Official Review: Driving in the Rain

[Shieldmaiden88]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Driving in the Rain" by Nadia Bruce-Rawlings.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Nadia Bruce-Rawlings has lived a life of unique experiences, tremendous struggles, and many challenges. She shares her story in her memoir, Driving in the Rain. The daughter of an oil executive, her formative years were spent living in Egypt and vacationing in Cyprus. She shares her fond memories of living in a large, old, castle-like house, of adventures with her friends, and experiencing Middle Eastern culture first hand. Despite financial privilege, her family life was plagued by her father's alcoholism and abuse. As the youngest of her siblings, she was often too young to fully understand everything going on around her, but old enough to experience the trauma of fighting parents and a mother injured by her father. After growing up in Egypt and later Norway, her path leads her to Los Angeles where she becomes successful in the film industry. Just like her father, she struggles with addiction, which soon ruins her career.

Bruce-Rawlings shares her memoir in a uniquely laid out book. She tells the stories that shaped her life in her unique style of prose and expresses her deepest impressions in poetry. The book opens with a poem from which the memoir gains its title, Driving in the Rain. This beautiful poem both expresses a particular moment in the author's life and lays out many of the themes found throughout the following prose chapters. Though her life spirals out of control as drug addiction drives her to crime, jail, and the prospect of an addict's end, recovery opens the door to love and a future with many more adventures.

This book has a very unique style and layout. I loved how the prose chapters are divided by poetry. While each chapter has a particular theme, some of the chapters are not shared in chronological order. The impressionistic style communicates the author's message well but it also left me with some confusion about when the author experienced some of the events in her life. Several significant life events were also left unmentioned or only hinted at through poetry. I respect the author's desire to keep private anything she would rather not publish, but as a reader, I was left with a few lingering questions.

Driving in the Rain is well written and largely well edited. I am rating this book 3 out of 4 stars.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy biographies and memoirs of people who have had unique experiences and overcome personal and family struggles. Anyone interested in the experiences of Americans who have lived abroad will be fascinated by Bruce-Rawlings' childhood. Since drug use is discussed in depth in parts of this book, I recommend it only for adults.

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Driving in the Rain
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[Michael Jerry_]

This is a well-written review and I do agree with the reviewer as I wouldn’t want to read a book and have more questions at the end than I had at the beginning. No matter how good a book is this will detract from the overall experience. It’s good to know that this is a well-written book too.

[Drianie]

I commend Bruce-Rawlings for sharing so many painful memories and experiences from her past. I'm sure she will be able to reach readers who have experienced similar circumstances. It's great to know that recovery has offered her a new path to follow. Thanks for the great review!

[Joy Phill]

Addiction is a societal ill which effects so many. The younger generations need much help to avoid this pitfall. Thanks for doing justice to this review.