Ring: A Novel

by Michelle Lerner

Ring takes you on an unforgettable odyssey through the depths of human emotion, from the hollows of grief to the heights of newfound hope. In the backdrop of a snow-covered sanctuary designed to aid the dying, Lee, a middle-aged non-binary person from the Midwest, grapples with the unbearable weight of losing their young adult daughter. Abandoning their previous life and even the comfort of a longtime spouse, Lee is driven by a quest for closure―or an end to it all.

Enter Ring, a seemingly ordinary dog with an extraordinary role. Brought by Robert, a terminally ill man preparing to make his final walk through the sanctuary's Seven Pillars, Ring becomes the catalyst for Lee's own rebirth. As Lee befriends other souls at the sanctuary, each embroiled in their own battles―from Catherine and Samu, the spiritual leaders, to Viviana, a war veteran scarred by trauma―they are nudged toward a revelation that challenges their initial reasons for coming to this remote haven.

The novel deftly weaves themes of loss, hope, and healing, set against the spirituality-infused environment of the sanctuary. It presents a compassionate view on suicide, grappling with the complex questions it raises about the value and sanctity of life. As Lee engages with mindfulness practices and meditation, the story emerges as an enlightening guide for anyone walking the fine line between despair and hope.

Don't miss this emotional journey that tackles the raw, intricate facets of grief, and leaves you pondering the restorative powers of companionship and the human spirit. Ideal for readers coping with loss, struggling with suicidal thoughts, or seeking a deeply spiritual narrative, Ring promises to resonate long after the last page is turned.

Genres: Mental Health, Fiction, Queer, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, LGBT

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2025

Reviews

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books we choose to read for the pleasure of inhabiting another person’s life, and then there are books that slowly pull us into another life, one that on the surface, and beneath it as well, that we can sympathize with, possibly relate to, but know we will remember long after the last page is read. For many, perhaps most, this is why we read.

Set predominantly in Canada at Seven Pillars, a sanctuary, this is a story of family, of love and loss, of trauma, grief, of searching for something that will fill the empty places inside us, and perhaps finding a way to move through the pain, misunderstandings, and loss. Of finding the people (or dog) who love and help us, and share our journey.

All the stars for this profoundly moving and lovely read with themes of trauma, loss, hope and healing.



Pub Date: 28 Jan 2025

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Bancroft Press

[Lady Olenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

The book revolves around depression, grief and suicide (TW you have been warned). Anyway, the premise was good, strong and powerful. The author’s knowledge of the topics was evident. The whole thing was handled with ease, understanding and no judgment. A fairly paced novel. The ending though, I understand the whole open ended-ness of it all. Personally, I wanted a less abrupt ending.

[ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ring by Michelle Lerner is full of nostalgia and tenderness, the words are spoken for their own sake; a gorgeous piece of something that resonates between a moving story and a two-hundred-page-long narrative poem. This book is a moment out of time starting at the very first words, giving chills and sending scents that are sincere and empathetic on levels I had not yet discovered. The inclusion of a non-binary main character added depth to the story; it did not feel like a forced statement but rather an exceptionally well-crafted character that is refreshing and noteworthy. Most parts were more than just beautiful; they were genuinely insightful. It calmed me in a concerning way, so I might just pour my thoughts onto the page and keep my fingers crossed that perhaps writing is akin to the advice given by the night.

These past weeks, each day has testified of a slow descent into quicksand. Whether it is my obsessive-compulsive talking or a common occurrence in everyone’s mind (that happens to ridiculously land on me at twenty), I’ve found myself repeating every minute that I will die. It's not the dying that is feared most, but the thought of losing everything those who matter most. My days are paradoxically slow yet flowing in succession so fast that I can’t even seem to believe any changes are happening. Everyone around me feels stranger, and my memories drift further. I feel like I’m a hundred different people, each one haunted by the fear that things will worsen, needing to be fixed again, again, and again.

I think what has been most intriguing to me lately about religious studies and spirituality is the exploration of how people handle it. If everything revolves around love, sex, or death and ultimately and inherently, all connected to power how do people cope with the inevitability of the powerless ending? It is so strangely obnoxious or even presumptuous of me to believe I’m forming an entirely original thought or that this is an alien thought any different than some other younger mind, but I’ve been deeply disorientated by my ignorance of everything. When time fleets so weirdly, its management is quite disheartening. “I don’t think it will ever change.”.

But seasons don’t fear the reaper… And now, party time. Happy New Year!

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

(rounded up from 3.5)

This was an engaging story about grief and dealing with it in multiple ways. I found this well-paced and has a good balance of Lee being focused deeply in their internal grief due to their daughter's passing away and learning about the struggles of the wider community in indigenous Canada. I reduced the rating because in the last third or so, it gets very preachy (aggressively so) while the character was just allowed to go at their own pace for most of the rest of the book.

[Jennifer Koskinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those stories that are immersive, moody and atmospheric? The ones you don’t read so much as feel pulsing beneath your breastbone, in your lungs, through your heart? The ones where you reach the last page and leak the kind of tears that fill up your ears (if you’re on your back in bed, like I was when I finished this one). And you’re not ready to identify the full spectrum of emotion because there’s too much and you just want to lay there and immerse yourself in the feeling of it all?

This was one of those. This poignant story, in Michelle Lerner’s hands and heart, fully rearranged me from the inside. And while our protagonist Lee’s story, set amidst a dark and snowy landscape, is one of unimaginable grief and transformation, their journey burns with love, curiosity and longing. Ultimately their journey becomes a powerful meditation on how to live more fully, and how to rediscover a flicker of hope, even while living in the shadow of gutting loss.

RING was just long-listed for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, a huge honor for a book from a small, indie press 🏆 And on a personal note, I’m hugely proud of poet, public-interest lawyer (and my high school friend) Michelle Lerner for writing this brilliant and deeply moving novel. I’m in awe.

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: After the death of their daughter, Lee leaves behind their crumbling marriage and a life feeling devoid of meaning to travel far north to a sanctuary and spiritual retreat that helps its residents prepare to end their lives in a final walk into the snow. They hope to end their life quietly, out of sight of their friends and family but with people to help them on their way.
At the sanctuary, they connect with Catherine and Samu, the spiritual leaders, Viviana, a traumatized veteran, Robert, a terminally ill man, and Robert’s dog, Ring, who he plans to take with him on his final walk.
Unnerved by Robert’s choice for Ring, whom Lee begins to bond with, and challenged by the sanctuary’s spiritual practices, Lee starts to reawaken to the world their grief numbed them to. In caring for Ring and working towards making the final walk, the narratives they created around their journey to the sanctuary and their response to their daughter’s death begin to unravel. They begin to question and redefine why they came here, what makes one person’s grief or pain unbearable while another survives it, and what they owe to themself, their daughter, and the people they left behind.

Reflections: I don’t know what to feel about this book. It’s very religious, which is a mindset I can’t really understand. This made some of the approaches to healing or reframing one’s thoughts seem strange or dismissive without reason. On the other hand, I did enjoy Lee’s contradictions and hypocrisy, the depiction of their unexamined grief, and the shrinking of their world and their mindset in response. It felt very true the way they were torn between living and dying: needing the pain to stop, rationalizing that there is nothing worth living for with such a big piece of their life gone, but also wanting someone to take care of Ring the way they are, someone to carry on their daughter’s legacy the way they imagine, someone to do all these things they still want to live for. They think they’ve embraced dying, but still haven’t let go of being able to affect the future. I also enjoyed the discussions with Matt, a resident of the nearby Attawapiskat First Nation town. He did a lot to expand this story beyond Lee’s head or even the insular environment of the sanctuary.
The book was committed to digging into the questions it asked surrounding the choice to end your life, not picking one answer when the questions deserve more nuance than that.

[AM · Rating 5 out of 5]

RING is a deeply insightful portrait of grief that also manages to be a pageturner. After the death of their daughter Rachel, Lee sinks into depression. When they learn of the Seven Pillars, a little-known religious sanctuary deep in the frozen Canadian north that assists people with suicide, they are moved to seek it out. There, they are guided through various healing modalities–because according to Seven Pillars belief, only when the spirit is pure can death be freely chosen.

At Seven Pillars, Lee encounters life in many forms–through physical tasks, other people, and a dog named Ring, brought to the sanctuary by another person. And through these relationships, Lee grapples with their emotions, their grief, their values–and ultimately, the question of whether to live or die.

As I read RING, I was constantly drawn in by the perceptiveness of observation, the empathy, and my desire to learn more about Lee and their journey. Though the topic might suggest a slow literary novel–and though it is beautifully written–RING constantly kept me turning the pages. This is a wonderful novel for people who think and feel deeply, for people interested in grief and healing, and for anyone who wants to read a meaningful story about what it means to live and love.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by the cover. Ring is a dog, but the title likely refers to the circle of life and death and the connection of community. It also takes place near the Arctic Circle.

I was soothed reading this book each evening. Although it is about grief and suicide ideation, it is a hypnotic yet pragmatic guide to living.

The protagonist, Lee, has traveled to a retreat center in the north of Canada. This center provides guidance and support to those contemplating euthanasia through suicide. The plan is to more fully connect with yourself, body and soul, ensure you are certain and ready to make this decision before walking 30 miles into the Arctic tundra where you will freeze to death. Lee is suffering from a deep depression after the death of their adult daughter. This center is staffed by a new age woman and an assistant. Lee grows and possibly begins to heal through her activities and interactions with others at the center. We witness this growth and learn as long with them.

I found this to be an authentic, unique and powerful book. It also helped that I’m fostering a beautiful, older dog from the humane society while reading this book.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book manages to be both haunting and inspiring. Crippled by the grief of losing a child, Lee grapples with existence, the ability to put one foot in front of the other, and to keep on living. Lee thinks the answer is a fictional sanctuary in the snowy wilderness of Northern Ontario. The story is lyrically told, inventively crafted, and, to repeat myself, beautiful. It includes an exploration of different modalities to treat deep depression and our connection to the earth and each other. So immersive and uplifting an experience, Ring, and Lee, will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

[Lanette Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ring is a slender, haunting novel about a grieving parent who wants to die but not alone so finds a kind of grief retreat in the Canadian tundra that first helps people get in touch with themselves through breathing, yoga, meditation, ice baths, watching the Northern lights, gardening, and other activities, and then teaches them how to kill themselves by walking into the snow if they still want to.

Other people at the retreat have terminal cancer or are survivors of horrifically traumatizing experiences. While the outcome of the novel is unsurprising, the journey the main character takes is deeply moving. I highly recommend this sweet little book.

[Wendy Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

At its core, Ring, a novel by Michelle Lerner explores the processes of grief and healing. But it is so much more than that. This complex story of an individual’s pursuit to extinguish their grief brings readers to the far reaches of the Canadian tundra and while doing so, brings us along in a journey of self-awareness and growth. This carefully researched book touches on relevant and important topics including immigration, otherness, justice and forgiveness. It is an must read for those who seek to deepen their understanding of themselves as well as the world beyond their ordinary lives.

[CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ring is a moving and meditative exploration of grief, survival, and emotional rebirth. After the sudden death of her daughter, the main character retreats to a sanctuary buried deep in snow and silence—seeking not just escape, but some form of release. The story unfolds in slow, introspective waves, inviting readers to sit with discomfort, longing, and even the possibility of healing. The setting is vivid, the emotions raw, and the voice deeply personal. It’s a book that lingers, especially for readers drawn to stories about what comes after unimaginable loss.

[Caroline (readtotheend on IG) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was such a quietly stunning book. Although it is a deep dive into a grief journey and was a somber read, I still enjoyed opening up my 2026 reading year with this book. It definitely made me reflect about life and children and growth. Definitely check out content warnings before diving into this one. There were parts of the novel that I forgot that it was fictional and it felt like I was reading nonfiction. It's a slim read but so much is packed into it. I spent New Year's Day with this book and finished it on the same day. Highly recommend.

[sid sibo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave to tackle such taboo topics, and Lerner weaves different angles together in this fictional take on severe depression and assisted suicide/guided transitioning. Appreciated the cultural diversity and the integral inclusion of the dog who graces the cover. May this book guide many readers and book groups into open discussion of tough themes.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly insightful and thought-provoking narrative on grief of all kinds, and how we cope. And a very honest look at the experience of suicidality. (Trigger warning for sure, but it's not gratuitous and it more so just resonates.) Plus, the story line is all centered around a very lovable dog -- this is a powerful book!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Painful, but ultimately uplifting lessons on grief and survival.

[Karen King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unique story about a woman fighting severe depression after the death of her daughter

[Jenny Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5th audiobook

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

honest and tender

[Sue Caulfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read, especially for those of us who do death education work.

[Jaden Brutsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most profound book I have ever read

[David Poyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was different, unexpected, and vivid. We start with a woman who wants to die...

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning book. How deeply I felt for Lee, the main character. This story is surprising and uplifting and heart breaking. Feeling all the feels. Wonderfully told.

[Cam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story, but I was disappointed by the ending. I was looking forward to the story of the main character's journey in the wilderness, from which I was certain she would return. I realize that is completely not the point, however. The dog could have been more richly drawn; as it is, it felt like the observations of someone who's friend has a dog rather than someone who truly understands them. Perhaps Ring should have been a cat.

For a better dog story, read The Art of Racing in the Rain or A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World.