This story is about a man named Johann who feels a special connection with Death. When he was a child, he made a deal with Death, asking for it to spare his mother and take his father instead. As a young man, he was married to a beautiful woman and had a son with him. Despite this, he was unhappy. When she died, he felt a large relief in himself. Now, Johann is at the end of his life, and his old friend Death has finally come for him.

Despite his impending death, and alienation from his son, Johann has a great support. His second wife Mai, is younger than he, and not pretty like his first wife. Despite this, she loves her husband and is extremely devoted to him. As Johann’s health declines, he asks her to do one more thing for him, to end things when he is no longer himself. It is an issue that Mai struggles with; respect his wishes, or let him die naturally. Battling with the euthanasia issue, readers will find her choice interesting.

Death is something that we are all afraid of, but for what reasons? Some people want to live out the rest of their adventures, travel the world. Others are scared that they may cease to exist. Johann just wants more time to spend with his wife and start to make things right. Books always capture monumental moments in time, and Ullman does just that. She captures the end of a life, and even has Johann reflecting on things in his earlier life as he comes to an end in the present. I enjoyed this book, and I hope you take the time to read it.