Nova Weetman’s unforgettable memoir reflects on experiences of love and loss from throughout her life, including: losing her beloved partner, playwright Aidan Fennessy, during the 2020 Covid lockdown; the death of her mother ten years earlier; her daughter turning eighteen and finishing school; and her own physical ageing. Using these events as a lens, Nova considers how various kinds of losses – and the complicated love they represent – change us and can become the catalysts for letting go.
This is a moving, honest account of farewelling a partner of twenty-five years, parenting teenagers through grief, buying property for the first time at the age of fifty, watching Aidan live on through his plays, and learning to appreciate spending hours alone with only the household cat for company. Warm and wise – and often joyful – Love, Death & Other Scenes ultimately focuses on the living we do after losses and what we learn from them.
Buy a copy of Love, Death & Other Scenes here.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Nova Weetman’s ‘Love, Death & Other Scenes’ is such a heartfelt memoir. I have enjoyed several of her YA novels and did not know that she had lost her partner of twenty-six years, to cancer. This beautiful reflection on Nova’s life with her family really drew me in. The layout of the book is made to represent the script of a play, I thought this was a great tribute to her late partner, playwright Aidan Fennessy. Thanks to Better Reading for my preview copy. Sharah, QLD, 5 Stars
When I opened up Love, death, and other scenes I knew this book was not going to be an easy read. Yet Nova Weetman weaves the story of her loss with the story of her love so beautifully! She explores grief through the lens of love and paints a picture of all those things in life that make us who we are, all interwoven – the coming of age, falling in love, finding our calling, dedication to work and parenting. All of this in a memoir that explores the inner self, how love shapes who we are, then consequences of a sudden illness, the turmoil, and finally having to come to terms with a terrible loss. She also explores memory, and how the memories of a loved are all that remains and become such an important part of us, like an imprint on our soul. The author herself described another book that spoke to her at a time when grief was all too raw: “she reaches into me and finds my grief”. Just the same, Weetman’s book found its way to me at a time when I myself am dealing with grief and the relentless continuity of life that follows. Maragreta, SA, 5 Stars
Thanks to Better Reading for my preview copy of this beautiful and heartfelt memoir of Nora Weetman. Raw and vulnerable life stories of the passing of her husband and her mum, parenting, buying a house, grief and living through it. Nora is generous in sharing her life lessons and journey. Laura, NSW, 5 Stars
This is Nova Weetman’s honest and moving account of farewelling her partner of twenty-six years, parenting her teenage children through grief, and watching Aiden Fennessy live on through his plays. her book focuses on the living we do after losses and what we learn from those experiences. Love, Death & Other Scenes is a great read. I was deeply touched by Nova’s deep honesty with her situation, the occasional laugh out loud incidences, the deep loss and overwhelming feeling of being lost at times because you simply don’t know what to do. While Nova Weetman shares her experience of grief and loss, it is also a celebration of the beauty of love and life. Carolyn, WA, 5 Stars
There’s a type of beauty in a book about death and loss which transforms the words into life and love. In Love, Death and Other Scenes Nova Weetman manages to bring alive her husband Aidan for the reader, the love between the two of them and their children is strong and their loss bites hard. There is something bittersweet in all memoirs but especially those dealing with private losses. I found myself searching for familiar things in order to meet the family on equal terms: stuff destined for the op shop in the hall that never seemed to make it there, rang true. Mine have been there for two years now. If you want to read a beautiful memoir on life and loss and life after loss then Love, Death and Other Scenes may be the book for you. Daniella, QLD, 5 Stars
What a book! I am a huge fan of Nova Weetman’s middle-grade novels so I was curious to see how she tackled a memoir about her partner’s battle with, and ultimate death from, cancer. Love, Death and Other Scenes is the emotional story of how Nova copes with her partner’s diagnosis, how they spend his final months (during a Melbourne Covid lockdown no less), and how her two children finally begin to rebuild their lives as a unit of three. Nova writes honestly and poignantly about visits to oncologists and caring for her partner at home in his final weeks. When her partner sends her to the supermarket to buy a razor and shaving cream for their pre-teen son who he will never live to see start shaving, I was undone. And yet, this is not a hopeless or depressing read. If anything, it is life-affirming and a testament to Weetman’s ability to face the worst that life can throw at her and yet manage to keep going. I highly recommend Love, Death and Ofher Scenes. Weetman has made the leap from middle-grade fiction to adult memoir with grace and compassion. Kate, NSW, 5 Stars
I’m not sure who the wider audience for this Memoir would be. As an accomplished writer, Nova Weetman has the skillset to tell a story people want to read……only this for the most part, is a very sad story and quite painful for the reader to consume at times. A very poignant memoir wherein Nova Weetman chronicles the “countdown” to her husband Aidan Fennessy’s death from Cancer. For some reason his dying during Covid makes it an even more sad memoir. She has been able to put all of the pain into context – amid the love and laughter of their lives together. We learn about their meeting and growing together as a couple. Their joy of welcoming two babies into their lives. The ups and downs of everyday life until that one fateful day when news of his diagnosis means an end to how their lives together would play out……..we almost want Aidan to write a different ending to the final scene. Nova also writes of her own new scenes, alone with her two teenage children, navigating life as a three instead of the planned four. I’m assuming the title Death, Love and Other Scenes is a nod to Aidan’s playwright profession. This is a well written memoir which in retrospect, will find its own audience. Madonna, QLD, 5 Stars
Love, Death & Other Scenes is a poigant and heartfealt account of Nova Weetman as she navigates the loss of her partner, Aidan during 2020 whilst in lockdown and parenting two teenagers. Cleverly written with Nova revealing Adrian in every corner of her thoughts and still fiercly protecting her dauaghter and her son. Her relationship with her Mum and Dad is honest and heartfelt as she reflects on the changes. Nova is honest, raw and reflective and her story will make you cry, think, remember and love. Jennifer, QLD, 5 Stars
Available this April, you neeeeed to get your hands on it! But I warn you, it may not be the book to read if someone you love is dying or you’ve experienced very recent loss. On the flip side, it may actually be the exact book you need in order to know you aren’t alone. Reader, know thyself! This is such a gripping book as the author weaves the reader through her experience of grief and loss after the death of her partner. Aiden, a well known Australian playwright, passes from cancer during the COVID pandemic and this book will have your heart squeezed as, line after line, you feel the depths of her emotions. At times I needed to pause to take a breath as my sobs were heavy and I could no longer see the pages due to tears. It won’t feel like the *magical* happy ending we want to hear, but this book is an honest portrayal of the complexity of emotions when it comes to losing loved ones. Stacey, WA, 5 Stars
To read Nova Weetman’s ‘Love, Death & Other Scenes’ was to walk in another’s life for a while. This is how powerful the writing recounts the before, during and after stories. After two and a half decades and two children together, Nova Weetman and Aidan Fennessy are rocked by Aidan’s diagnosis and ultimate prognosis. Aidan is a well-known Melbourne playwright, amongst other theatrical positions, and Nova an accomplished author, yet they remain just another family living their lives in Australia. Nova describes with great clarity Aidan’s quirkiness, resilience and relationship with her and their children. There’s the realised prior reliance on Aidan to fix, accomplish and manage ‘things’ that accompanied the sorrow of the loss of her life partner. Here is detailed the multi-faceted grief which touches far corners of the family’s life continuing without Aidan. The described grief and reactions by all the family members is raw and relatable. If you have suffered a loss in your life, be prepared to react accordingly as the words pierce your soul and resonate. But also be prepared to laugh out loud in places like the moment of ‘Flowers for Nora? Congratulations!’ A book hard to put down and very real. Merilyn, WA, 5 Stars
What a great book. Nova Weetman take a bow. From crying and laughing and relating to the story. Thanks for some great titles of books and plays are now definitely on my list of reading articles. This book should be on the best sellers list in the first month of release. I recommend this great read to everyone. Loraine, QLD, 5 Stars
Love, Death & Other Scenes had me crying for Nova and her children’s loss, and smiling at her lifestyle and strength. Raw & Real a deeply touching insight into Nova’s personal life & who she is… a courageous woman moving into the next scene in life, someone you’d love to be friends with. Rene, WA, 5 Stars
This book is a memoir of Nova Weetmans partner Aidan Fennessy. A memoir of his life, his sickness and his death. As I readthis book I felt I was intruding into their lives. I felt like a stranger who was peering through their window and watching their every move as they coped with covid, teenagers, illness, dying, death and then grief. Nova has written a book that is so honest about her feelings, thoughts and experiences through this journey. Every reader will smile but at other times weep.This is a book that leaves you washed out, but hopeful that Nova will now find true happiness and peace. Meredith, TAS, 5 Stars
Nova Weetman’s memoir, Love, Death & Other Scenes,is a very moving story of loss and grief. As if losing your partner of twenty-five years isn’t traumatic enough, Nova had to deal with this during Covid lockdown while parenting her two children. It is a tale of determination, love and courage. This memoir doesn’t hold back from the truth, being very honest about their life coming to terms with Aidan’s diagnosis and his decline over time. Just how this affected each of the family is beautifully portrayed. Although it is very sad, Nova has managed to spell out that life continues, acknowledging that her children meant she had to get on with life despite being desperately grieving her loved partner. Despite the themes of loss and grief, Nova has written an engaging story of hope and survival. She is an excellent writer. Michael, ACT, 5 Stars
a story of Aidan ,Nova and her two children A journey of life and ups and lowest times in there lives ,this story is about love passion doing your best in what we are dealt with and trying to survive and trying to be positive learning to live with what you get there is sadness and pain trying to work it all out a very powerful book the family grief with there cat Beanie they struggle to come to terms with loss. Anita, NSW, 5 Stars
Very well written book. Thoroughly enjoyed . Kept my interest til the end , would recommend. Kathleen, NSW, 5 Stars
Moving, heartwrenching and hopeful. I couldn’t put it down and felt sad when I finished it. Lauren, QLD, 4 Stars
Love, Death & Other Scenes, written by Nova Weetman, is a memoir penned after she lost her partner to cancer at the height of the Covid Lockdowns in Melbourne in 2020. This is Neva’s story of grief, how it changes her, and how her life continues after the loss of Aidan. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, despite its subject of Grief. There are many parts which I could relate to, and empathise with the author. The highs and lows of grief which are individual, random moments of memories, the fact that “Death isn’t funny but sometimes you need to be”. A beautifully written book by Ms Weetman. Anne, ACT, 4 Stars
Really enjoyable feminist historical fiction. Brea, NSW, 4 Stars
I found this book to be a very personal experience of what it is like to have a life long partner going through the best & worst that life can throw at you. Having a family & going through the journey of one of you being diagnosed with a terminal disease that you know eventually you won’t be around for. This is a personal journey of what one goes through with the loss of their partner & being a single parent & all the whilst trying to rediscover themselves and finding out how to deal with real life without your other half. I enjoyed this novel & one for the to be read pile. Anna, TAS, 4 Stars
Reading the blurb on the back of the book, I was expecting a deeply sad novel. I had tissues at the ready, when I started it. But the author has done a great job of describing life after someone’s life partner dies. Deeply moving and poignant, but also very real. A great first book as an adult novelist by Nova Weetman. Leeanne, NSW, 4 Stars
I hadn’t heard of either the author or her husband, but after reading this I really felt like I did. It was thought provoking, and I felt grief along with the family. I also felt the love, and the sense of family. It really felt like I was reading about my own family, I enjoyed the authors style or writing. Leanne, NSW, 4 Stars
A deeply personal and enlightening memoir. Nova reveals the phases of love, loss and grief she experienced in her relationship with her partner Aidan Fennessy who died after a battle with cancer. It is not always an easy read as it covers the reality of a cancer diagnosis and all that a person endures through the journey of treatment and death. However, the story is told with empathy and compassion. It was sometimes confronting but Nova lovingly shows us the man that Aidan was before and during the diagnosis. The ways that she and their children coped or not coped, the challenges they faced. So it is a story shared with vulnerability and truth. As she worked through the stages of acceptance of a reality she had not imagined we see a dedicated resilience. To go through this journey of letting go of her partner of 26 years during covid lockdowns would have been especially heartbreaking. I had an opportunity to reflect on my own life and those I love. None of us know what the future will bring and how we would cope in similar situations. The power of love shines through the book revealing wisdom and strength. It is a heartfelt and encouraging book. Christina, VIC, 4 Stars
This book was a moving read. I found myself getting through the book quite quickly as the writing was smooth and Nova’s story was heartfelt, honest, and real. As someone in my early 30s I did sometimes find it hard to relate to Nova’s story, however could (as I’m sure we all can!) relate to her writing about lockdowns. It was sad but also uplifting and made me think about my own reactions to topics like grief. Roz, VIC, 4 Stars
I decided to pick up this book as my daughter loved Nova Weetman’s book Sick Bay so I knew of the author, but didn’t realise her partner had died of cancer. Having a rare, non-curable cancer myself, this one was a little close to home. That said, I was really engaged with Nova’s memoir, focussing on losing her partner to cancer during the COVID pandemic, and her and her children’s life afterwards. The story is very emotional, heartbreaking and moving. I appreciated the detail and honesty Nova went into about what every day life was like for them during the time Adrian was dying. Well worth the read. Bec, SA, 4 Stars
Love Death and Other Scenes by Nova Westman, tells the story of Aiden Fennesseyhis artist and family life and the impact his cancer dianisea and subsequent death has on his family. I was impressed by Nova’s honest writing style , an easy read about asad subject. This review was possible as I received a copy of this book from Better Reads. Leigh, WA, 4 Stars
A brutally honest account of one family’s experience of a loved one’s impending death during COVID lock downs in Melbourne. There are no rose coloured glasses worn by Nova Weetman as she navigates life with her two children and her partner Aidan who has been given a cancer diagnosis. From the outset, Nova describes bluntly the effects this terminal illness has on everyone in her family. While addressing this life changing event, much of Aidan’s treatment occurs during the many COVID lock downs endured by the residents of Melbourne. The kids are schooling remotely from home and travel restrictions along with visitor restrictions add to the loneliness of this family’s hardship. Nova talks about her life before, during and after the death of Aidan. She is candid and raw and I truly appreciated her take on the world during such a difficult time. Thank you Nova for sharing and giving the reader an intimate insight into living with death. Kim, ACT, 4 Stars
Nova Weetman broadly covers the subject of death and how it affected herself and two children. Dealing with grief is very personal and explaining to children can be difficult. The process is hard and sometimes overwhelming when trying to navigate each stage before moving through each one. The author candidly writes about her experience of losing her partner of twenty-six years. She tells how her life has changed from before and after his death. They each remember him through treasured possessions and by visiting special places he enjoyed. The characters in her book, ‘Love, Death & Other Scenes’ are real people. Family and friends are all important and each play a part in helping them go through the grieving process. Talking to each other when gathered together is a comfort and way of remembering his life. Nova Weetman recognises her life will be different now she is a single parent. I admire how she is courageously moving on by finding ways to fill in time to lessen the loneliness sometimes felt when home by herself. After reading this book, anyone experiencing grief would realise it is something we all face at sometime and find comfort from her story and experiences. Cherylene, QLD, 4 Stars
Love, Death & Other Scenes by Nova Weetman a profoundly beautiful moving memoir exploring love, passion, heartache and grief. Nova and her children losing their partner/father and trying to negotiate the new “normal” as a unit of three, working through insurmountable grief, sadness, loss, anger and moving forward embracing, love, memories and life. A truly heart wrenching book, beautiful prose with so much depth and feeling showing the reader that loss comes in many forms, not just the physical absence of your partner. Ilona, VIC, 4 Stars
This memoir is very raw, real and heart wrenching. It is a beautiful love story, a heartwarming family story, and an honest and very personal account of losing the love of your life. The writing is so conversational that you sometimes feel you are sitting with the writer, Nova, listening to her story. The experiences of the writer of grief and loss and the full spectrum of how that affects her and her family and friends is a very emotional roller coaster for the reader. I can only begin to imagine experiencing this in reality. I think different readers will have many complex reactions to this memoir depending on their own experiences of love, death and other scenes. My warm regards to the author, Nova and her family for this courageous telling of their story. Caroline, NSW, 4 Stars
Nova Weetman unpacks a lot of emotions in her memoir, which is centred around the death of her partner and the father of their two children. This memoir is an honest recount of her life, both before and after and is best read with comfort food at the ready. Suzanne, VIC, 3 Stars
Nova Weetman is a noted Australian author of Junior Fiction. She was partner to playwright Aidan Fennessy for twenty-six years. Aidan passed away in 2020 during Covid lockdown. The impositions of this lockdown meant that Nova had to cope without her usual support networks. This book is her account of how she coped and managed to carry on with life, bringing up her two children alone, while the three of them worked through their grief. A heartfelt story, Nova shares her ups and downs of their daily lives and finishes on a positive note as comes to terms with her grief and loss. Elva, QLD, 3 Stars
Love, Death and Other Scenes is a well written book by Nova Weetman detailing the sequence of event leading up to and after her husband Aidan Fennessy’s death from cancer. Nova details her own feelings and how they affected her two children. I think that this book would be helpful to other people who are going through a similar experience and are wondering if their feelings and actions are normal for a person experiencing grief. This book opens the readers mind and makes one look at your own life and what you would like your own end if that possible because in many cases there is no choice even if you have carefully made a plan. Katrina, QLD, 3 Stars
It feels incredibly disrespectful to say I didn’t enjoy such an intimate account of someone’s own personal experience, but the writing style was unappealing to me, and therefore I did not. It felt a bit like a blow by blow account of randomly selected happenings, and nothing I could really connect to. Eva, WA, 2 Stars
This was a little hard to get into but for anyone that has lost a loved one, it’s a moving book. You get drawn into Nova’s world as she suffers the loss of her partner during one of Melbourne’s many lockdowns. Rachael, NSW, 2 Stars
Leave a Reply