Everyone is Still Alive, Cathy Rentzenbrink
“Everyone is Still Alive is a refreshing read that doesn’t sugar-coat the demands that life places on our relationships.”
Everyone is Still Alive is Cathy’s first foray into fiction and, my goodness, is it one to savour and enjoy. I devoured it completely and felt like I was utterly absorbed in the story from the first page. It’s a character-driven novel that explores grief, the demands of parenting, the rocky road of relationships and navigating friendships, written with compassion and sensitivity.
Everyone is Still Alive charts the lives of several families living on Magnolia Road in London. It uncovers family dynamics, how children can change relationships, and how marriages thrive or struggle to survive the day-to-day drudgery of parenthood. It also delves behind closed doors and gets into the nitty gritty of parenthood, relationships, and community without shying away from the difficulties that everyday life brings. As a parent, reading the highs and the lows that come with this role being handled so well made the book stand out for me.
At times, this book is an uncomfortable read and it got under my skin, which is essentially why I adored it so very much. I read this book not long after my own marriage broke down. The experience was still raw, and this is exactly how Cathy depicts life for residents on Magnolia Road. The book explores how relationships function, how they tick and, ultimately, how some do not survive.
I adore Cathy’s writing. It flows beautifully and allows the reader to fully immerse themselves into the story and invest in the characters. She writes about marriage in all its glory – the highs, the lows, and the fractious complexities. Everyone is Still Alive is a refreshing read that doesn’t sugar-coat the demands that life places on our relationships.
A must-read novel that many will relate to, Everyone is Still Alive is a witty, compassionate, observant, and tender book – one not to be missed.
Review from Book Blogger’s Prize Shortlist 2022
Jenna Tester, Book Blogger’s Prize Finalist
Instagram: @book_club_mumma Twitter: @book_club_mumma
