A joyously good yarn

 

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  The joyous bit about reading Belinda Bauer's novel Exit is the off-kilter unfolding of a story headed somewhere you were not expecting. Without fail, her books are amusing, delightful and often gently misleading but in a good-hearted, 'you got me there!' kind of way. There's a lightness of hand in her writing that makes these stories sparkle with simplicity, tenderness and lightly buried genius that makes the world feel ever so slightly better. If you cannot tell, I loved Exit...now to the story.

Exit is about Exiteers who volunteer to be present when an elderly/terminally ill person decides to take his/her own life. Exiteers give guidance on how to proceed but do not physically assist in the act in any way. Instead, they are there to give comfort so the person intending to die does not have to pass away alone. It's a really lovely notion and made me think about how we deal with death.

Our main character, Felix Pink, is an old age pensioner who has attended a number of deaths. He's charming, sweet and wants to give comfort to those who wish to end their lives. The trouble is things don't go quite to plan and events spiral out of his control. It's looking pretty dodgy for him but the interweaving of police, Felix, Felix's neighbour and the occupants and visitors of the house where things went off the rails is utterly brilliant. Funny, sweet, touching with surprise twists, too, Exit has not only a moral story behind it but is full of heart as well. This novel is pure delight in these troubled times. It may seem a dark topic but Exit is anything but. Pure joy, honestly. I hope you agree.