About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is navigating a significant loss or feeling isolated by the heavy responsibilities of growing up. While the story centers on seventeen-year-old Matt, who takes a job at a funeral home after his mother's death, it is ultimately a tender exploration of how we find our way back to life through connection. It addresses the 'closeness of death' with a unique perspective: Matt finds comfort in sitting with other mourners because their grief mirrors his own. This is a quiet, hopeful choice for 12 to 18-year-olds dealing with grief, financial stress, or a parent's struggle with addiction, offering a roadmap for moving forward without forgetting what was lost.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
DISTRESS: The book contains detailed descriptions of funeral home operations and the appearance of bodies, though handled with respect. A significant scene involves Matt's father being struck by a car while intoxicated, which may be distressing for children with family history of substance abuse. There is also a scene involving a shooting at a funeral that, while not graphic, creates a moment of high tension and peril. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the reality of 'functional' grief versus debilitating depression. Matt’s father’s alcoholism is a reaction to loss, providing an opening to talk about healthy versus unhealthy coping mechanisms. Additionally, be ready to discuss why Matt feels safer among the dead than the living.
Ideal Reader
A thoughtful teenager who feels they have to grow up too fast, or one who is currently feeling 'othered' by a recent family tragedy or financial hardship.
Parent Prep
Read the chapter where Matt's father is injured to gauge the intensity for your child. The book is best read with the understanding that the funeral home setting is a metaphor for emotional processing, not just a job. A child expressing that they feel they have to take care of their parent, or a teen who has become unusually withdrawn and 'stoic' following a loss.
Age Experience
Younger teens will focus on the budding romance and the 'cool' factor of the funeral home job. Older teens will better grasp the nuance of Matt's parentification and the systemic pressures of his neighborhood.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many 'grief books' that focus on the moment of death, this story focuses on the long, quiet, and often lonely 'after.' It offers a unique look at the messy, non-linear process of healing as Matt navigates his own deep sensitivity and the heavy responsibilities of his home life.
Read plot summary
Matt is a high school student dealing with the aftermath of his mother's death from cancer. While his father descends into alcoholism and is eventually hospitalized after being hit by a car while drunk, Matt takes a job at a local funeral home. He finds a strange solace in watching others grieve. His world expands when he meets Lovey, a girl who has endured her own series of traumas but maintains a fierce, unsentimental resilience. The story follows their blossoming relationship and Matt's journey toward accepting his own grief.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Matt says he feels 'less alone' at funerals. Why do you think seeing other people's public grief helps him deal with his own private pain?
2
Lovey has experienced a lot of loss, yet she doesn't cry. Does this make her 'tougher' than Matt, or is her strength just different?
3
Mr. Ray becomes a mentor to Matt. How does having a supportive adult outside of his family change the way Matt views his future?
4
Matt’s father is struggling to be a parent while he is grieving. Do you think Matt is right to take on the bills and the 'black suit' responsibilities, or should more be expected of his dad?
5
The book is titled 'The Boy in the Black Suit.' In what ways is the suit a shield for Matt, and in what ways is it a cage?
