Review by keelin_1127 -- Dying Well by Susan Ducharme Hoben
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keelin_1127
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Review by keelin_1127 -- Dying Well by Susan Ducharme Hoben
[Following is a volunteer review of "Dying Well" by Susan Ducharme Hoben.]
The novel, Dying Well, written by Susan Ducharme Hoben is an autobiographical story of how the author and her husband peacefully come to terms with her husband's terminal cancer diagnosis. The storyline begins with Susan's own triumphant cancer story and her celebration of life party. The pair, enamored by feelings of rejuvenated gratefulness and heath, soon discover their feelings of relief are short-lived. When her husband, Bruce, receives his own cancer diagnosis, they are confident he can beat it just as Susan had done. Unfortunately for the happy couple, things become rapidly complicated and they are faced with a challenge unlike anything they've experienced before.
As the title alludes to, the pair must make the tough decision between Bruce's quality of life, and the possibility of extending the duration of life paired with aggressive treatment measures. Feeling relatively content with the accomplishments of his life as he's lived it, the pair decide to make the most of their limited time left, and have to adapt quickly to decide how they view the situation as a whole. They spend time visiting many friends and relatives and participate in a small whirlwind tour of the country as they attempt to remain optimistic and grateful despite the tragic nature of their reality. Visiting those who they hold close and spending genuine and loving quality time with the people dearest in their hearts proved to be effective in giving Bruce the closure he was seeking as the end of his life neared.
The storyline of the novel is written in a bitter-sweet tone that is able to successfully capture, but not overstate, the importance of life and provides the reader with many opportunities to find gratuity in their own lives. Many lessons can be learned from reading the novel, and I was able to gain a new perspective on how I view the life I live day-to-day. This read enables the reader to reflect back on the fond memories of the strong-willed pair and sympathize with them throughout their journey to find peace and closure. This unique ability to form such a strong connection with the reader is why I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. As a reader, I could truly feel and sympathize with everything the pair faced, even though I have not personally experienced anything similar. This connection of sympathy allowed for the emotional read to be inspirational and motivational beyond measure.
The topics present in the story were mature, extremely well-written, and appeared to be professionally edited. I was only able to find a few small typos in the entirety of the novel and found it seamless to read. The aspect of the novel I enjoyed most was the overall tone that was conveyed throughout the novel. Similar to a calming beach scene, the storyline ebbed and flowed like a wave, with the peaks and resolutions feeling appropriately dramatic, therefore, creating an authentic re-telling of the story. With that being said, however, the part of the story I disliked most, was the lack of suspense. Had the author not revealed the death of her husband was guaranteed directly from the start of the novel (and the title), there would have been a more authentic and powerful sense of tension within the second half of the story. Since I was aware Bruce was never going to survive, the highs and lows in the plot of his battle with cancer became somewhat subdued.
I believe this novel is well-suited for mature readers who enjoy a bit of introspection or are seeking a bit of motivation. Reading the story of Susan and her husband, while somber, also provoked a large amount of personal reflection as a reader. I was repeatedly inspired by the pair and found many of the realizations of life made in the novel molded and shaped my personal ideas about life and how to live it. Overall, I found it to be a very worthy read and strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking gratitude in their life.
******
Dying Well
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
The novel, Dying Well, written by Susan Ducharme Hoben is an autobiographical story of how the author and her husband peacefully come to terms with her husband's terminal cancer diagnosis. The storyline begins with Susan's own triumphant cancer story and her celebration of life party. The pair, enamored by feelings of rejuvenated gratefulness and heath, soon discover their feelings of relief are short-lived. When her husband, Bruce, receives his own cancer diagnosis, they are confident he can beat it just as Susan had done. Unfortunately for the happy couple, things become rapidly complicated and they are faced with a challenge unlike anything they've experienced before.
As the title alludes to, the pair must make the tough decision between Bruce's quality of life, and the possibility of extending the duration of life paired with aggressive treatment measures. Feeling relatively content with the accomplishments of his life as he's lived it, the pair decide to make the most of their limited time left, and have to adapt quickly to decide how they view the situation as a whole. They spend time visiting many friends and relatives and participate in a small whirlwind tour of the country as they attempt to remain optimistic and grateful despite the tragic nature of their reality. Visiting those who they hold close and spending genuine and loving quality time with the people dearest in their hearts proved to be effective in giving Bruce the closure he was seeking as the end of his life neared.
The storyline of the novel is written in a bitter-sweet tone that is able to successfully capture, but not overstate, the importance of life and provides the reader with many opportunities to find gratuity in their own lives. Many lessons can be learned from reading the novel, and I was able to gain a new perspective on how I view the life I live day-to-day. This read enables the reader to reflect back on the fond memories of the strong-willed pair and sympathize with them throughout their journey to find peace and closure. This unique ability to form such a strong connection with the reader is why I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. As a reader, I could truly feel and sympathize with everything the pair faced, even though I have not personally experienced anything similar. This connection of sympathy allowed for the emotional read to be inspirational and motivational beyond measure.
The topics present in the story were mature, extremely well-written, and appeared to be professionally edited. I was only able to find a few small typos in the entirety of the novel and found it seamless to read. The aspect of the novel I enjoyed most was the overall tone that was conveyed throughout the novel. Similar to a calming beach scene, the storyline ebbed and flowed like a wave, with the peaks and resolutions feeling appropriately dramatic, therefore, creating an authentic re-telling of the story. With that being said, however, the part of the story I disliked most, was the lack of suspense. Had the author not revealed the death of her husband was guaranteed directly from the start of the novel (and the title), there would have been a more authentic and powerful sense of tension within the second half of the story. Since I was aware Bruce was never going to survive, the highs and lows in the plot of his battle with cancer became somewhat subdued.
I believe this novel is well-suited for mature readers who enjoy a bit of introspection or are seeking a bit of motivation. Reading the story of Susan and her husband, while somber, also provoked a large amount of personal reflection as a reader. I was repeatedly inspired by the pair and found many of the realizations of life made in the novel molded and shaped my personal ideas about life and how to live it. Overall, I found it to be a very worthy read and strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking gratitude in their life.
******
Dying Well
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1) by Janet McNulty
