crafted family scenes but the abundance of these sentimental scenes turned the story from tender to saccharine.

I could feel her closeness to this topic and will always be pulled to reading and discussing our human fears around death in literature. This would be a good buddy read if you decide to pick it up.

Although there’s no graphic detail, I’d recommend paying attention to her author’s note for TW’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC

The death is the topic that most people try avoid talking and reading, that why i picked this novel for read.
Dottie and the Art of Dying" by Sarah Asermily is an evocative and deeply moving exploration of life, death, and everything that lies in between. The novel centers around Dottie, a memorable and character who, through her experiences with illness, offers readers a profound reflection on mortality, love, and the search for means. What I like in the novel was the beginning and the endining, the between wasnt so good for me.

Thank you so much for a copy in exchange for my review.
I unfortunately dnf this book, as it was a) too heavy (which I should have expected, I guess, and I did expect the topic to be dying - but in a different light)
and more importantly b) the format/color/font of this was absolutely impossible to read.
I couldn’t see it on my Kindle at all, not in dark or light mode, which made me read it on my phone in the netgalley app - which is really the most unfortunate solution for me. I despise being on my phone that much + again, the font and size were very difficult to read.
I understand this is mostly my own problem & personal preference, and I’m definitely not rating the story itself with this review - but the format is very difficult, so hopefully there’ll be more options in the future.
Thank you again for the chance!

Death can be a difficult subject to read, but I think it is important. That's why I gave this book a try. I thought the author did a fantastic job exploring death, grief, healing, and living! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Dottie and the Art of dying was a wonderful read. Follow Dottie as she navigates the afterlife. I loved this book