Barbara Isn't Dying Yet

Author: Alina Bronsky
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Europa Editions, Incorporated, 2023
Pages: 192
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Walter Schmidt has lived his whole life within the narrow, "comfortable" confines of traditional gender roles: he has made it to retirement without learning how to fry an egg or use a vacuum cleaner. After all, he could always count on his wife, Barbara. But one morning she can't get up from bed anymore, everything changes.

With biting humor and great warmth, Alina Bronsky writers about how Walter, nearing the end of his life, is suddenly forced to reinvent himself as a caregiver and house-husband, and become the caring partner he never was in all his years with Barbara.

Little by little, Walter's rough facade begins to crumble - and with it his old certainties about his life and family.

Review: This had A Man Called Ove vibes, and I was not disappointed.