Recommendations and Reviews

This book tells the story of a young woman’s struggle to find answers, closure and a sense of belonging, purpose and meaning, after the untimely, sudden and tragic death of her parents. What is unique about this book is that it is told from a third-person’s view, the third person being that of the author’s deceased mother. The story is beautifully told by the loving mother, from her perspective in heaven, looking down as she views her daughter’s immense challenges and her struggle to find normalcy, stability, intimacy and belonging to response to the tragedy that dramatically changed her life forever.  There are victories and defeat, obstacles both happenstance and created and opportunities, some sought after, some missed. Though tragedy haunts her, young Yvonne grows through it all, she does finally find the closure she was seeking.

The story starts with the accident itself, resulting in the tragic death of the author’s parents. The author, age 15 and her brother, age 18, though injured in the accident recover physically. Through their physical injuries are healed, it is the emotional injuries that the author’s mother sees throughout the saga of Yvonne’s struggle. The emotional hurts of her precious daughter are described as she tries to navigate through life without her parents, with her life turned completely upside-down and backwards. Her daughter’s journey takes her through many good and bad situations, with many characters stepping up to help; or on the other hand, to hinder her progress. The book is filled with life-changing challenges, some good, some bad; and stories of her ability, and many times inability, to copy with all that life was throwing at her. The story chronicles the reaction to tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit. It involves the reader by evoking sympathy, thankfulness, wonder and marvel at what the human spirit can endure and rise from.

This book relates, through Yvonne’s experiences, the spirit of optimism that prevailed even through shattered dreams, the adventurous free spirit that persisted through many times reaching for the security and belonging, and the resolute determination and sometimes reckless restlessness that led to her through life’s journey.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting a thought-provoking true life story; and, especially to anyone who has sustained great loss in their life. The story as told from a ‘view from heaven” is especially’ interesting and offers insight not normally appreciated. Anyone dealing with tragedy can identify with most of the poignant human elements in this story. This book pulls at the reader’s heartstrings; challenges the reader’s viewpoints on life and death and hereafter. It is well-written and one of those books you feel you can’t lay down. I high recommend this book to all!