Beautiful Graves

In the novel, grief is portrayed as a multifaceted and complex experience, and its nuanced exploration of this issue focuses on the various ways in which the emotional weight of loss changes people, isolating them and eventually guiding them toward finding new paths in life. One of the most powerful aspects of grief depicted in the novel is its tendency to estrange people from their previous relationships. For example, Ever reflects on how her father, after the loss of her mother, now treats her like a client, “all businesslike and formal” (61). Their physical distance—with Ever in Massachusetts and her father and brother in California—further highlights the emotional distance in their family following her mother’s death. Ever’s longing for simpler times, such as “lazy Sunday afternoons with [Renn], playing Halo and arguing about meaningless things” (63), exemplifies the fact that grief doesn’t just strip away a loved one; it also robs people of the small, everyday joys that once defined their relationships.

Grief also manifests as a sense of numbness and stagnation. After losing Dom, Ever’s emotions become a confusing mix of anger and despair, as evidenced when she states, “I wonder how many losses one person can experience before they give up on the idea of happiness.