4.5 stars.

I love Backman's style and how he goes straight for the heart. In this short story that contemplates the value of life, the tale is told in an epistolary style. The narrative is a bit cryptic along the way, but there are a lot of emotions wrapped up in the words. This is one of those reads where you'll likely glean something new on a reread.

I found the writing beautiful as always: human and raw. Though the plot was a little vague (characters exist with no names and the construction is a bit choppy), the punch to the heart along the way was a good one. I do wish that the story would have been extended and explored a bit more, but I will admit that I typically do feel that way with short stories. It's incredibly difficult to get everything developed in such a short span of pages.

As is, I enjoyed the tale, found it impactful, and would read it again.