Review of My Brave Face
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Review of My Brave Face
[Following is a volunteer review of "My Brave Face" by Heather Simpson.]
My Brave Face is a memoir written by Heather Simpson. It features her life story as she takes care of a disabled child together with her husband.
The author begins by telling us a little about her own childhood. The challenges she faced growing up with mild osteogenesis imperfecta, from the pain caused by the fractures, the cumbersome hospital visits, to the society around her ranging from those who were still in the dark about the condition,such as the teacher who broke her arm using a ruler( page 10), to those who knew about her condition and provided immense support and care such as her family. The condition impairs her ability to perform normal activities, and given that she's still a child makes the whole experience both devastating and emotional at the same time. I found this part of the story very instrumental and an essential addition.
Heather highlights the struggles she goes through as a mother,the constant worry she has for her son. Simple activities such as laughing breaks his ribs( page 39).
She goes through a phase of denial where she makes herself believe that her kid will be ok and grow up normal ( page 42).
The condition deters Stephen ability to do normal activities such as learning how to walk, since it begins an unending cycle of broken bones and hospitalizations.
The memoir evokes emotions through the little achievements of baby Stephen.
Throughout the narration the family makes new friends , who contribute greatly to easing the struggles of the family,such as an American family, The Hendricks.
The plot is an emotional rollercoaster,one minute you're laughing, for example when Stephen sings a song with the wrong lyrics ( page 72),the next your heart is breaking.
They relocate to new places and encounter new experiences ranging from food to accents.
As time goes, the condition is well known to the point that in America,Stephen receives free care. The author brings out these developments which enables one to appreciate the changes that are happening in the society, in relation to awareness and scientific growth in the medical field such as formation of Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.
It is a heart breaking journey as they try all possible procedures and surgeries to strengthen Stephen's bones.Heather and her husband,Ray, do everything to support their son emotionally and physically, and try to keep his mind off the painful encounters.
The amazing trips they occasionally take are a walk through history, this change in scenery makes the story mesmerizing and one is curious where they'll go to next.
Introduction at the beginning of the book familiarizes one with the characters.
The detailed definition of the disease is a plus for people who don't know anything about osteogenesis imperfecta. Through this, one is familiar with the disease as Heather explains her life journey. Furthermore, the statistics given show that the author took her time to do research.
The photo album is a huge plus.It gives life to the characters and you know that the story is real, no need to wonder what they look like.
The author narrates unnecessary events that don't contribute to the main theme of the book for example, the tale of eating snails was not necessary( page 10), but given that the book is a memoir this is to be expected.
Very plain language at the beginning makes the narration boring.Though I only noted this on the first section of the book as Heather was narrating her childhood. The errors were consistent and I believe that this was a form of writing style to enable one to view her childhood from a child's perspective. I didn't find this quintessential.As the narration continues the sentence structures are more advanced and appealing.For this reason I won't deduct a star.
The ending catches one off guard and stirs up emotions.
The book is highly detailed. One is easily immersed into the story, experiencing the joy,the sadness and the pain.
The title of the book fits the narrative perfectly.
The book is exceptionally well edited.I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to family,friends or guardians of people with disabilities and to those who are looking for a form of inspiration to navigate the everyday world.
******
My Brave Face
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
My Brave Face is a memoir written by Heather Simpson. It features her life story as she takes care of a disabled child together with her husband.
The author begins by telling us a little about her own childhood. The challenges she faced growing up with mild osteogenesis imperfecta, from the pain caused by the fractures, the cumbersome hospital visits, to the society around her ranging from those who were still in the dark about the condition,such as the teacher who broke her arm using a ruler( page 10), to those who knew about her condition and provided immense support and care such as her family. The condition impairs her ability to perform normal activities, and given that she's still a child makes the whole experience both devastating and emotional at the same time. I found this part of the story very instrumental and an essential addition.
Heather highlights the struggles she goes through as a mother,the constant worry she has for her son. Simple activities such as laughing breaks his ribs( page 39).
She goes through a phase of denial where she makes herself believe that her kid will be ok and grow up normal ( page 42).
The condition deters Stephen ability to do normal activities such as learning how to walk, since it begins an unending cycle of broken bones and hospitalizations.
The memoir evokes emotions through the little achievements of baby Stephen.
Throughout the narration the family makes new friends , who contribute greatly to easing the struggles of the family,such as an American family, The Hendricks.
The plot is an emotional rollercoaster,one minute you're laughing, for example when Stephen sings a song with the wrong lyrics ( page 72),the next your heart is breaking.
They relocate to new places and encounter new experiences ranging from food to accents.
As time goes, the condition is well known to the point that in America,Stephen receives free care. The author brings out these developments which enables one to appreciate the changes that are happening in the society, in relation to awareness and scientific growth in the medical field such as formation of Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation.
It is a heart breaking journey as they try all possible procedures and surgeries to strengthen Stephen's bones.Heather and her husband,Ray, do everything to support their son emotionally and physically, and try to keep his mind off the painful encounters.
The amazing trips they occasionally take are a walk through history, this change in scenery makes the story mesmerizing and one is curious where they'll go to next.
Introduction at the beginning of the book familiarizes one with the characters.
The detailed definition of the disease is a plus for people who don't know anything about osteogenesis imperfecta. Through this, one is familiar with the disease as Heather explains her life journey. Furthermore, the statistics given show that the author took her time to do research.
The photo album is a huge plus.It gives life to the characters and you know that the story is real, no need to wonder what they look like.
The author narrates unnecessary events that don't contribute to the main theme of the book for example, the tale of eating snails was not necessary( page 10), but given that the book is a memoir this is to be expected.
Very plain language at the beginning makes the narration boring.Though I only noted this on the first section of the book as Heather was narrating her childhood. The errors were consistent and I believe that this was a form of writing style to enable one to view her childhood from a child's perspective. I didn't find this quintessential.As the narration continues the sentence structures are more advanced and appealing.For this reason I won't deduct a star.
The ending catches one off guard and stirs up emotions.
The book is highly detailed. One is easily immersed into the story, experiencing the joy,the sadness and the pain.
The title of the book fits the narrative perfectly.
The book is exceptionally well edited.I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to family,friends or guardians of people with disabilities and to those who are looking for a form of inspiration to navigate the everyday world.
******
My Brave Face
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
