THIS TOO SHALL PASS by Milena Busquets

And you added: “Pain and sorrow pass, but so do joy and happiness.” Now I know it’s not true. I’ll live without you until I die.

Written in the form of the narrator’s letter to her late mother, Milena Busquets’ This Too Shall Pass (translated by Valerie Miles) follows forty-year-old Blanca as she tries to cope with her mother’s recent death. After two failed marriages and several affairs, Blanca still feels she’s in a state of prolonged adolescence, and has an even harder time navigating adulthood without her mother. At the urging of loved ones, she leaves Barcelona for a trip to her mother’s house in coastal Cadaqués, where she spends the summer surrounded by family and friends, trying to make sense of her loss and move forward with her life.

At about 170 pages, This Too Shall Pass can be read in just a couple of days (ideally at the beach, but it’s just as pleasant on a Brooklyn fire escape — I have tested this; you’re welcome), but Blanca’s surprisingly insightful musings on death, family, and love make it heftier than your average beach read. The gorgeous writing lends Blanca’s voice more maturity than she gives herself credit for, and there’s a new nugget of wisdom to be found on pretty much every page. Blanca’s narration is full of feeling and vivid imagery, giving a nice depth to this short book, while her interactions with her friends and lovers add needed levity. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read.