Review: Liam's List
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2014
This book tackles a heavier topic than Vivian's List because Liam is deployed, along with Vivian's brother, Julian. Vivian and Liam maintain the long distance relationship but when Liam returns home, he isn't the same person anymore after experiencing catastrophic events that he felt were avoidable and now carries guilt for those events. It's a very good perspective of how people who serve their country really do make sacrifices and the consequences they face from the hands of warfare, physically and mentally. I admired Vivian for not giving up, because typically, most girls would and no one would blame her for it either. Liam was definitely never going to be the same Liam as before, which is hard for both of them to accept. Even though Liam still loved Vivian, he pushed her away due to his self-loathing blackness and starts spiraling downwards. This is not an uncommon scenario, but what can be learned from it is that while veterans may always struggle with the aftermath, they can still adapt back into society and function normally with the appropriate love and support, but they will never forget what happened. It is not an easy path at all, to admit needing help and then seeking it out. Liam has some fellow soldiers bring out important realizations to him and when he keeps Vivian as the focus of his universe, he makes that effort to be worthy of her. I hated that Liam had to experience that downfall, but even the strongest of people do, and had he not, he would not have been able to lean on Vivian, who proved to be even stronger than him.