Quick summary
The Life List is a 2013 novel by Lori Nelson Spielman about a woman whose mother dies and leaves behind an unusual condition: to receive what she is due, she must go back to a list of life goals she wrote as a teenager and carry them out. It is a warm, emotional story about grief, family and rethinking the life you have built. It is generally shelved as women’s fiction or contemporary fiction.
Main characters
- The protagonist. In the novel she is a woman in her early thirties whose life has settled into a comfortable but narrow shape. In the film adaptation the lead is named differently, so don’t be surprised if the names don’t match.
- Her mother. The mother’s decisions drive the entire story, even after she is gone.
- Family and friends. Relatives and new acquaintances shape each stage of the list, and several carry their own secrets.
How the story unfolds
After her mother’s death, the heroine learns that her inheritance is tied to the old list. Many of the items are things she had set aside or forgotten. As she works through them, she revisits relationships, reconsiders her career, and learns more about her mother’s life and why the condition was set. I have kept this section brief to avoid giving away the book’s turns and reveals, but readers who like emotional payoffs will find that the story builds to a satisfying, sentimental close.
Themes
- Grief and what parents leave behind. The list is both a plan and a message.
- Unfulfilled dreams. The book asks what happens when practical choices crowd out early hopes.
- Family secrets and forgiveness. Several relationships change as new information surfaces.
- Starting over. It is a story about second chances rather than a thriller or a mystery.
Book versus the Netflix film
If a screen adaptation is available, note that film adaptations often change names, locations, ages and relationships, so treat the film as inspired by the book rather than a faithful copy. If you liked one, it is worth trying the other, but compare plot details only after checking the source you are reading.
Who it suits
Good fit: readers who enjoy uplifting, emotional women’s fiction, book clubs wanting an easy and personal discussion, and fans of the film who want more depth.
Maybe not: readers who prefer cynical, gritty or experimental fiction, or who find sentimental stories too tidy.
Related questions
Is this the same as “The Bucket List” by Rachel Hanna? No. That is a different book with a similar-sounding theme, so check the author before you buy.
What is Wally Lamb’s best book? Opinions vary. Titles like She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True are commonly named, but “best” is a matter of taste.
What are five books everyone should read? There is no definitive list. If you want a place to begin, our look at The Nightingale and Where the Crawdads Sing covers two widely read contemporary favourites.