Review: Sparkling, Real, Intense and Emotional
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2014
The first thing that struck me about this book was that Sadie, the main character/heroine, could be me, or any other woman I know. She is every woman. The author developed her character fully and colorfully, but she reacts to her tragedy in a way that most women would. If we had all that we needed and wanted, and lost it all, I think she does and feels exactly as any real woman would do or feel. She is beautiful but vulnerable, angry, emotionally charged but also emotionally numb, in certain ways, and very realistically going through the grieving process.Alexander, the hero of the book, is not perfect. He is the recipient of a gift or a curse, however you look at it. How would anyone feel receiving an organ that we may or may not deserve, but need to survive?I loved all the characters in this book. They were all so full of truth. There was not much romanticizing of the plot. It's real, raw, heartbreaking, but at the same time, sparkling, transformative, and life affirming. Hope runs rampant in this beautifully told story, with authenticity, and layers of meaningful metaphor.I more than loved this story, and I believe that J.L. Mac has written her best work to date in Vital Sign. You can assign a genre to this novel but it won't do the story justice. This book is the real thing. I would recommend this book to anyone with a pulse, as it pertains to the human condition. If you read this book and don't love it, or at least see the beauty, you're not doing it right! This is a piece of the art that makes this world a little more beautiful.