THE END OF PRIM is a tender, subtle look at societal and familial expectations, how they bind and trap us in identities not our own, and how a simple decision to step outside the carefully crafted masks of our childhood can be utterly liberating—even at the very end of one’s life. Prim, having lived all her life in the shadow of her vibrant and overbearing mother (described by her as a “tulip in full bloom”), has stuffed herself into a smaller, more self-effacing package in order to avoid both comparisons and her mother’s judgement. In the face of promised apocalypses—the book covers two potential “ends of the world,” the first being the end of the long cycle of the Mayan calendar and the second being the Covid epidemic—Prim decides that it’s about time to step out from her self-created shadow (represented by her wide-brimmed hats) and figure out who she really is, what she really enjoys, and what the meaning of her life could be before it ends for good.

Author Michelle Tocher uses clear, intimate, first-person prose, interspersed with elegant little black-and-white line drawings, to bring Prim’s internal conflicts and revelations to life. The first-person perspective gives us an intimate look at her emotions, which are revealed gently and subtly, without unnecessary theatrics or over-explanation. The story moves back and forth between memories of Prim’s childhood, her adult adventures, and her attempts at self-discovery in an almost dreamlike way—giving the reader important background information without leaving them lost or confused. The tales small Prim made up to please her mother (about the stinky nun Sister Eau de Sud) become a heartbreaking reflection of Prim’s own idea of herself in her mother’s eyes: smelly, messy, and unlovable.

Eva, the friend who “finds her” under her wide-brimmed hat, ends up losing herself to dementia. In the process, however, she shows Prim the way to shed what is unnecessary and strip one’s self down to the core. All in all, this book is a satisfying and warmhearted read—a comfort and possible nudge of inspiration for those who want reassurance that the person they are, rather than the mask they wear, is entirely lovable and loved.

Michelle Tocher’s touching account of an older woman’s existential crisis is alternately heartbreaking, funny, tender, and life-affirming. Its straightforward, simple style makes it all the more profound and affecting.

~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader