I Love You Don’t Die

Song (Chlorine) unfolds the arresting story of a young woman struggling to stay afloat in New York City. Vicky, who’s dealing with depression, has a tough time getting out of bed each day for her PR job at Onward, a company started by an actor to prepare clients and their loved ones for death by selling custom urns and offering grief support groups. Not only is Vicky surrounded by death in her day job, but she lives in a dingy apartment above a funeral home in Chinatown, where she collects zhizas, offerings for the dead. She keeps her personal relationships to a minimum, relying on her long-lasting college friendship with Jen. After she meets polyamorous couple Angela and Kevin on a dating app, she opens herself up, forming a throuple with them and connecting in particular with Angela, who has the “saddest pair of eyes she’s ever seen.” Still, faced with the possibility of love, Vicky fears she will self-destruct. Song writes beautifully of a young woman’s aching heart as she faces the challenges of big city life. This one strikes just the right balance between melancholy and hope. Agent: DongWon Song, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Mar.)