The Grief Nurse by Angie Spoto ~ a Review

by MK French

Lynx is the grief nurse assigned to the Aster family, and had grown up on their secluded Scottish island. When their eldest son dies Lynx alleviates their sorrow, but as guests arrive for his wake secrets emerge that threaten to tear the family apart.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

May 2025; Black & White Publishing; 978-1785306297
ebook, print (272 pages); gothic fiction

In this world, grief nurses are recognized by their pure white hair and eyes, which indicates an ability to siphon off all the negative emotions of others, leaving them Bright and happy. They could do this for any person, but the governmental line is that if the grief nurses weren't cared for by the best and richest families, they would be overwhelmed and used up or assaulted by the masses. The rich are placed on waitlists or barter favors in order to get a grief nurse of their own, and Faders are those who have large wells of grief and negative emotions, and have uncommon reactions to grief nurses. They are the only ones capable of having grief nurse children, so their presence is largely tolerated.

It's in this world where Lynx is born, and she was raised along with the Aster children, taking away all negative emotions like grief, dread, and anxiety. She sees these emotions as visualizations that she takes into herself. Having been there since early childhood, this is normal for her, and she believes in what the party line had been. Cracks in these ideas show as the eldest Aster son is laid to rest and a party is held in his honor; politicians and the fiancée show up as well as others in polite society of this alternate 1920s Scotland. Along with negative emotions are memories, and Lynx begins to see some of the secrets that the Asters had kept, and that grief isn't a weakness but a power all its own.

This concept is a very interesting one, and I was drawn into this world. The ability to remove negative emotions is something that most people wish for, since we don't want to feel it and wish it went away. At the same time, the memory and the emotions make us who we are. The Bright are superficial and don't know how to deal with themselves, yet like to think of themselves as the better class. Their needs revolve around appearances and their place in society, and they're all too willing to see the grief nurses as tools, not people. This dehumanization is the first step in othering and abusing them, which the upper class see no problem with. When Lynx sees what goes on with others, from grief mixing parties and pushing people past their comfort levels, we get a glimpse into how they're treated on the island and the mainland. The solution posed isn't necessarily better, and the ending was a separate solution that I didn't realize was even possible. While there likely won't be a revolution to change the world, Lynx herself has a new future.

Buy The Grief Nurse at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.