(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“If you live long enough, most people leave, a few by staying true to themselves, more by death, indifference, or being driven away. “
Seventy-five-year-old retiree Ben Sanna realizes that no one has stayed with him for his entire adult life. In fact, his marriage, family, job, and health all fell apart. He’s learned to live with it though, surrounded by his dog and a small group of friends in his rural Vermont town.
Life changes for him though, when he meets Samantha Beckett, a forty-five-year-old New York City hedge fund manager.
Unlike Ben who accepts his past, Sam has been running away from her pain. Each chapter is told from the perspective of either Ben or Samantha. As chapters and events unfold, we learn what has happened in their lives to explain their actions and how their chance meeting affects one another.
No, their relationship is not what you think it is. This is a story of friendship, platonic love, empathy, and a unique form of intimacy. It is also about loss, grief, guilt, and redemption. This character-driven story captured me from the beginning and kept me engaged until the very end. I just couldn’t put it down.
For a compelling novel that explores the humanness in all of us, Cenotaphs is for you.
