Summary
The Death (And Sometimes Life) of Barthalamew Buckett is a romantic drama and comedy by MB Sieve. The book revolves around Barthalamew’s sad and yet, intriguing death and life. It starts at a time when Barth has grown to be a person who lives with his pen, book, and a bottle of rum, and someone who falls in love over and over. Then, there are chapters about his childhood from the time Marihanna found him in a mop bucket when he was just a baby, to his journey through puberty and young adolescence, where he was raised by sisters who live in an abandoned church.
Review
Before reading this book, there were two things that instantly piqued my curiosity: (1) The title seems comical, (2) The product description shows that it was nominated for the Eric Hoffer Award and the First Horizon Award. Then, when I started reading, it felt like I time-travelled to the Victorian era and came across a well-crafted lyrical prose. Yes, it felt lyrical because of its narrative’s melodic approach in writing.
I enjoyed every bit of content in this book! The author used a Dicken’s style of writing which is very rich in simile and metaphor, and also used exaggeration in descriptions, as well as different types of repetitions. The plot is unique and full of humor, the characters (including the dog) are fascinating, and the setting completes the mark of a classic novel. I didn’t know it was possible to tell a sad tale in a comedic manner. I cannot even count how many times I laughed at the narrative and dialogues in this book. Even a simple ellipsis cracked me up! I think the comical impact of this book to me is that big because the author told Barthalamew’s tale like a comedian would tell a story during the 19th century.
My most favorite part of the story was when Barth kept on bugging Marihanna about what love is, and even after she gave the best definition, he still didn’t stop there until the concept of love got complicated. If there is one thing I disliked about this book, it was Gretchan Coopersmith’s letters. At that time, I wished that Barth would stop reading them.
Overall, this is a definite 5 out of 5 stars. The book is an adorably entertaining literary piece with dual timeline. It is tragic, awkwardly romantic, mysterious, and clever. I highly recommend this to readers who love the works of Charles Dickens and other books of classical prose.
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