Not gonna lie, I have an utter fascination with death as a character.

In Sims, I would always kill random people to lure the Grim Reaper and marry him so I could have his mutant babies. You know, before EA became concerned that players were having too much fun and put a stop to that. I’m not bitter.

My all-time favorite Death has been Terry Pratchett’s rendition in his Discworld books, starting with Mort, where Death also explores what it means to be human.

So a female death? Um, yes, please. Where do I sign on the line?

Living The Good Death is a romantic dark comedy, which is right up my alley, complete with she-death, meet-cutes, some pretty big-wig mythological name drops, and enough mystery to keep the reader guessing.

A big thanks to the author and Edelweiss for a copy (although, I also appear to have purchased it, too, because I don’t know what the heck I’m doing…).

❧ Death is a girl, but she’s not just any girl—she’s a human girl.

For the humans among us, you’ll realize how much this sucks. Especially when you’re used to literally draining the life from people with a motion of your hand. You can see why this would be a nightmare.

What’s more, she’s never had human experiences before, so she doesn’t realize how much we suck … but she’s about to find out.

Like the beautiful mess that coffee is once it hits your intestines when you’ve never had it before. Or how inconvenient sleep is. And cold. And pain. Pretty everything about our species. Frankly, I’m amazed we still exist.

❧ And then she meets Randy, in what is probably the most adorable meet-cute ever.

Or maybe the most awkward one, which is why it’s so endearing, because this is more how real life goes, people. There isn’t usually a hallelujah chorus and a very conveniently poised sunbeam waiting to create the perfect halo effect when you meet the one. Instead, it starts with a, “Why are you talking to me? Wait, can you see me?” and continues with the classic, “Well, I saw you from across the room …”

Remember that bit about coffee? Well, this is where it rears its ugly head. All the best meet-cutes end with intestinal distress and a rushed trip to the restroom.

It was freaking adorable in its awkwardness, okay?

❧ The best part is the characters, who were funny and entertaining and I don’t think I could survive knowing them in real life, but gosh I enjoyed reading about them.

Let’s do a quick roll-call, shall we?

❂ Stein: Severe Germaphobe. Is horrified by Pestilence, but who wouldn’t be?

❂ Warren: Endless fountain of knock-knock jokes.

❂ Professor: Has all the answers to the universe. Can remember none of them.

❂ Curtis: Cotton candy aficionado. Could escape the ward whenever he wants, but life outside is expensive, yo.

❂ Randy: Hopeless father. Hopeless love life. Just hopeless. Adorable as all get out, though.

Some of the interactions between the characters had me laughing so hard, particularly when it came to Curtis, Randy, and Death/Dorothy all together.

❧ I spent a good part of the book deciding if everything was real or in Death/Dorothy’s head … and I’m not even sure what life is anymore?

The tone shifts a little way into the book, and Death becomes “the girl who thought she was Death,” and then later on, Dorothy. In fact, everything in the book has two explanations, depending on how you look at it—a perfectly real one and a supernatural one. Everything ends up making sense by the end, but it sure kept me guessing.

Some of my favorite things were the big name drops of well-known mythical characters and hints at the supernatural.

They were subtle sometimes, but well done. Like when Pestilence appears, one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Or the appearance of three sisters who worked for “Moira’s Alterations.”

❧  The villain was a big disappointment for me because he just felt so unbelievable.

Dr. Vaughn has all the hallmark villain traits—an evil cackle, shifty eyes, and a sweet handlebar mustache that he twirls while laughing and thinking of all the villainy things he’s going to do. Okay, so half of that might have just been in my head, but still.

I’m also pretty sure that 90% of the things he does are extremely illegal … and yet, no one calls him on his BS and he somehow never gets caught?

He’s not a likable character, not even in the book. Everyone hates him. You can’t tell me no one’s decided to slip their phone in their pocket and record some dirt on him to either blackmail him or turn him into the authorities. Sure, he’s a scary dude, but what’s the worse he’s going to do? Fire you? You already hate him. You get the pleasure of taking him down and drawing unemployment.

And that’s just legal options. I’m sure a character could find plenty of volunteers to help “deal” with the problem. And thereafter, it would be, “I’m sorry, Dr. Vaughn who?” And everyone would live happily ever after. Except for Dr. Vaughn, but, you know, screw him.

❧ The actual resolution with the villain during the final standoff was a letdown since it was so easy and anticlimactic.

I had to read it twice and was sort of like … oh. That’s it? Huh.

The ending itself was satisfying, but the final fight was not. Satisfying nor a fight.

What do you think of a female Death? Or Death in general (the person, not the act) as a character?