42 pages • 1 hour read
A Very Easy Death
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
112
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Paris, France • 1960s
1964
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In A Very Easy Death, Simone de Beauvoir recounts her experience of caring for her mother, Françoise, during the final six weeks of her life as she battles terminal cancer. Diagnosed following a fall, Françoise's true condition is kept from her, leading Beauvoir to grapple with ethical dilemmas and reflect on their strained relationship. Beauvoir provides a detailed, compassionate account of her mother’s death, interwoven with existential analysis and reevaluation. This book includes references to terminal illness, death, and bereavement.
Melancholic
Contemplative
Emotional
Heartwarming
Reviews & Readership
11,646 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Simone de Beauvoir's A Very Easy Death is lauded for its poignant and unflinchingly honest exploration of her mother's final days. Critics praise its emotional depth and introspective narrative. However, some find the prose occasionally overwrought. Overall, it is a powerful meditation on mortality and familial bonds, resonating deeply with readers.
Who Should Read A Very Easy Death?
Readers who appreciate poignant, introspective memoirs about familial relationships and end-of-life experiences will find Simone de Beauvoir's A Very Easy Death compelling. Comparable to Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, it offers profound reflections on grief, love, and mortality. Suitable for fans of deeply personal, existential literature.
11,646 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Françoise de Beauvoir (née Brasseur)
Françoise de Beauvoir (née Brasseur)
Simone's mother, who struggles with societal expectations and personal fulfillment, navigating her life with a focus on self-sacrifice and faith.
Georges Bertrand de Beauvoir
Georges Bertrand de Beauvoir
Simone's father, a former actor turned lawyer, whose lifestyle and attitudes become a source of tension within the family.
Hélène de Beauvoir (Poupette)
Hélène de Beauvoir (Poupette)
Simone's younger sister, with whom she shares a close relationship, partially concealed from their mother, highlighting familial bonds in the narrative.
112
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Paris, France • 1960s
1964
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.