Kristof is the life and soul of the Café Finito which stands right in the middle of Berlin’s Dorotheenstädtische cemetery. For years now, he has gently guided groups of mourners through the valley of grief. But no one knows what or whom Kristof himself is mourning. Iris, the writer, has lost her mother, Matthias, the insurance broker, has lost his lover, Lizzie her husband of seventy years, and Mira, the young doctor, is grieving for her best friend. They have all accepted an invitation that will give them a new perspective on life and the world.
A beautifully written, wise novel about the things we share and about what makes life special. There’s a little magic in it too, as are both tragedy and comedy – as one might well expect, given that it deals with death.
• For fans of Elizabeth Strout, Mariana Leky, Anne Tyler, and Alena Schröder