Content Warning: This section of the guide includes frank discussions of death and prolonged grief, as well as brief discussions of alcohol addiction.

In The Collected Regrets of Clover, the theme of death as avoidance of life marks the protagonist’s character arc. Clover’s profession as a death doula revolves around helping clients come to terms with their deaths and offering support during the final stages of their lives. Through Clover’s experiences and interactions with various characters, the novel explores how the closeness of death can lead to a profound avoidance of truly living.

Clover has a relatively comfortable relationship with death but lives an isolated, lonely life. As a death doula, she helps others confront their regrets and fears as their lives are coming to an end. However, she struggles to address her own apprehensions about living, particularly as she avoids opening herself up to love and intimacy. The relationships she forms with her clients are short-term and therefore emotionally safe—there’s little risk of being hurt, but there is also no long-term intimacy or connection. Her profession allows her to be a guide for others but also serves as a defense mechanism to keep her at an emotional distance from the world.