The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall, Shannon Kirk

Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Blurb

What if you could choose your heaven now? Go on a celestial shopping trip of sorts? Thirty-five-year-old Vivienne does just that, as she lies dying in the ICU; a fatal walk into the path of a truck. In her final week of life, Vivienne treks through the Heavens of a priest, a best friend, a homeless child, and a lover who never was. Vivienne’s guardian angel, Noah, who may just be her soul mate, escorts her through selections of Heavens and through the confusion Vivienne experiences as she flounders between a doubt of life and the certainty of death. Although her visits to varied afterlives provide peace and beauty, choosing proves not so easy: Vivienne’s love for her young son and her earthly father pull her from her colorful journey—and from her divine love of Noah. 

The nature of love, the variety and magic of life, unending hope, and the importance of saying goodbye are central to this uplifting tale.

My Thoughts

Oh my God, I am a bundle of emotion.

I fell in love with this book. 

And you’d better get ready for the same, because you won’t be able to put this book down. This is a true masterpiece, I am in awe, I just don’t know what to do with myself. 

First things first, the concept is outstanding, and I love every element of the initial idea.

Let’s start with the writing style. It’s exquisite. There are beautiful (BEAUTIFUL) descriptions, I loved the bridge symbolism and there’s a true, beautiful poetry in Shannon Kirk’s words. 

The story is filled with lessons, and strangely enough, it comforted me a lot, despite the heavy subject it tackles. We’re talking about death, people. I particularly liked the whole aspect of time, and how it has truly no bearing in this story, throwing the reader into past, present and future. 

The characters are realistic and highly loveable, and I wish I could give them all a big hug. Probably as much as I wish I could get a hug to, truthfully. 

I’m speechless. Everybody should read this book. the author manages to write about death and turn it into a celebration of life, and we should all learn from it. So thank you, Ms. Kirk,  if you read me! 

★★★★★

Links 

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Author's website 
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