All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Stick with this book.

It starts out with a bang, then seems to drift around somewhat, going back and forth in time, getting in the heads of so many different characters you may find yourself unsure if you are keeping track of them all correctly.

But stick with this book. It all has a purpose, a beautifully written, haunting purpose.

All Things Cease to Appear is the story of families, of tragedies, of love and lack thereof, of men and women and children. It is the story of murder, of societal expectations, of religion and disbelief, of the past and present and what it means when they collide.

Brundage is not afraid to tackle massive topics, and she handles them beautifully. There is so much to unpack in this novel, the kind of story you can imagine a college professor (somewhat ironically, given events in the story) teaching to their Literature students. But it's also a story that can be read, absorbed, and thought about in the comfort of your living room, on the train on the way to work, during a lunch break.

Stick with this book. It is so very, very worth it.