Book of the Week #33 "The Five People You Meet in Heaven"

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

by Mitch Albom

On his 80th birthday, Eddie goes to his job at the carnival just the same as every other day. Yet when a young girl is in danger of being crushed by a falling piece from a ride, Eddie rushes to save her and everything goes blank. From then on, Eddie meets five different people in their own personal paradises. These five people have all been affected by Eddie's life in some way and vice versa. Some are expected, and some are not. He relives memories from his own life and sees the memories these people have of him. Some are light and fun and some are heart wrenching.

This was the first Mitch Albom novel I read. Given the subject matter, I was not expecting to read it as quickly as I did, but it's just one of those reads that you can't put down. It's simply the way Albom writes; you become captivated and can't stop reading. The same thing happened when I read For One More Day.

This is a book that I sincerely cried while reading. I mean, number five..... Oh my goodness. It's a pretty heavy topic. I love reading over the different parts of Eddie's life. I love books like this that really tell the story of someone's life. And Eddie did meet a lot of interesting characters, like the blue man. I think he's one of my favorites.

I know people like to pick at Albom's novels because they seem like typical chick-lit, cry-fest-reads, but I think they're more poignant than that. Granted they aren't my absolute favorite novels ever, but I do enjoy them and want to read more of them.

And I think it goes without saying, but I don't think this novel was written as anything to be taken too seriously or something theological. Albom isn't claiming that this is what happens when we die; it's just a novel.

All in all, The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a lovely novel that will touch your heart.

I give this book a 4 out of 5.