Things in Nature Merely Grow Hardcover – May 20, 2025

It’s hard to write a review for a book about a memoir , a memoir of loss..I loved the honest descriptions of the writer and the ways she is grappling with the death of her two brilliant sons .. she knows that she will never get over that loss but she needs to mark the time so that the abyss doesn’t consume her .. strongly recommend this for anyone grieving a loved one or a bereaved parent or anyone who loves good prose .

I could echo every word written by the reviewer Kate. This book defies comprehension. It requires stillness. I had to reread sentences over and over. Yiyun Li so precisely captured the experience of losing a child (an experience I share) that she felt like a dear friend. I am so grateful. This book is a treasure.

FASCINATING!!! I read this book in one day!!! She is remarkable and I will start “When Reason Ends” next! I lost my older son to a car accident almost 3 yrs ago so I get it! I understand it all. This book soothed my soul!!!

To review this book is to pass comments on the the heart, the mind, the very being of a woman, and her life. I can only say I am profoundly touched and will not be the same after having read this book.

If you are in the void of grief this book will assure you that you are not alone.

It's unfathomable the pain of a mother who lost not only one, but two children to suicide. THINGS IN NATURE MERELY GROW is a book about the loss of her second son James - Li rawfully exposes life's extremities, edging between reality and death yet driven by the thinking rather than feeling. One can't be indifferent about those words and needs to be in the right mental space to read this book. Beyond 'grieving' (as the author has a distinct concept regarding the 'act of grieving'), Li examines what dictates life and her mother's intuitions. The memories are painful while the pages are emotionally laden to say the least, and my heart was heavy. Even if skilled at writing about suffering in her works, there's no easy way to dissect her emotions, however Li's words are clear and heart-wrenching. "Children die, and parents go on living."{ I received an ARC from the publisher - Fsg books . All opinions are my own ]

This is a book that demands your stillness. Each word carries the weight of a life, a memory, a sorrow too deep to skim over, and you leave (hopefully) changed, quieter, and more careful, thoughtful with the words we offer others in pain. It is not a book for everyone, like any other book. No need for pretense of understanding of any sort. I'm grateful she shared it.