The Significant Others of Odie May

The Significant Others of Odie May - Claire Dyer

Genre: Literary Fiction | Literary Thriller | Adult Fiction

Release Date: 28th June 2021

Publisher: Matador

Odie May has just been stabbed to death by a woman in a green coat. She'd left home to buy her lovers favourite wine to toast him finally leaving his wife, but instead of celebrating she's dying alone under a bridge. And her murderer didn't even have the decency to let them know who they were, and there could be a few people who might be mad at her right now.

As she's dying, she can't help but think this is such a cliché ending … but it's not the end. She finds herself waking up in a beige waiting room where her 'Initial Contact', Carl, is waiting for her. As some type of afterlife therapist, they talk and go back through every bad choice and mistake, every significant other she's met, and she tries to figure out just how her life had gone wrong enough that somebody killed her.

But Carl has a choice for Odie - a simple stay or go. But nothing is that simple, especially not in death. As soon as Odie can figure out who she really is and who her most significant other is, she's got the most important decision of her afterlife to make.

"And why here? Being stabbed in the evening on the footpath under the bridge next to canal was such a cliché … my last word (I think) was probably, 'Fuck', and then I died."

Okay so I'm a huge fan of interpretations of afterlife bureaucracy and this is by far one of my favourites. One of stories that's definitely all about the journey, all about learning about a character as they learn about themselves - so having subject like Odie made this something memorable.

Odie was described as 'mesmeric and insistent' and that's definitely fitting. She isn't likeable, exactly, but there's something interesting and alluring about her. Considering she's literally a murder victim, Dyer did a beautiful job at not showing her as just a victim - but a fully rounded person, a victim and victimiser, a flawed and unreliable person who's also capable of love and compassion.

This story will make you think whether you like it or not - it makes you wonder about how the relationships you have throughout your life can shape and mould you - the girl you have your first crush on, the man who already has a wife, the friends you take advantage of, the parents who you can't talk to.

The writing was strangely poetic, with a mesmerising flow to it that sucked me in and didn't let go. Even with the fragmented, haphazard storytelling Odie tells us, everything falls into place perfectly.

Uniquely compelling, witty and heartfelt - This story is definitely one of a kind

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted a reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.

Content Warning: This title contains references to death, sexual assault, cheating and alcoholism.

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