Sadly I didn't login in time to download the title before it was archived.

I guess it's a pretty strange subject for a novel, assisted dying. Evan is a gay nurse who works at a facility whereby after careful consideration some people are granted the right to end their own life, similar to the Dignitas facility in Switzerland. The story surrounds Evan's life, both work and personal, his mother is very ill and is considering the path of ending her own life..
A very thought provoking book in many respects, not just the assisted dying aspect.

Interesting and enjoyable if that's the right word for such a tricky subject. Very thought provoking too, although it did have its flaws.

Although very difficult to get into, i did persevere and can't really say whether i enjoyed the book or not due to the subject matter and how this subject can quickly get you to expose your feelings. I can't say it was an excellent read or not just by the emotions it brings out in you but glad I read it through.

Really good topic,and well written.

What a book, a very touchy subject to base a book on but it was worth the risk I thought. I liked Evan the nurse a lot and loved the way he cared for his patients so passionately and well. The book covers all problems and issues of assisted suicide including morally and legally, and allows you to see it from both sides, it's a very sad book in parts but also made me think that it should be our choice to decide when we are done with this world; not some adds! A really good book even though it's not my usual choice, I'd read it again and more from the author.

I have finished this book three days ago and I still don’t really know what I think. I know I enjoyed it, but it’s the subject that has my head spinning.

Euthanasia is a brave subject for any author and I feel that this book does it justice by covering all emotional and physical sides to assisted death. Evan moves in to the department as an assistant and realises quickly that he in his eyes there is not such think as a silent witness. When he makes a snap decision to lend a helping hand to one of his patients rather than stand quietly in the corner, he is forced to leave the department and look for work satisfaction elsewhere.

Evan’s experience then changes to assisting patients that would not qualify for euthanasia in the legal way and that’s where he sees the ugly side to death.

Amongst all this, his own mother Viv’s health deteriorates until he is faced with a decision that would most certainly change his life forever.

I had real sympathy for Evan. He was alone at times nobody should be alone. In three way relationship with an established couple, he never feels like he could truly admit his line of work. His own mother pushes him away and Evan kind of looks like a spare wheel throughout the book.

It’s an interesting one. This novel opens up questions in your mind about your own morals and thoughts on how you would like to be treated when it’s your time. It does bring a question anyone other than you is entitled to decide how and when you die.

What an utterly unique book. Somewhat disturbing, but totally enthralling, it covers assisted suicide and all of the in depth emotions that it evokes. A brilliant twist at the end demonstrates complete humanity by the author. Superbly written.

Reading this book something of a voyeuristic journey for me as I was waiting to accompany someone to an assisted suicide in Switzerland. It was a thought-provoking read and a clever way to tackle a topical subject matter. The protagonist's relationship with his ageing mother and her attitude was an interesting strand, as was his secretiveness with his lovers about what he did for a living. Overall a satisfying read.

Would you help someone die? A good read, both funny and sad. Well written and engaging
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Nice read and easy to follow story line. Look forward to reading more from this author

Assisted suicide is not everyone's cup of tea, but Steven Amsterdam's The Easy Way Out (review copy from Quercus through NetGalley) is warm, darkly comic and very life-affirming.

Evan is a nurse who has drifted through life and relationships without ever putting down roots. His mother's diagnosis with Parkinson's and her increasingly frail health force him to settle to look after her and help cover her medical bills. He takes a job as a nurse in a new pilot hospital programme that takes advantage of the recent legalisation of assisted suicide. His role is to help with the assessment and treatment of participants, assisting them and their loved ones to make decisions about end of life within the confines of the law, and to help them to carry out their wishes. As his mother's health declines, Evan is forced to confront the question of whether he would be willing to help his mother end her life when the time comes.

At its heart this is a novel about compassion and the human spirit. Evan is found to be unsuitable for his role in assisting the dying because he seeks to make emotional connections with patients and their families, showing compassion and engaging with them as people rather than patients. The hospital's programme is motivated as much by the desire to save money on end life care costs as it is by the desire to give people control over the timing and manner of their deaths. The zest and passion for life shown by Evan's mother as she enjoys a temporary reprieve from her degenerative illness illustrates the importance of autonomy and control over one's destiny. Her individuality manifests itself in surprising and delightful ways, in ways that the healthcare system would otherwise stifle.

For all its dark subject matter, The Easy Way Out is a sweet and warm book.

Goodreads rating: 3*