Grief is a strong emotion that has the ability to put you in a very dark place. Perhaps, there are already millions of people who have experienced this particular sorrow due to the loss of a loved one. The effects of grief on individuals are different because everyone has dissimilar coping mechanism and pain tolerance. There are those that can handle so much sorrow while there are others that easily break when given a great amount of pain.
What makes literature an important aspect in dealing with grief is its ability to make the people understand its process and stages. There are many books that talks about grief or have characters that are grieving; which, really connects well with the readers because of the strong feelings conveyed in the elements. These novels do not just contain words and stories but also meanings and lessons that can be used by the readers when they will be struck by this sorrow. With that being said, listed below are the best fiction books to read in getting to know more about grief.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
This fantasy fiction novel is written by Patrick Ness and was published by Walker Books. It follows the story of a little boy named Conor O’Malley in present-day England. Conor is dealing with heavy burden in such a young age, for having a separated parents and a mother who is severely ill. He is really struggling to manage the outcome of his mother’s sickness. Every night, he is visited by a monstrous creature that tells him tales; and, it urged him to tell the story that he shoved deeply in his heart after the monster’s turn. If Conor wouldn’t share his tale, the monster would do it and he wouldn’t like it. A Monster Calls has truly shown how a little boy is dealing with grief even before his mother breathes her last breath. Conor has gone through the stages of grief earlier than he should; and, the author definitely did a great job on showing the stages of grief and how it affects a child.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Published in 2015, All the Bright Places has made the YA world a buzz even until today. Niven has utilized her personal experience in losing a loved one through suicide and turned it into a wonderful masterpiece. It revolves on the story of two teenagers named Violet Markey and Theodore Finch. The former is already grieving after the death of her sister in a car accident which she survived but her sister didn’t. The latter is a bipolar teenager who encourages Violet that life is still worth living. As the story progressed, the two created a romantic bond. However, Violet was put back into her past situation after Finch took his own life by drowning into the river. She now knows how to handle grief because Finch has taught her and showed her every bright place in Indiana that will give her more reasons to keep being awake.
Home for Good by Gerald James Avila
AbbottPress published Home for Good by Gerald James Avila in 2016. It is a fiction book about how the grief of Jeff Williams, caused by the death of his wife Marilyn, contributed to his writer’s block; and, how he deals with his situation. He loves Marilyn dearly, even if she is already gone. Jeff got some help from his neighbor Alice, but there is no such thing that can mend the hole in his heart caused by Marilyn’s death. He is working on a manuscript about the happy and best parts of his marriage when he suddenly has fallen into the pit of writer’s block. Jeff already knows what caused his condition, and he hardly cares and tossed his typewriter out of the window. That’s the moment when Alice comes in and recommends Dr. Joan Steele, a therapist who might have the ability to help resolve Jeff’s writer’s block-and perhaps more. Joan is trying traditional psychological care techniques, but nothing applies to Jeff. She knows that she’s likely to have to be a little creative to crack this guy’s grief. They try with an unconventional therapy, and both Jeff and Joan are shocked at the outcomes as they eventually come together, cautiously get over conflict and form a relationship.
Oliver’s Twist 