Book 4: Mrs Death Misses Death (2021) - Salena Godden

Saturday March 15

What is the book about?

Mrs Death has had enough. She is exhausted from spending eternity doing her job and now she seeks someone to unburden her conscience to. Wolf Willeford, a troubled young writer, is well acquainted with death, but until now hadn’t met Death in person – a black, working-class woman who shape-shifts and does her work unseen. Enthralled by her stories, Wolf becomes Mrs Death’s scribe, and begins to write her memoirs. Using their desk as a vessel and conduit, Wolf travels across time and place with Mrs Death to witness deaths of past and present and discuss what the future holds for humanity. As the two reflect on the losses they have experienced – or, in the case of Mrs Death, facilitated – their friendship grows into a surprising affirmation of hope, resilience and love. All the while, despite her world-weariness, Death must continue to hold humans’ fates in her hands, appearing in our lives when we least expect her . . .

Fragment (to get an idea of the style)

“The greatest trick man played was making you believe I was a man. They erased me and made you all believe that Death was male in spirit – the Grim Reaper in a black hood with a scythe. Remarkable that nobody questioned it really, don’t you think? For surely only she who bears it, she who gave you life, can be she who has the power to take it. The one is she.”

First sentence

“When I called for change, did you pass by me?”

Winning second and third sentence?

Did you hear my screeching cries as I carried those like you beyond? I am Death, yet still a woman, forced to sweep the scraps of those who silenced my warnings."

Denisa Chirac, student Media Studies

Nice to know

• Salena Godden is also a poet and spoken word artist. You can find her collection of poetry With love, grief and fury in the University's Library. And watch her perform online for example with the poem Dirty Old men
• Godden also wrote a poetic memoir about her childhood: Springfield road. This book is also available in the University's Library.