Beautiful. Chilling. Haunting. Sticks with you long after reading the final page.
Title: Interview with Death
Author: V.K. Pasnen
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy
Word Count: 90,000
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 4/16/2024
Started Reading: 4/6/2024
Finished Reading: 4/13/2024
Summary: Nathan Miller is haunted by loss and obsessed with a vision of Death who passed him for someone else. A nightmare of his own demise follows and inspires an essay about an interview the Grim Reaper who appears as a Man in Black. Years pass and Nathan is living the dream. He is a war correspondent and a bestselling author at the pinnacle of success with the perfect wife and family. And thanks to the Man in Black, he’s indestructible (or so it seems). But Nathan’s world is built on lies and regret. Consumed by guilt, Nathan seeks solace in a devilish guardian angel, only to spiral down a rabbit hole of addiction. At rock bottom, he’s faced with a choice and a job offer from the Man in Black. Will Nathan survive his Interview with Death? And if so, will he accept what Death has offered knowing the Burden that comes with the job?
My Review:
The Indestructible Nathan Miller has always seen Death, and Death looks a lot like Johnny Cash. As Nathan works his way to the epicenter of his success as a war correspondent and author, Nathan shares his glittering life of fame with the wife of his dreams and his growing family. His future looks promising and bright – until he learns that his world of glamour and prestige is built upon a tangled web of lies and deeply rooted deception. Seeking comfort from the regret and guilt that consumes him, Nathan finds the open arms of a devilish guardian angel only to find himself careening down a grievous path. At rock bottom, Nathan is given a choice and a job offer – if he can survive the interview with Death.
This is a refreshing depiction of life, death, and the supernatural realm of the afterlife. Blurring the lines between realms enraptures readers into this vivid world as V.K. Pasnen gives new life to the traditional Grim Reaper. Death is not the terror-inducing figure that the reader has come to expect, but a compassionate guide for souls into the afterworld. “Souls are scared enough when the wind of life leaves their mortal lungs, and their fleshy shells cease their usefulness.”
The world-building is top-tier. The way that V.K. Pasnen crafts this story is mind-bending and thought-provoking. Many scenes are crafted with such clarity and are so impactful that the moment haunts readers even in waking hours – like the “Asylum of Silence.” Without giving anything away, that moment was so well-written that I knew then that I would be forever changed by this story.
Each character is complex and authentic. Witnessing them experience different obstacles and facets of their world tugs at the reader’s heartstrings – moments of tremendous sadness, glimmers of hope, heart-racing thrills – so many emotions that create well-rounded characters and build a deeper connection with each character.
Solid 5-star rating (and it might be my favorite read of 2024 thus far). I HIGHLY recommend this book to readers who enjoy thought-provoking stories or philosophical ponderings on themes like death and the afterlife. I also would like to mention that this story does explore themes that could be considered triggering: substance abuse, prostitution, suicide, war, and PTSD.