Published By: Pushkin Press
Pages: 224
Released On: 14/07/2026
Translated By: Sam Taylor
Everyone, at some point in their lives, wants to be someone else.
Eric Kherson—40, divorced, distracted—is spiraling. He has devoted his life to a successful career as the marketing director of a leading sports brand. But when family disaster rocks him to his core, he finds himself adrift from his family and questioning all his choices.
That is, until an acquaintance from his schooldays offers him a high-powered government position. Desperate for escape, he throws himself into her enigmatic world of high-risk deals and endless networking, doing anything it takes to get a contract signed.
But on a business trip to Seoul, Eric starts feeling worse than ever. Wandering the city’s streets, he comes across Happy Life, a store that offers its customers something that could change their lives: a fake funeral. Happy Life will write your eulogy, arrange the flowers, and allow you to lie inside your own coffin. Why? They believe the experience will help you reinvent yourself.
But above all for Eric, Happy Life sparks a business venture of his own that might do just that…
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I love David’s books so I was thrilled to receive this. He is an author I discovered through blogging that I might not have read otherwise so I’m so glad I gave him the chance.
Like most of his books, this is very thin on plot, but that’s not a negative. The plot is interesting but it’s the characters who are the most interesting thing about this book. Eric and Amelia work well on their own but also together; they’re very different and yet they gelled really well.
Because it’s partially set in 2020, there’s obviously talk of Covid. Which I understand but it’s a storyline I’ve become a bit tired of. I know that if you’re writing a book set in 2020 (and it’s not a fantasy book) then you have to mention it and be respectful of the time period you’re in. But we lived Covid…I go to books for escapism and so I’ve become a bit tired of reading about it.
I loved the…it’s not fantasy but for some reason that feels like the appropriate word…but the element of fake funerals, but I wish it had been earlier as the opening 25% or so is quite slow.
It’s a short book but it’s packed with important messages and feelings. What do you want from your life? Are you at a dead end? Is there more to life? Is it worth the risk to change?
It’s not my favourite of his books, I’ll be honest. It’s still good and I enjoyed it, but it was missing a little spark that I’ve found in his others.
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