A field guide to burying your parents

Not exactly an uplifting book title for the holidays!! But an interesting read--a dark comedy of dysfunction--non-the-less. I volunteered to write this review deciding to jump away from my comfort zone of Crime novels, and Fantasy Fiction.
This was a rather definite and distinct departure from those my usual genres:-)

This novel is the third written by Liza Palmer. Her other two titles were Conversations with the fat girl and Seeing me naked.

Grace Hawkes is from a family of four children who are faced with the daunting task of coming to their father's aid after suffering from a stroke. Palmer reveals some of the ways that people may deal with the loss or pending loss of a loved one through each of the Hawkes children.

To further complicate matters, the Hawkes do not come from a traditional nuclear family. This fact throws another wrench into the works, and left me thankful that Angela and I come from strong nuclear families!

Overall, the novel was fast paced, and emotional at times. Palmer infuses the book with a healthy dose of humour to help her well developed characters, and audience flip through this page turner of a book unhindered despite the heavy subject of family illness .

Don't let the title put you off, A field guide to burying your parents was a surprising pleasant read for what could have been a very daunting topic!

Ready for a light-hearted look at the darker side of living? 5 Northern Mama readers will receive copies of this new Liza Palmer novel!
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Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes January 3, 2010, 10:00 pm CT.