Review: Rough Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 21, 2014
The fact this is yet the second time I've returned to my initial review to do more editing tells me (a) I'm spending way too much time thinking about what I want to get across (b) how deeply moved I was after reading the author's story. There are so many things I'm feeling since finishing this book, I cannot express them all or my review gets way too long. I therefore shall try one more time to be succinct. (1) The fact the author could walk away at the young age of 14 and never go back enthralls me. It speaks of her incredible resolve and strength and also to the traumas she must have endured. Her brother did the same thing, so clearly their childhood was terrible. (2) There is a lot missing in the story I'd be interested to know about, i.e. the details of the author's life from 14 to now. (3) If she indeed is in a good place, I'm grappling with how learning of her mother's death could traumatize her so. Why go back into a labyrinth of questions? Whether her mother's actions were a result of a psychosis/hormonal imbalance/tumor, it's in the past. It's all negative and the author should dwell on continuing to move forward with positives in her life. (4) The author said "good bye" at 14. Does she really think having said good bye in person at her mother's deathbed years and years later would make a difference? (5) Having her mother's letters under lock and key in her therapist's office, only to start pulling them out and pouring over an analyzing each one makes me faint. Why after all these years does the author think that could possibly be a good thing in her life? Why relive what she knew at 14? Toss it all, unread. There are too many positive things to explore the rest of her life. Why revisit and dwell on a pain that was not of her doing and about which she can do nothing? (6) Her brother and her connecting and sharing is a good thing. Seems he has been on a good path by wanting to move forward.The author should let the past all go. She should help others who have issues - it will help them AND help her. She should spend time focusing on the good stuff in her life. She deserves it - she does not deserve to fall into a quagmire of negative memories and thoughts. She healed. She should not crack open wounds that may never heal again.