Official Review: Bittersweet by Labeehah Hall

NadineTimes10 · Post by **NadineTimes10** » 27 Dec 2020, 00:08

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Bittersweet" by Labeehah Hall.]

2 out of 4 stars

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Military veterans who have seen combat as soldiers have to fight more than one kind of battle. In Bittersweet: A Closer Look at the War Within, author Labeehah Hall shares what she experienced during and after her service in the United States Army. Hall joined the military to prove her mettle, and she would indeed face physical and mental obstacles. Yet, she did not know the nature of the tough choices she would have to make concerning her morals and her dignity during her service in the Army.

Hall’s writing style is conversational as she describes her time in the military and her struggle to readjust to civilian life afterward. Although the memoir is serious on the whole, the author’s dry humor is evident at different moments throughout the book. Hall uses a good deal of colorful language and does not shy away from irony. Her overall positive message of perseverance is obvious and accessible.

Now, Hall’s narrative becomes stronger toward the end, but the memoir’s development is awkward in places. The flow of events is often choppy and sometimes rather vague. If the author had provided more details on her background at the beginning of the memoir, it would better show the significance of her later accomplishments. A few of the author’s stories could have used a stronger foundation or more explanatory context to make the stories’ points clearer along the way. Also, Hall does not explain many of the military colloquialisms and abbreviations she uses. Readers who are not the most familiar with the military may have difficulty following the author at times.

Moreover, errors and inconsistencies in grammar and punctuation appear throughout the book. Frequent verb tense confusion damages the flow of Hall’s storytelling while she relates past events. The dialogue sometimes runs together in single paragraphs when there should instead be a new paragraph every time the dialogue switches speakers. The author makes inconsistent choices in letter case, and she unnecessarily capitalizes some common nouns. On a more minor note, a couple of the phrases the author uses become repetitive, particularly in the later chapters of the book. Also, some readers may find the author’s use of trendy abbreviations such as “Lol,” “OMG,” and “SMH” to be a little too casual for the narrative.

Overall, this is an authentic and down-to-earth memoir with an ultimately empowering message. Yet, the book could use thorough editing to address the memoir’s developmental weaknesses and to correct the grammar and punctuation errors. Therefore, I give Bittersweet: A Closer Look at the War Within a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. I’d recommend it to readers of nonfiction who have a particular interest in the challenges that military veterans face. However, unless the book is edited to give it more clarity for a wider audience, it may be best suited for readers who are already familiar with military terms and procedures.

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Bittersweet
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Joan642 · Post by **Joan642** » 30 Dec 2020, 16:23

I was totally misled by the book title, it was looking more like a title for a romance novel. But that doesn't hinder the interest I have in reading this book. I always love when the star character is a female, especially when there are obstacles that she must face, and in the process prove her worth. Thanks for your honest review.

duskdawn09 · Post by **duskdawn09** » 30 Dec 2020, 22:15

I enjoy seeing more and more female characters taking the main roles in todays novels. Great review.

Yvonne Monique · Post by **Yvonne Monique** » 31 Dec 2020, 04:51

It would be interesting to see the front cover, which is not available at the moment, as the book title alone does not make it clear that the book is a memoir about life in the military. Your review explained the content very well, though!