maudlin

And their “don’t waste a second of life” attitude never feels maudlin.

The book is not unnecessarily maudlin but rather sharply present, which is also simply an accurate descriptor for much of Smith’s life and work.

I was always worried it would be a bit maudlin, if he just went in and said straight away, “I love you.”

It wouldn’t be surprising to hear that when Aster catches himself getting maudlin, he forces himself to actively wallow in self-pity until it feels like a joke.

He’s also invested his protagonist with a self-deprecating sense of humor that keeps his pessimism from veering into maudlin territory.