A review by cat_book_lady
Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

5.0

I thoroughly LOVED this book about an elderly Asian woman who fights death and who has reality slipping away slowly but surely as she descends into dementia. Yet this woman was so incredibly stubborn to hold onto her independence when really her daughter was doing the right thing by trying to get her into an assisted living facility. I mean, the daughter does have a point when the old woman is putting a salt candle on the vacuum cleaner that is wrapped in bungee cords to keep the death balls inside. Or, the fact that she can't remember when or if she has taken her pills and goes on a bit of a pain-med trip with some interesting hallucinations. But the old lady refuses to live anywhere but her own apartment, and goes on some wild adventures, driving her daughter absolutely batty in the process when she refuses to answer her calls. You can't blame her much, though, because the daughter is a full-on annoying little screamer.

But, death is stalking the old woman, and she fights the little bugger tooth and nail with spunky vinegar. I kept cheering for her, and laughed and cried, wanting her to win against the spidery shadow that tries to overtake her.

This was so entertaining and inspiring and witty! Love, love, LOVE this book!