“The Millennial’s Guide to Death” by Scott Bradfield
The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories (2018) edited by Stephen Jones
Readers unfamiliar with The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories may prefer to read these notes only after reading the anthology.
Death, struggling with the challenges of modern life and a demanding boss (Mother Nature), confronts his own mortality and the changing nature of his job as he navigates a series of encounters with the living and the dead.
Setting: Contemporary America, with a focus on Connecticut and California.
Characters: Death, personified as a millennial with financial struggles; Mother Nature, his employer; Norah Littleton, a client; Cherie, Death's ex-girlfriend; Mitch, a party host.
Halloween seen as: A backdrop for rollicking
anti-G. W. Bush social satire and dark humor, exploring themes of mortality, consumerism, and the challenges faced by millennials in a changing world.
Style: A satirical, darkly humorous take on social commentary and the absurdities of modern life and death.
Point of view: Third person, primarily from Death's perspective.
Jay
