The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett

“The waiting room seemed to hold its breath as they disappeared down a corridor.

‘Don’t want to end up like that poor old bugger, do you?’ said the woman, tapping Eudora’s arm. ‘Being poked and prodded when you’re on your way out. May as well take control of your destiny if you can.’”

This encounter is the catalyst for Eudora’s quest to end her life with assisted suicide. While she is discontented before this moment, her fall—and the sight of others in A&E—underscores Eudora’s fears about dying in the hospital as her mother did. This new idea that she could take control of the process feels empowering and exciting.

“‘So, will you look after Mummy and the baby for me? Please?’

She gazed up at him. She thought she saw a reflection of a tear but decided it was a trick of the light.

‘Of course, Daddy. I’ll look after them until you get home and then we can do it together.’

Her father nodded before hurrying them to their feet.

‘Good girl, Dora. I knew I could rely on you.’”

This pivotal moment creates the sense of duty that guides Eudora for the rest of her life. She promises to take care of Beatrice and Stella until her father comes home, not knowing at the time that he will never return. Eudora carries this burden late into her adult life until both Stella and Beatrice have passed away. Her father probably did not intend for her to take on such a huge burden—i.e., to put the needs of Beatrice and Stella above her own happiness in life—but Eudora’s interpretation of the promise establishes her character as fiercely loyal and devoted to duty.

“The little girl opens the packet and offers it to her.

‘Try one.’

Eudora can’t get her fingers inside, so Rose carefully cups her hand and tips a sweet into her palm. Eudora is struck by the novel sensation of this child’s soft, warm touch.”

This is the first indication that Rose’s presence warms Eudora’s heart. Eudora is surprised by the touch—a sensation she rarely experiences since she has been alone for a long time. Rose’s kindness in sharing a sweet candy foreshadows how her innocent sweetness will bring joy to Eudora’s often bitter life experiences.

“Stella glared up at Eudora, her face a picture of haughty, unforgiving rage. ‘It was all your fault. It would never have happened if you hadn’t been flirting with that stupid boy.’

Guilt flooded through Eudora. ‘You’re right. Of course, you’re right. I’m so sorry, Stella. I should have been watching you. I’m very sorry.’

‘Good. You should be sorry. You were mean to me. It was all your fault. You made me do it.’”

This incident clarifies Stella’s personality. She pretends to drown to guilt-trip Eudora into staying away from a boy who interests her and to focus on Stella instead. This becomes a pattern; Stella will act in outrageous ways that result in Eudora’s isolating herself and refocusing on Stella.

“‘Thank you,’ says Doctor Jarvis. ‘Sometimes I feel as if I should find another career.’

‘Don’t you dare,’ says Eudora. ‘You need to be strong and fearless, because you are more than capable. And besides, who will I visit when I come here for my next appointment? You have an important role to play.’

The doctor studies her face. ‘I think we both do.’”

Eudora has just stood up to the more experienced doctor whom she perceived as bullying young Dr. Jarvis. This is a strength that she exhibits throughout the novel, defending herself and others in the face of bullying. Eudora has already contacted the assisted suicide clinic, but this exchange with Dr. Jarvis indicates that her life does still have purpose.

“She tried to blot out the creeping realization that whatever she did, however hard she tried, she would never be able to make her mother and sister happy. As she turned her head, she spied the framed photograph of her father in full uniform, smiling his encouragement, from Stella’s bedside table. Eudora sighed, hauling herself to her feet, ready to face her mother and sister and try, yet again, to broker peace in their bitter, endless battle.”

This quote highlights Eudora’s sense of duty. A reader might question why she devotes her life to people as unappreciative as Beatrice and Stella, but it all comes down to her intense loyalty to her father and her devotion to the task he called on her to do. When others would leave Beatrice and Stella to figure out their own lives, Eudora tries once more to create a peaceful home and a better relationship between her mother and sister.

“‘Allow yourself to choose life while you are making the decision about your death. It’s important to live life to the full while you can.’

Eudora sniffs. ‘I’ll give it some thought.’”

Dr. Liebermann’s words are one of many reminders that Eudora receives about Reconciling with the Past and Embracing Second Chances. The doctor will not approve Eudora’s application for assisted suicide unless she sees evidence that Eudora is not just isolated and depressed. Eudora continues to receive these reminders throughout the novel, and over time, she starts to soften.

“She gives an uncertain laugh before darting her gaze back toward the photo of Ada. Eudora sees the sparkle in her eyes, a spirit of adventure, and a deep kindness, which makes her wish they’d known each other. She sends her a silent promise. I’ll make sure he’s all right, Ada. I’ll do my best for you while I can.”

Eudora’s instinct to help others activates when she sees Stanley struggling after the death of his beloved wife, Ada. Eudora’s promise to help Stanley re-engage and find purpose in his life demonstrates her increased connection to the people around her, particularly Stanley and Rose. This provides her with a reason to continue living, as she wants to ensure that Stanley is content before she dies.

“Eudora watches them, reflecting on Rob’s comments. It hadn’t occurred to her that she was playing a significant role in Rose’s life. It unnerves her slightly but pleases her too. She hasn’t been needed by another human being since her mother died, and now it would seem she is being drawn into the lives of two individuals. Eudora isn’t sure how this has happened but finds the whole notion a great deal less irksome than she expected. She realizes this adds a certain level of complication to her future plans but consoles herself that she is merely passing the time, rather like doing a crossword puzzle while waiting to see the doctor.”

Eudora recognizes that her life is becoming more and more entangled with Stanley and Rose. Much to her surprise, she enjoys being needed by other people again; unlike Beatrice and Stella, Rose and Stanley just want Eudora to be herself and to find her own happiness. They need her, but they do not demand sacrifices from her in exchange for a relationship. Eudora pushes back against her new ties to life by telling herself that the relationships are less meaningful than they are—a distraction rather than an end in and of themselves.

“As she spots Rose’s picture on the cupboard again, she reaches for a pen and turns the calendar pages. She stares at the word ‘Freedom’ for a while before adding a question mark beside it and giving a satisfied nod. It was important to be realistic about these things.”

By adding the question mark to the word “Freedom”—the earliest date she could hope to end her life—Eudora indicates that she is less committed to assisted suicide than she was at the beginning of the novel. She is enjoying her life again, and when she considers the future, she sees possibilities for events that she does not want to miss.

“Eudora faces the prospect of the group the next morning with a hint of dread but decides to view it as the Queen might: with an overriding sense of duty. She is hopeful that if she goes along once, Stanley will be his usual gregarious self, make a host of new friends, and Eudora will be off the hook. Good deed done. Promise to Ada fulfilled.”

One of the ties that Eudora has to life is her promise to Stanley’s deceased wife, Ada, that she will help Stanley live his life again in the present. As a result of this promise, she herself is also leaving the house and connecting with other people in groups that she scoffed at attending when a social worker told her about them. By helping Stanley, she is helping herself find additional connections to life as well, even as she insists that she is doing no such thing.

“I also need to ask you to continue to think seriously about what you are proposing. If you have any doubts or reasons to change your mind, then you should. Life is precious and as long as we have a reason to continue, we should follow that path.”

Dr. Liebermann’s statement underscores the primary message of the novel, which is that all life has meaning and value. Her encouragement for Eudora to make sure she has lived life to the fullest gives Eudora pause, although she is still not completely convinced that her life has value.

“Maggie continues. ‘I always used to think it was silly when people said life was short, but I completely get that now. We’re here for such a limited time. The least we can do is try to be kind to the people around us. Humans seem to forget that so easily.’”

Maggie’s words reveal another of the novel’s core messages: The Importance of Kindness. In combination with Dr. Liebermann’s exhortation to live life to the fullest, this offers Eudora a blueprint for how to get the most out of life: Connect with others and show them kindness.

“‘Don’t worry, Eudora,’ says Rose. ‘I’ll do the same for you on your birthday, and it will be a different picture because we will have had lots more adventures by then.’ A shiver of regret courses through Eudora’s mind as she considers the possibility that she may not be around to experience any of this.”

When Rose refers to future events, Eudora begins to question her decision to end her life. She doesn’t want to miss these pivotal moments with Rose and is starting to become aware of how an early exit from life would impact those who have grown to care for her and enjoy her company. From the initial doubt expressed by the addition of the question mark to her calendar, Eudora is progressing to sadness and regret at the thought of not being around anymore.

“‘So we’re adopting Rose now, are we?’ asks Stanley as the waitress disappears. ‘For one night only,’ she says, grasped by an unexpected split-second wish that life had dealt her a different hand—a life of small sticky faces and hand-drawn birthday cards.”

Eudora is generally matter-of-fact and does not indulge in wishing things had worked out differently. However, at the restaurant with Stanley and Rose, she begins to envision other directions her life could have gone. By allowing the server to assume that Rose is her granddaughter, Eudora can capture a little of that alternate reality. The episode also illustrates Eudora’s character development. In the beginning of the novel, Eudora would not have allowed the server’s assumption to stand, but she has so warmed up to Rose that she takes pride in the assumption that Rose belongs to her.

“So, will you look after Mummy and the baby for me? Please? His words rippled back to her from the past, tangling their way into her brain. I said I would, but I didn’t realize you meant forever. I thought you’d come back. I didn’t know I’d have to do it alone.”

Eudora takes on a heavy burden that exceeds what her father likely intended when he elicited Eudora’s promise to look after her mother and sister. Though Albert presumably intended to return from the war, the interaction sent duty-bound and loyal Eudora down a path of painful self-sacrifice in the interest of her mother’s and sister’s needs. In this quote, she realizes the weight of the burden she has taken on.

“Hannah held her gaze. ‘Then you should embrace life for as long as possible—cherish and value it. I don’t know you very well, but I’ve seen you with Rose and can tell you have a special friendship. You’re one of the lucky ones. Wouldn’t you say?’

‘Yes,’ admitted Eudora. ‘I suppose I am.’”

Eudora’s ties to life deepen in this conversation with Hannah, the death doula. Eudora is realizing that despite always perceiving her life as one of pain, sacrifice, and guilt, she does in fact have positive things to look to. For Eudora to admit that she is a “lucky one” illustrates her transformation over the course of the novel.

“Eudora stares past Rose. ‘I’m too old for this.’

‘And I’m too young.’

They stare at each other in a moment of mutual, ageless understanding. We’re the same, you and me. The helpless ones. And we must stick together.”

When Rose summons Eudora to help her mother give birth, Eudora realizes that on both ends of the spectrum of life, individuals need help to survive. Eudora needs Rose and Stanley despite insisting on being alone in her old age. She also sees that Rose needs her as much as Maggie does in this moment and that together they can take on this important and urgent job.

“‘I am glad you called to tell me this, Eudora. You sound so happy.’

Another pause, this time as the idea sinks in. ‘I am.’

She would like to tell Petra her truth, to share the story of her sister and the baby who died because of her, of how Daisy’s birth feels like an absolution. She will always carry the guilt, but its burden has lightened somehow.”

Eudora is still surprised when outside observers comment on her happiness. She is accustomed to life being a hard, difficult, painful experience and unused to the idea that her life at 85 could be wonderful, fulfilling, and full of love. She reaches out to Petra because she wants to speak to someone about the wonderful experience of watching Daisy’s birth. Eudora has come a long way from the beginning of the book, when she scoffed at the idea of ever calling Petra just to talk about something in her life. She is reaching outside herself rather than merely complying with Rose and Stanley’s efforts to pull her into their lives.

“She knows she owes him an explanation, that she’s let him down. Eudora keeps her eyes fixed forward as she speaks. ‘Everyone I’ve ever cared about has left me. And you will too.’”

At the beginning of the novel, it is unclear why Eudora is so determined to end her life, though flashbacks slowly reveal that she has experienced a great deal of pain in her relationships, leaving her alone and vulnerable in her old age. This quote speaks to the real fear that governs her prickliness and distance from others: She is terrified that if she gets close to someone, they will leave her. This is why, despite being close to Rose and Stanley and seeing all these changes in the quality of life, she still intends to keep her appointment at the clinic. She is waiting for Stanley and Rose to leave her too.

“‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well,’ he said. ‘You don’t need to worry, Dora. Whatever happens, I’ll always be here.’ He placed a reassuring hand over her heart, kissed her on the cheek, and took his leave.”

Albert Honeysett tells Eudora this—a famous quote from the mystic Julian of Norwich—right before he leaves for war, but Eudora’s experience of life renders it little more than a platitude. From the rocky relationship between her mother and her sister, through her sister’s betrayal and death, to Eudora’s own troubled love life and abandonment by her best friend, Eudora’s experiences tell her the opposite: that nothing will work out and everything is difficult. This quote reappears at the end of the novel, where it assumes a different interpretation.

“At first, Eudora was mortified at her own open display of feelings, but when she saw Stanley’s face, so understanding and compassionate, she realized there was no need.

‘You do understand that none of this was your fault, don’t you?’ he said, eyes wrinkled with kindness. ‘You did your best for your mother and sister, but you’re not responsible for their lives and how they chose to live them.’

Eudora stared at him openmouthed before a great gaping sob rocked her body.”

This is a profound moment for Eudora: Stanley’s words absolve her of the guilt, shame, and sorrow that have followed her through all her challenging relationships. She has bottled up all the betrayal and hurt and internalized it as her fault. To hear Stanley tell her that she did her best and that that’s enough breaks open the pain and allows the wound to begin to heal. Eudora was looking for this kind of peace all along and thought she had found it in assisted suicide, but instead it comes in vulnerability and connection with others.

“Rose looks at the scattered memories and fixes Eudora with her steady, honest gaze. ‘I know you had sad stuff with your dad and your sister, but you’ve had a good life.’

Eudora stares at Rose and smiles. ‘Yes,’ she says. ‘On balance, I suppose I have.’”

Eudora’s transformation is complete at the end of the novel. Having started as bitter, closed-off, and lonely, she has accepted the things that have happened to her and sees the value in her life. Rose is a wise influence in her life, which is ironic given her youth. Yet Rose is exactly the voice that Eudora needed to break through her emotional walls and connect with others again.