“Minerva’s Owl is more than a tender handbook for the grieving; a brimming saga of a courtship and marriage, it reminds us to attend well to the art of living.” — Alison Watt, author of Dazzle Patterns and The Last Island

“Carol Matthews has given anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one a generous gift, insight into the roller coaster that is grieving and the lived experience that demonstrates that life is still worth living.” — Caroline Burnley, Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Psychology, Vancouver Island University

“This is the best book on grief, mourning, and loss that I have ever read — and believe me I have read a few.” — Wendy Pratt, former Executive Director of Hospice Nanaimo

“Although Matthews explores the profundity of grieving, she balances this raw pain with new ways of seeing. As her subtitle suggests, she views life after Mike’s death not as widowhood, but as ‘a distinct phase of our continuing marriage. One in which we are apart and yet together.'” — Malahat Review

“The process of being authentic towards death could not be narrated better. From recollection and actuality, she faces a potential future where her (Minerva’s) owl could once more open its wings and continue living, yet with a deeper understanding of life and accepting oneself as a mortal being.” — Canadian Literature