Review of A Portrait of Grief

[Marsha JJ]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Portrait of Grief" by Cheryl Christopher.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Certain emotions like happiness or excitement are easily shared with one’s circle of friends and loved ones. However, grief seems to be something that people feel they must suffer in silence. That’s why books like Cheryl Christopher’s A Portrait of Grief are so important and meaningful. They give voice to an emotion that virtually everyone will experience at some point. In Christopher’s case, her grief stemmed from the loss of her two sons and a grandson. Christopher has created something beautiful from her devastating loss by creating a book to help others deal with their grief and find hope as they move forward. This thoughtful book includes supportive advice, prayers, suggested music for comfort, and insights into the author’s experiences.

I found this to be a well-crafted book filled with empathy and sound advice. The author structured this book in a way that will benefit those who need it most. She designed it to be read in short sections, considering that those experiencing grief may have a hard time reading anything lengthy. She included a few chapters about her story at the beginning of the book to share the details of her loss. I appreciated how she then focused each chapter on a specific aspect of the grieving process and provided advice for each point in that process. For example, she covers heartbreak, denial, fear, loss of identity, and other specific aspects of the grieving process.

I thought A Portrait of Grief was a good combination of personal reflections, advice, and comforting elements. Christopher has an engaging writing style. Her friendly tone of voice provided the sense that she was a trusted friend by your side and that she was helping you along your path to healing. It was nice that the author had also researched other books on grief, and she integrated findings from those resources where she thought it would benefit others. An extensive list of those resources can be found at the end of her book. The book was also exceptionally well-edited. The book could benefit others who need it, and I applaud the author for channeling her pain into advice for others. For those reasons, I rated it 4 out of 4 stars.

The only aspect of the book that didn’t resonate with me was the abundance of religious references. Christopher integrated psalms, prayers, many references to God and Jesus, and other references to her Christian faith. The author’s spirituality was a very important aspect of her narrative. Other readers who are grieving may appreciate the comfort that comes from her inclusion of Christian messages. Therefore, I didn’t detract from my rating for this aspect.

A Portrait of Grief is for anyone who is dealing with grief from the loss of someone close to them. This is a book that can comfort them and provide hope. I also recommend gifting this book to someone who is grieving. It can be hard to know how to help someone through a time of mourning. Gifting this book to someone who is suffering could be one way to provide the insight and support that they may need.

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A Portrait of Grief
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[Summer Henrietta]

This book is really thoughtful and touching.
I would recommend it to people who are suffering from grief and wants to sincerely heal.
Thank you for the review.