Official Review: Why Are There Monkeys? by Brooke Jones

Post by **Caroline Anne Richmond** » 21 Mar 2021, 12:26

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Why Are There Monkeys?" by Brooke Jones.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Why are there Monkeys? by Brooke Jones is a non-fiction account of the author's near-death experience and conversation with God. She recalls many questions she asked and the responses given. She also reflects on how this experience impacted the rest of her life.

The author was born in 1950 and was part of a Jewish family. As a young girl of 6, she prayed to God for a pony and decided when her prayers weren’t answered she had no faith in God. Growing up, she was an agnostic but admits she still used the Lord’s name in vain and prayed to him in difficult times. At college in 1969, she experimented with sex, drugs, rock and roll, and spiralled into a life of drug abuse, namely heroin.

In 1975 she suffered an overdose. Her friends couldn’t help her, and she ended up in a hospital, clinically dead for 8 minutes. In this time, she remembers floating in a gossamer tunnel made of warm and pulsating white light. Here, she finds herself at God’s door, where she spoke to God. The book contains her recollection of the questions she asked and the responses from God in a serene place where she felt calm and comfortable.

The book is relatively short at 100 pages and is easy and enjoyable to read. The author writes in a welcoming and humorous way that engages the reader. She writes with a lightness about her experiences and dark moments and is self-deprecating and humble. I enjoyed the addition of humour throughout the book, as it lightened serious subjects. For example, juicy information such as a famous porn actress attending the same catholic school as the author was an entertaining tip bit. The descriptions of God having a sense of humour and laughing was also a lovely addition. I especially enjoyed the quote from God, “I don’t believe in atheists.”

The questions the author asked God were profound and asked what many of us have pondered all our lives. The meaning of life, evolution, life after death, and the Bible are just a few of the burning questions. The responses God gave are thought-provoking and left me mulling them over for some time after. The book allows the reader to philosophise about the universe, creation, and why we are here. Some statements give hope, such as that we live on spiritually after death, and we can still connect to loved ones who have deceased by listening with our souls.

The book delves into humans having free will and being free thinkers. We make our own decisions and are responsible for our actions and the things we fail to do. This is an interesting concept as we often put the blame elsewhere. Sometimes we ask why God would allow bad things to happen when we should look more closely at ourselves.

I didn’t find any spelling or grammar mistakes in the book, and I found nothing to dislike. I enjoyed the humour and entertaining writing style. I also liked the questions posed in the author's experience and the descriptions of God. Whether this experience was real or not, I would like to think of God as loving, welcoming, and with a sense of humour, just as the author describes. Due to this, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. I only found one border-line profanity. There are no sexual themes, but the book does contain adult themes such as drug abuse. The book will appeal to adults who believe in God, especially those of the Christian faith. Also, readers who are interested in near-death experiences and life after death will find this book hard to put down.

******
Why Are There Monkeys?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

prernarajput123 · Post by **prernarajput123** » 26 Mar 2021, 11:57

The written review is very intriguing. The author of the novel managed giving answers to some of the insightful questions of mankind. I am giving this book a try definitely.

Vkaur · Post by **Vkaur** » 27 Mar 2021, 01:05

I’ve read in the news about people having near-death experiences, but there was nothing substantial. I find the subject fascinating, and your review compelling, so I shall give this a read. Thank you for your great review!

Alheotuci · Post by **Alheotuci** » 27 Mar 2021, 09:15

Great review!

Post by **Caroline Anne Richmond** » 28 Mar 2021, 11:54

prernarajput123 wrote: ↑26 Mar 2021, 11:57 The written review is very intriguing. The author of the novel managed giving answers to some of the insightful questions of mankind. I am giving this book a try definitely.

Thanks for your kind comments. I hope you enjoy the book.

Post by **Caroline Anne Richmond** » 28 Mar 2021, 11:55

Vkaur wrote: ↑27 Mar 2021, 01:05 I’ve read in the news about people having near-death experiences, but there was nothing substantial. I find the subject fascinating, and your review compelling, so I shall give this a read. Thank you for your great review!

It really is an interesting subject, I hope you enjoy the book. Thanks for your kind comments.