In the Marble Maze

A Widower's Memoir

Non-Fiction - Memoir
238 Pages
Reviewed on 05/08/2022
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

In the Marble Maze is an autobiographical memoir by Ólafur Teitur Guðnason recounting his personal experiences during his wife's deteriorating health at a Swedish hospital and her subsequent death. Ólafur met his wife, Engilbjört Auðunsdóttir, and fell in love with her during their college years. Eventually, they got married and had two healthy sons. But at the age of forty-six, due to a recurring heart condition, Engilbjört had to be shifted to the Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. This book takes readers through a day-by-day account of Ólafur as he navigates some of the most harrowing times of his life. He discovers that the widely accepted five stages of grief are not set in stone, and people's personal experiences with the aftermath of a loved one's passing are quite often unique.

Moving and poignant, In the Marble Maze is a thoughtful memoir that anyone who has ever lost a loved one will find relatable. Through his story, author Ólafur Teitur Guðnason showcases the unpredictability of life and how the looming shadow of death hangs above everyone's heads. Guðnason perfectly demonstrates that at the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you're religious or science is your religion, whether you believe in free will or fate, no one has been able to satisfactorily explain the unfairness of death. The narrative is structured in a very organized manner, and the crisp prose makes it a breeze to read. This is a story that will strike a chord in your heart. Highly recommended.