THE GRIEF DOCTOR
JACK ANDERSON
****
Genius. Maverick. Monster.
A place free of judgement… for a life free of pain’
The Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute is the world’s most exclusive clinic: eye-wateringly expensive and located on a small island off the Welsh coast, it is run by controversial genius Dr Codelle. She takes only one patient at a time, she keeps them away from the outside world while they’re in her care – and she gets results. Because Dr Codelle doesn’t just promise an easing of the symptoms of addiction, she promises a total cure. And widower Arthur, whose grief at the loss of his wife has brought him to the point of destruction, can’t be allowed to leave the island.
Not until he submits to Codelle’s treatment, and is all better...
MY REVIEW
****
How far would you go to erase your grief after the death of a partner? When Arthur signs up to a therapy retreat on a remote island, he is ready for Dr Codelle to help him with the grief of his wife. However, the removal of that grief comes with a cost, and is Arthur ready to pay for it?
I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Grief Doctor, it didn’t have great reviews from previous readers when I started it, but I think it was a good read. Dealing in grief, it’s a difficult and polarising subject in general, and some of the therapy explored was genuinely heartbreaking and difficult to read (the video section in particular was awful!). Dr Codelle has very unorthodox methods for dealing with the addiction of grief and you are fully on Arthur’s side as he tries to escape. I would perhaps have liked a little more ‘normal’ side of the island to have been introduced before the darker side is thrown at us – I think that might have made a greater impact.
I liked that the book still felt in the realms of realism throughout – although it’s a pacy thriller, I didn’t feel taken out of the action at any point. It certainly makes you question how you feel about the idea of grief and leaves an impression on you long after you have turned the final page.
Overall, The Grief Doctor is a tricky read and one that leaves you with a lot of questions on how much grief we should hold on to when someone close to us leaves us. Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing – Raven Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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