The Next Person You Meet In Heaven is the most awaited sequel of Mitch Albom written novel The Five People You Meet In Heaven. And the sequel doesn’t disappoint. In fact, I feel like squealing. The story was both painful and calming.
In the first book, Eddie dies while saving a little girl Annie. The next book is about the life story of Annie. I haven’t read the first part but after reading the sequel I am restless to read The Five People You Meet In Heaven.
Story Outline
Annie gets happily married to her childhood crush Paul. Just one day old married, they met with a tragic accident. Annie dies and reaches heaven, where she meets five people who had played an important role in her life on earth. Each one of them teaches her a life lesson.
Favorite Lessons
I particularly loved the lesson of Cleo, the pet of Annie. She says, “we fear loneliness, Annie, but loneliness itself does not exist. That the end of loneliness is when someone needs you and the world is so full of need.”
It is an amazingly profound thought.
Annie also met her mother. We often hate our parents for being hard taskmaster and strict disciplinarian but failed to look through their sacrifices and constant worries about our well being. Annie and her mother’s meeting was melancholy and tugged at my heart.
Though I wish the life lessons could have been a little more refined. Not everyone who read his books are at the same level of evolvement.
Great Narrative Style
Overall Annie’s story has been brilliantly told. The narrative has been written in fragmentary style. The story flips back and forth. Sometimes on heaven and sometimes on Earth. Sometimes in past and sometimes in present.
The entire story seems to be like a jigsaw puzzle revealed in bits and pieces. All the secondary characters were putting one piece at a time to complete the picture. But there was a big suspense in the story – what becomes of Annie’s husband Paul.
I loved Mitch Albom version of heaven. Peace with oneself, with people who matters, with unpleasant past experience and you can make a little heaven for yourself right on the earth itself
Like all the other Mitch Albom books, The Next Person You Meet In Heaven shouldn’t be read in a hurry. Rather, it should be read attentively and slowly or else you will miss out the real essence of the lessons and track of the story. You will be rendered clueless as to what is happening. Each time a new character comes in you need to get hang over the narrative in order to understand where things are going.
The Verdict
I was having a very special feeling by the time I finished reading the book. It was a wonderful reading experience.
The book was written in layers and each time a layer opened up, I was enthusiastic to know what’s in store. To discover more about the earth’s life of Annie.
It was like breathing and walking with Annie through her journey on the heaven and witnessing her getting more evolved as a person with a calm state of mind.
One of my new year bookish resolutions was to read more meaningful books and with this Mitch Albom book it is indeed a great start.
Mitch Albom
Mitchell David Albom better known as Mitch Albom in the reading world is one of the best inspirational fictional writers. His stories are famous for in depth understanding of human emotions, soulfulness and empathetic. The readers feel connected with his stories, characters and his style to giveaway life altering teachings.
Tuesday With Morrie
His first book Tuesday With Morrie left such deep impact on the psyche of readers that it is still read and reread. The book is treasured and passed on to the next generation. It is of so much worth. So read this book for sure if you haven’t done so yet. May be you can get a copy here.
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
The same thing is true about his next release The Five People You Meet In Heaven. It left significant impact on readers. The concept of heaven, meeting five people and learning lessons was entirely a new idea of inspirational and meaningful fiction which Mitch Albom conceived.
Mitch Albom Book List
- 1. Tuesdays with Morrie
- 2.The Five People You Meet in Heaven
- 3.For One More Day
- 4.Have a Little Faith
- 5.The Time Keeper
- 6.The First Phone Call from Heaven
- 7.The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
- 8.The Next Person You Meet in Heaven
More Inspirational Fiction Book Recommendation
Mitch Albom is Lord of inspirational fiction. No one can match his aura. But still I think you few books which I have read and derived immense satisfaction from reading them.
The Alchemist
You must have heard of and most probably read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. If not then don’t miss out on this one.
The Big Switch
Another book which inspired me a lot to follow my heart is The Big Switch by John Thomas. It is a book written in simple language but giveaway a powerful message. A must read.
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