—3—
Kevin Brockmeier’s The Brief History of the Dead begins with a great concept. After death people go to another world, in which they stay until the last person who remembers them on earth also dies. Among the living, a virus is wiping out every last person it comes in contact with. In turn those remembered, existing in the second life, also disappear. In the meantime, stranded in Antarctica and struggling to survive, Laura Byrd becomes a connection between the two worlds.
For chapters nothing real seems to happen. The book is a lot of talk and not a lot of action. What sounds like an interesting and novel premise gets weighted down by sheer bulk. Probably would have made an outstanding short story, however.
3/5
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