Book Review: The Next Person You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

 "You lose something every day you live. Sometimes it’s as tiny as the breath you just expelled, sometimes it’s so big you think you won’t survive it.”

--Mitch Albom, The Next Person You Meet In Heaven

Mitch Albom tells the tale of Eddie's celestial reunion with Annie—the little child he saved on earth—in this charming follow-up to the number one bestseller The Five People You Meet in Heaven in this remarkable narrative of how our lives and sorrows connect. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven is a heartbreaking, gorgeous novel full of unexpected turns that serves as a gentle reminder that every life matters and that every ending is also a beginning; all we need to do is open our eyes to see it. 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Fifteen years ago, in Mitch Albom’s beloved novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the world fell in love with Eddie, a grizzled war veteran- turned-amusement park mechanic who died saving the life of a young girl named Annie. Eddie’s journey to heaven taught him that every life matters. Now, in this magical sequel, Mitch Albom reveals Annie’s story.

The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. It took her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached. Injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie’s life is forever changed by a guilt-ravaged mother who whisks her away from the world she knew. Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness.

As the novel opens, Annie is marrying Paulo. But when her wedding night day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey—and an inevitable reunion with Eddie, one of the five people who will show her how her life mattered in ways she could not have fathomed.

My reaction to the novel...

I read "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" many years ago when I was a college student, and it really made me wonder whether it was genuine. The author will do every effort to convince you that the events in the novel truly happened. You wouldn't imagine from the first book's excellent writing that there would be a follow-up.

Actually, I began reading the second book, but I wasn't in the mood for it, so I put it down since I couldn't understand anything that happened. It was comparable to reading something you weren't particularly enjoying. I wasn't able to effectively portray the feelings and experiences the author wanted his readers to have. I took a break and grabbed another book to read. After some time had passed, I stumbled across this book once again while browsing my collection and chose to give it another go. It took me four days to finish reading it, and when I did, I was blown away by the quality of the writing.

I'm not sure how the author was able to change the story such that he could create a sequel to the original book. Mitch Albom is a talented author. Your faith in his tales' truthfulness will be put to the test. This story will offer you a better understanding of what true love is, how much you can sacrifice, and the extent you'll go to for someone you care about. You'll also learn about how God created each of our lives and what a "second chance" is. I will without a doubt recommend this book to everyone.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

"We fear loneliness, but loneliness itself does not exist. It has no form. It is merely a shadow that falls over us. And Just as shadows die when light changes, the sadness can depart once we see the truth.”

That is true. Being alone is something we all fear. I am concerned about living alone on this earth. We weren't made to live by ourselves. As a result, we can suffer loneliness and sorrow whenever we choose, but only until someone helps us see the light, at which moment everything changes instantly. Since this is how most depressions start, we need to be aware of the coping mechanisms that may be available to us.

"Love comes when you least expect it. Love comes when you most need it. Love comes when you are ready to receive it or can no longer deny it.”

Just when we thought we would never fall in love again, that we are better off alone, or that we are strong enough not to fall in love again, someone will come along and make us feel incomplete without having them in our lives. Genuine love will undoubtedly find you when your heart is open, in my opinion. It cannot be pushed or coerced. It will materialize in an unexpected setting, location, or situation. 

"We are blinded by our regrets. We don’t realize who else we punish when we’re punishing ourselves.”

Our loved ones go through the same thing every time we are sad. Most of us aren't aware that the way we act, hurt, and behave when we're by ourselves and overwhelmed by regrets causes pain for our loved ones. When we are in pain, we just focus on our own feelings and fail to see others around us. Taking the time to pay attention to how others are experiencing could also help us recover.