Review of Dear Abigail
Posted: 11 Jan 2023, 14:46
[Following is a volunteer review of "Dear Abigail" by Richard Rees.]
Dear Abigail by Richard Rees is a heartfelt letter-turned-book for his beloved granddaughter. It's filled with a mix of emotional and funny memories and a lot of love. Unfortunately, Richard's wife, Rachel, died in her 40s from ovarian cancer. Their son and daughter were already grown when she passed. Nevertheless, Rachel was the love of his life.
In the letter, Richard tells Abigail how he met her father, Ian. It's a funny and sweet tale of how they met and how Ian and Richard's daughter, Carys, fell in love. Unfortunately, Carys discovered she also had ovarian cysts, which were all benign. However, because ovarian cancer ran in her mother's family, her doctor recommended she have a hysterectomy by age 30. So, Ian and Carys decided to marry quickly, and shortly after, Carys was pregnant. During the pregnancy, Carys started to experience pain, thinking she was losing the baby. But it turned out to be appendicitis, and the appendix showed cancer, which meant she likely had ovarian cancer. They went ahead with the pregnancy, and Abigail was born two months early and was in the NICU for a while. Sadly, cancer had grown, and Carys passed away at 29—shortly before Abigail turned 2. Carys had requested that her father make sure Abigail knew her origin, hence this letter. It's a touching and emotional read filled with hope and love.
The book is truly a gem, and I couldn't help but love it. A few things stood out to me as positive aspects of the book. Firstly, the author's writing style was exquisite. Even though the book is deeply personal, it is clear that the author is an experienced writer. Secondly, the book begins on a sad note, but as you read through it, you experience a range of emotions with the author. I was reading, expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't as bad as I had feared. Finally, the book was full of suspense. Even as the author digressed, it always kept me on edge. One moment that particularly stood out to me was when Abigail asked why he lives alone and what happened to Meryn.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't find a single thing I didn't like about it. I understand that Richard wrote this letter to Abigail and was waiting until she was older to give it to her, and I hope when she does read it, she will realize how lucky she is to have such a beautiful and heartfelt letter from her grandfather. I couldn't find a single negative aspect, it was an emotional journey for me, and there were moments when I wished I could change some of the events. But overall, it was a fantastic read, and I would give it 5 out of 5 stars without hesitation.
One thing I appreciated about the book was that it was professionally edited. I noticed only two minor errors throughout the entire book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading family-themed stories or those who have lost a loved one. It will be a book they will connect with on a deep level.
******
Dear Abigail
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Dear Abigail by Richard Rees is a heartfelt letter-turned-book for his beloved granddaughter. It's filled with a mix of emotional and funny memories and a lot of love. Unfortunately, Richard's wife, Rachel, died in her 40s from ovarian cancer. Their son and daughter were already grown when she passed. Nevertheless, Rachel was the love of his life.
In the letter, Richard tells Abigail how he met her father, Ian. It's a funny and sweet tale of how they met and how Ian and Richard's daughter, Carys, fell in love. Unfortunately, Carys discovered she also had ovarian cysts, which were all benign. However, because ovarian cancer ran in her mother's family, her doctor recommended she have a hysterectomy by age 30. So, Ian and Carys decided to marry quickly, and shortly after, Carys was pregnant. During the pregnancy, Carys started to experience pain, thinking she was losing the baby. But it turned out to be appendicitis, and the appendix showed cancer, which meant she likely had ovarian cancer. They went ahead with the pregnancy, and Abigail was born two months early and was in the NICU for a while. Sadly, cancer had grown, and Carys passed away at 29—shortly before Abigail turned 2. Carys had requested that her father make sure Abigail knew her origin, hence this letter. It's a touching and emotional read filled with hope and love.
The book is truly a gem, and I couldn't help but love it. A few things stood out to me as positive aspects of the book. Firstly, the author's writing style was exquisite. Even though the book is deeply personal, it is clear that the author is an experienced writer. Secondly, the book begins on a sad note, but as you read through it, you experience a range of emotions with the author. I was reading, expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't as bad as I had feared. Finally, the book was full of suspense. Even as the author digressed, it always kept me on edge. One moment that particularly stood out to me was when Abigail asked why he lives alone and what happened to Meryn.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't find a single thing I didn't like about it. I understand that Richard wrote this letter to Abigail and was waiting until she was older to give it to her, and I hope when she does read it, she will realize how lucky she is to have such a beautiful and heartfelt letter from her grandfather. I couldn't find a single negative aspect, it was an emotional journey for me, and there were moments when I wished I could change some of the events. But overall, it was a fantastic read, and I would give it 5 out of 5 stars without hesitation.
One thing I appreciated about the book was that it was professionally edited. I noticed only two minor errors throughout the entire book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading family-themed stories or those who have lost a loved one. It will be a book they will connect with on a deep level.
******
Dear Abigail
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon