Wednesday, October 22

The Ten Best Days of My Life - Adena Halpern

Alexandra Dorenfield is taken aback to find herself in heaven - at twenty-nine she expected to have a little longer to get her act together. But she can't complain - not only has she been reunited with her beloved grandparents, she has the house of her dreams (complete with a walk-in wardrobe of this season's must have designer clothes, with shoes to match) and while she was in the queue to the pearly gates she met the perfect man. The only hiccup is that the Powers That Be aren't convinced Alex deserves to be on the seventh plane, which is reserved for people who did an exemplary job during their lives - Alex died a little too early to be sure which path her life would've taken, and maybe she ought to be downgraded a plane or two. To help aid the decision, Alex must write about the ten best days of her life - the days she chooses, and her reasons for doing so, will influence where she spends the rest of eternity.
I have to say I was more than a little uncomfortable with the notion of heaven as a continuation of rampant materialism, where everything you desire comes to you - without any effort or deprivation, and Alex herself didn't endear herself to me. However, the story itself - once I moved past this - is funny, the days she chooses are certainly illuminating, and although the ending's a foregone conclusion, this was a light enough read, well-suited for an escapist, fluffy little holiday. - Alex

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