Marilyn Kriete is one of those authors that you want to read what she writes if you read her once, and become addicted after a few pages of the first book.
This book starts off rocking like… Titanic, hahahahah, but before the tears and confusion grip you, and drag you under their current while you are curious to know what happened next, I want to invite you to read the previous memoir of Marilyn, so you can better understand some things, and yes, this is a follow-up memoir so yeah.
Memoirs are interesting books per default, because you never know what will you learn while reading it. Yes, of course, you will read the memories of someone, yes, sure, but, what will those memories teach you? In this one, one of the things that will be interesting to learn, is how adoption affects you as a parent, specially as a mother that is infertile. There are details in here that will make you go: “Wow, I never would’ve thought about that, incredible”, and believe me or not, I had this reaction many times while reading this cool book.
Social pressure and expectation, almost like bondage and oppression, on the place where acceptance and love should be put first, the church, and the toll that it took on the author is interesting and shows a very dark face of the community of religion, which many find themselves caught up in and not knowing how to deal with, like the author, and the way she dealt with it was curious.
It’s almost funny when you stop and look at it from the reader’s perspective. Tragic, yes, but sort of funny when you see the lengths to which people let themselves and accept being controlled and literally monitored and “correct” in their own lives, willing giving control of their lives to another set of people to the point they become completely dependent of them to live and to even act on their own lives. It’s… something that you have to stop and reflect upon once you finish reading the book, because it will cling to you after the author tells her story and shows you the dire consequences of this giving away of power and dependency. Scary even.
The aspect of grief here is detailed. The author does explain us, to the best of her ability, and at times quite extensively about the many layers of her grief and the motifs for it, as she was discovering and realozing gings and connecting the dots, this from her side, and her husband side. It sure was a roller coaster of emotions and events, because, through grief, everything will be intertwined and her relationships will take huge blows as she matures in understanding of what is really going on on her psych*, her ministry and her marriage that will change her forever. It’s indeed quite interesting to see this type of grief affect her so long after she lived the events that wouod lead to it. This is new.
For those who like psychological thrillers, or mysteries, they will have a liking for this memoir because it will leave you asking: “but why?!” many times as you read, and when Marilyn starts dissecting and being fully blunt as per the denial state that she denied to be, lovers of psychological thrillers will once again have a clear bird’s eye view of how much the mind tries to deceive itself in order to keep sanity, and how many puzzles it creates to hide the truth it already knows.
A small comment about her talent to write made these books possible. THAT is one of those examples that can literally change your life as has changed Marilyn’s.
This book is excellent for everyone that wants to understand, or even just get an idea, of how difficult and complicated a mental recovery might be, and specially, how long it may take to even start that recovery. Marilyn also makes a great point, or aludes to, how the silent changes stay silent until we take time to notice on those we love, how important it is for us to put an effort to see what’s really in front of us and what is happening before it’s too late. It’s hard, (almost unthinkable) for some, and it slips most, but after you read this book, you will be starkly reminded that just because we *feel * that everything is ok, in order, it doesn’t mean that there’s no chaos around us, and inside those we love and live with. We must take time to see and accept reality.
Writers will be pleased with the last part of the book, specially because she shares her insecurities and fears about writing and starting to write, how writing help her heal, and the fact that we are literally reading her success and persistence in the quest to give herself a voice through writing. It will be inspiring and motivating for every writer out there, from newbies to more experienced ones.
Pros:
- Inviting narrative
- Utterly honest and raw
- Funny moments and emotional, completely unpredictable
- Eye-opening
- A very organized progression of the book and ideas
- Highly educative
Cons:
- Africa is mentioned as if it was a country at times.
- The struggles of African countries are insinuated, or perceived as easier, and it may ruffle some readers.
Scribble's Worth 
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