As one moves through life, it’s only natural to ponder / worry over the idea of death. We are each only gifted with so much time on this Earth and it can be hard not to think about the end as it grows nearer. As I approach 50, I would like to imagine that it isn’t imminent for me, statistically though I’m over halfway there and of course nothing is guaranteed. It would be nice if I could still walk through the world with at least some amount of the youthful sense of immortality most of us once possessed, but each new ache or ailment that arises makes that ever more challenging. Whether by coincidence or subconscious preoccupation then, a large quantity of the media I’ve encountered lately have dealt with aging and mortality. It can make for somewhat depressing material, but it can also prove enlightening and even cathartically optimistic, as was the case with Ben Reeves’ precision-engineered tearjerker Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt.

The protagonist, named Travis, happens to be Death incarnate, who resides in a sparsely furnished apartment. The metaphysics of his job aren’t explained in detail—nor do they really need to be—but he seems to be able to be present everywhere and witness to everything, though his corporeal form may be at least partially bound to the same rules as the rest of us. Throughout the book we bear witness as he arrives near the moment of departure for various people (and animals), offering them what comfort he can before seeing them off. It’s a lonely existence, and many are less than appreciative of his presence, but he manages to perform his duty with as much grace as he can.

A chance encounter leads him to meet his across-the-hall neighbor Dalia and her eight-year-old daughter Layla. He’s met countless people before, but something about the pair draws him to them in new ways. Despite his brain telling him not to, he allows himself to grow closer, striking up a relationship with the single mother and being fully embraced as a father figure by Layla. But life for and with us regular mortals can be messy, and soon enough Travis’ impartiality will be put to the test.

As with many of the other thematically similar novels I’ve read this year (Theo of Golden, The Correspondent), Everything was Beautiful calls on us to look at the world with fresh eyes in order to better appreciate the beauty, love, and possibility that already exists around us. Unlike those though, this book is more interested in encouraging readers to take advantage of whatever time they have remaining to avoid reaching the end with any lingering regrets, even spelling that aim out in the final chapter. Being so explicit in its intent feels more than a little cloying, but it remains a noble enough aim regardless.

Reeves is a solid writer with a knack for quickly developing characters and manipulating his desired emotional response from the reader. The subject matter can get quite dark at times, but he leverages it with so many moments of quiet beauty that it’s nearly impossible not to come away moved. While it’s certainly healthy to contemplate one’s own mortality from time to time, it shouldn’t be at the expense of time spent getting out to enjoy the world, a lesson that Reeves capably imparts in this enjoyably charming and deeply emotional little novel. ★★★★½