Instructions for a Funeral was a challenge to get through, even though I listened to them using text-to-speech software. The sentences were beautiful but far too long. More often than not, the long sentences didn't add much to the narrative. Each story was difficult to follow and although there are some themes worth exploring, but the novel doesn't go as deeply into them as I'd like. This collection contains "atmospheric" and "emotional" stories, rather than plot-driven narrative. Basically, if you enjoyed Cormack McCarthy's The Road, you'll probably enjoy Instructions for a Funeral. Otherwise, you may find a few good stories here and there but half the stories are pretty forgettable. I'm grateful I received the review copy, and perhaps someone will enjoy this collection, but not me.