A Conversation with Ben Reeves

Here at Booxies, we are always on the hunt for stories that leave a lasting mark, and every now and then, a novel comes along that completely takes our breath away. When I had the privilege to get my hands on a proof copy of Ben Reeves’ latest novel, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt, it had me hooked from the very first page. It is an absolute masterpiece, without a doubt the best book I have read this year, and it has easily secured a spot in my top ten books of all time. We are incredibly excited to finally share it with the world as our General Fiction Book of the Month for August. To celebrate, I had the absolute privilege of sitting down for a Q&A with Ben to dive deeper into the heart of this profoundly moving story.

1.      Can you describe your new book Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt (your elevator pitch)?
[BR] It’s a book about life, told via Death. Death is a man named Travis in the modern day. He looks like a normal guy you might pass on the street, and his job is to spend time with people before they die. He comforts them, he listens to their stories, and never tries to change anyone’s fate. Because he’s Death, he doesn’t make many friends, and he lives a very solitary life, until one day when he meets the woman across the hall – a single midwife named Dalia, and her two daughters. That’s when Travis’s life changes forever.

2.      The title is incredibly striking and evocative. What initially drew you to it, and how does it encapsulate the heart of this story?
[BR] It’s a beloved line from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. I’m a big Vonnegut fan, and I’ve always loved the long-standing tradition of using someone else’s quote for a book title. My book, like Slaughterhouse Five, is so much about the pain and beauty of existence, the line really encapsulated everything I wanted to say. I made sure to give Kurt a special shout-out in the acknowledgements.

3.      This novel carries such profound emotional weight. When plotting a book like this, do you map out every character arc beforehand, or do they ever surprise you and change the story?
[BR] I generally have very loose bullet points, such as ‘a rich guy with regrets’, or ‘a hoarder’. But beyond that, I make up the scenes as I go, and see where they take me. For the overall story of Travis and Dalia, I had a much clearer sense of what I wanted to achieve, where it was going, and how I wanted the reader to feel. It involved a lot of set-up, foreshadowing, contrast, and other writing techniques that sound a bit soulless if you explain them too much.

4.      The characters in the book are all amazingly flawed and complex, but which one is your favourite?
[BR] It’s an obvious choice, but I’d have to say Travis. There’s so much sadness in the book, centred around people dying and the grief that follows. But every now and then I think about how difficult it must be for Travis to bear it all. He’s stayed with me, and I often like to return to that space where I can see the world through his eyes.

5.      Writing something this impactful must take an emotional toll. What is your personal "palate cleanser" book or activity when you need to recover from writing heavy scenes?
[BR] I’ll usually watch a film that makes me feel good. A Disney classic like Aladdin or The Lion King, or anything by Spielberg. Or I’ll watch some comedy like Peep Show or The Simpsons. Anything with a lot of heart. Walking helps, too.

6.      If Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt got adapted into a movie or a series, who would be your dream casting for the lead roles?
[BR] There are things happening in this direction, so I’ll keep it a secret for now!

7.      What’s your favourite drink or snack to have on hand while reading and writing?
[BR] I love to practice intermittent fasting, but dark chocolate and red wine seem to give me a hyper burst that feels almost magical, which is a fertile mood for writing.

8.      What's your favourite recent read?
[BR] I’ve been enjoying One Hundred Years of Solitude, but I’m a very slow reader, and this book has a lot of characters with very similar names, and dozens of mini events in every chapter, so I’m trying my best to keep track. It’s beautifully written though, and quite weird.

9.      If your main character came with a warning label, what would it say in three words?
[BR] Personal end friend.

10.   Are you a 'read one book at a time' or a 'five books at once' kind of reader?
[BR] Read twenty books at a time. Read the same books over and over. Read non-fiction downstairs and fiction upstairs. Read the same book for two years, and another one in an afternoon. Read with one eye closed. Dip in at random pages, just for the atmosphere and voice. And use everything as a bookmark, from envelopes to receipts.

A huge thank you to Ben Reeves for taking the time to share these incredible insights with us. If you are ready to meet Travis and experience this unforgettable masterpiece for yourself, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is featured as the August General Fiction pick in our Mystery Booxies subscription. Secure your subscription today and pair this incredible read with our late-winter artisanal treats- including some delicious local handmade chocolate to match Ben's writing routine- for the ultimate reading escape. Or build your own booxies and pair your read with a beautiful bottle of red wine and roasted nuts.