Who Dies In 'An Imperial Affliction' And How?

I’ve read 'An Imperial Affliction' multiple times, and the deaths hit hard because they’re so raw and unexpected. The protagonist’s mom, Anna’s mother, dies from cancer after a long, grueling battle. The way it’s written makes you feel every moment of her decline—the weight loss, the fatigue, the moments of clarity that make the loss even more brutal. Then there’s Anna’s friend Saba, who dies in a car accident. It’s sudden and off-page, which somehow makes it worse because you’re left imagining the details. The book doesn’t shy away from how death lingers, shaping the lives of those left behind.

The deaths in 'An Imperial Affiration' are central to its emotional core, and they’re handled with brutal honesty. Anna’s mother’s death from cancer is the most devastating. The narrative doesn’t romanticize it; you see the vomiting, the pain meds, the way her body betrays her. It’s a slow unraveling, and Anna’s anger and helplessness seep through every page.

Saba’s death is a different kind of blow. She’s vibrant, full of life, and then she’s just gone—killed in a car crash. The abruptness mirrors how death often feels in real life: unfair and incomprehensible. The book also hints at other losses, like Anna’s deteriorating health, though it leaves her fate ambiguous. That ambiguity is deliberate, forcing readers to sit with the uncertainty.

What stands out is how the author explores grief’s aftermath. Anna’s father becomes a ghost of himself, and her friendships fracture. The book’s strength lies in showing how death isn’t just an event but a ripple that distorts everything it touches.

Let’s talk about the deaths in 'An Imperial Afflication'—they’re messy, unglamorous, and unforgettable. Anna’s mother succumbs to cancer, and it’s depicted with unflinching detail. The scenes where she struggles to eat or loses her hair aren’t just sad; they’re infuriating because they show how illness steals dignity.

Saba’s death is a gut punch. One minute she’s laughing, the next she’s erased by a crash. The book doesn’t dwell on the accident itself but on the void it leaves. Anna’s reaction is particularly striking; she oscillates between numbness and rage, which feels painfully real.

The genius of the novel is its refusal to wrap things up neatly. Anna’s own fate is left hanging, a mirror to life’s unresolved questions. It’s a story that stays with you, not because of dramatic twists but because it captures the ragged edges of loss.