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Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
To Die Is Different Than Supposed by Alissa Butterworth is a hauntingly poetic exploration of family, grief, and the unspoken truths that shape our lives. The novel offers a lyrical narrative and vivid character portrayals, guiding readers through the Gable family's fragmented yet profoundly interconnected lives, where loss, longing, and resilience intertwine. The novel is unique because its narrators, each of the Gable siblings, present their perspectives on a shared history that includes joy, trauma, and a complicated patriarch whose sudden death catalyzes the story. Butterworth masterfully interweaves the voices, painting a multifaceted picture of a fractured yet enduring family. The alternating perspectives allow readers to see how grief and memory uniquely affect each sibling, adding depth to the narrative.
The prose is rich in imagery that brings physical and emotional landscapes to life. Ella’s ethereal encounters with a ghostly figure mirror the characters’ struggles to reconcile their past with the present. Jackson’s introspection about family secrets and his father’s failings creates a dreamlike quality in the novel. Alissa Butterworth sensitively tackles weighty themes, including the legacies of trauma, the bonds of siblinghood, and the yearning for redemption. The Gables’ journey, from the devastating loss of their brother to the inevitable reckoning with their father’s flaws, is authentic and unflinchingly human. Butterworth’s novel is beautifully written and emotionally powerful, offering readers a poignant meditation on life, death, and the ties that bind us all. To Die Is Different Than Supposed is a literary journey you won’t want to miss. I’d give it one thousand stars if I could.
