Review of Ketchup
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Abraham Ozo
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Review of Ketchup
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ketchup" by Shazia Azhar MBE.]
Reena requested permission from her boss, Zuby, to take some days off. She was to appear as a witness in a case. Zuby felt it was not serious, as she had also participated in jury service sometime in the past. Everything changes when she learns that Reena is a victim of stalking, and her stalker is none other than her childhood abuser. In Ketchup by Shazia Azhar MBE, Zuby tries to draw Reena away from the toxic and strangulating hold her past has on her. Can Zuby help Reena heal?
There are some positive aspects to this book. The book was exceptionally well edited. I could not find any errors in the book. The book also provided a detailed image of the stages of healing for victims of childhood trauma and abuse. The texts exchanged between Zuby and Reena show the long-drawn-out process of rewiring the brains of trauma victims. It shows the relapses, the self-degradation, the loathing, and what goes on in their minds. In this way, it helps readers appreciate the need to be patient, gentle, and compassionate towards them. It also identifies the different unhealthy coping mechanisms they have adapted to survive and the behaviors that serve as pointers that a person is going through abuse or needs help. It is a book designed to create a better understanding of victims, especially non-survivors, and ways to help them heal.
Regardless of these notable aspects, there were negative aspects to the book as well. The narrative technique adopted for conveying the idea of the author was poor. The book started without providing any adequate background story for the reader. I had to use a lot of perceptiveness and read between the lines to understand Reena's story. It did not help that Reena was not completely honest about a lot of things. This made me question if the conclusion I drew from reading between the lines was indeed accurate.
The narrative technique did not allow me to experience the book while reading. I could only read about the emotions Reena felt during her healing journey, but I could not fully immerse myself in and understand them. The author could have written from Reena's point of view whenever Zuby and Reena were not texting. Most of the conversations were repetitive and not fully coherent. It did not help that some words were abbreviated.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the negative aspects I mentioned above. I recommend this book to people struggling with trauma and who are helping people through it. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
******
Ketchup
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Reena requested permission from her boss, Zuby, to take some days off. She was to appear as a witness in a case. Zuby felt it was not serious, as she had also participated in jury service sometime in the past. Everything changes when she learns that Reena is a victim of stalking, and her stalker is none other than her childhood abuser. In Ketchup by Shazia Azhar MBE, Zuby tries to draw Reena away from the toxic and strangulating hold her past has on her. Can Zuby help Reena heal?
There are some positive aspects to this book. The book was exceptionally well edited. I could not find any errors in the book. The book also provided a detailed image of the stages of healing for victims of childhood trauma and abuse. The texts exchanged between Zuby and Reena show the long-drawn-out process of rewiring the brains of trauma victims. It shows the relapses, the self-degradation, the loathing, and what goes on in their minds. In this way, it helps readers appreciate the need to be patient, gentle, and compassionate towards them. It also identifies the different unhealthy coping mechanisms they have adapted to survive and the behaviors that serve as pointers that a person is going through abuse or needs help. It is a book designed to create a better understanding of victims, especially non-survivors, and ways to help them heal.
Regardless of these notable aspects, there were negative aspects to the book as well. The narrative technique adopted for conveying the idea of the author was poor. The book started without providing any adequate background story for the reader. I had to use a lot of perceptiveness and read between the lines to understand Reena's story. It did not help that Reena was not completely honest about a lot of things. This made me question if the conclusion I drew from reading between the lines was indeed accurate.
The narrative technique did not allow me to experience the book while reading. I could only read about the emotions Reena felt during her healing journey, but I could not fully immerse myself in and understand them. The author could have written from Reena's point of view whenever Zuby and Reena were not texting. Most of the conversations were repetitive and not fully coherent. It did not help that some words were abbreviated.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the negative aspects I mentioned above. I recommend this book to people struggling with trauma and who are helping people through it. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
******
Ketchup
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Spiritual Dog: "Bear" by J. Wesley Porter
