Plot Summary

Dear Life

Alice Munro
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Dear Life

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012

Book Brief

Alice Munro

Dear Life

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012
Book Details
Pages

544

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Rural Ontario • Mid-20th century

Publication Year

2012

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Dear Life by Alice Munro is a collection of fourteen short stories set largely in Canada, featuring characters facing major changes or realizations amid everyday life. The title story follows an unnamed woman reflecting on her childhood in Ontario, her parents' fur business, and her evolving perception of her mother. Other stories, like "To Reach Japan," "Gravel," "Train," and "Amundsen," similarly explore significant personal moments. Sensitive topics related to the death of parents, chronic illnesses, and childhood trauma are present in the book.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Nostalgic

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

3.9

42,379 ratings

64%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Alice Munro's Dear Life has received praise for its masterful storytelling, profound emotional depth, and keen exploration of human nature. Critics commend Munro's ability to depict everyday life with compassion and insight. However, some find the collection's stories uneven and its pacing slow at times. Overall, it's celebrated for its poignant and intimate narrative style.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Dear Life?

A reader who enjoys Dear Life by Alice Munro would appreciate intricate, character-driven short stories that explore the complexities of human relationships and the subtleties of everyday life. Fans of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri would find Munro's work compelling and evocative.

3.9

42,379 ratings

64%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

11%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

544

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Rural Ontario • Mid-20th century

Publication Year

2012

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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