Review: unforgettable! a must read book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 5, 2011
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. - Winston Churchillin her desire to start a new life, Willa Kirk goes back to her hometown of Smith Falls, Ontario to live with her older brother Frank. she meets Jem Harper who is on remission from cancer and as their relationship progresses, their lives and of those around them will never be the same.author Abria Mattina's novel is certainly a hefty one and it deals with a lot of subject matter - disease, teenage angst, suicide, sex, family dynamics, friendship, intimacy, homosexuality and deep dark secrets.initially, Willa's and Jem's voices speak alternately. later on in the book, Elise's voice, Jem's sister, is heard. each has a story to tell and through these different points of view, the reader gets a clear picture of what is going on.the language is contemporary and very graphic especially the dialogs between Willa and Jem. the exchanges are raw, heavy and very emotional and affected me in more ways than one particularly Jem's battle with cancer. his struggle reminded me so much of my Mom whom i lost to the Big C a couple of years ago. memories of those times spent in clinics and hospitals with her kept recurring in my mind.although this was not an easy read for me, i have only high praises for this book. it is is well researched, brilliantly written and filled with flesh and blood characters that leap off from its 700 plus pages.do not let that number and the heavy themes daunt you or keep you from grabbing a copy of this must read novel. i assure you that the time spent reading this phenomenal book is worth every letter, word, sentence, paragraph and punctuation mark.Disclosure of Material Connection:a copy was provided by the author.  i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.