Review of Voiceless
Posted: 22 Feb 2023, 16:53
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Voiceless" by Marie McCreadie.]
Voiceless by Marie McCreadie is a nonfiction book that provides insight into the author’s life during an extremely challenging time. When Marie was a teenager, she became extremely ill with a sore throat. Although she eventually became well enough to resume school and other normal activities, she did not regain her voice. At first, it seemed temporary; however, as days and weeks went by it became obvious that she would have to learn to live with her new reality. She continued to attend her Catholic school but could not participate in class the way she once did. Instead of speaking in class, she had to write everything down. She always carried a tablet and pen with her so that she could communicate with teachers and classmates.
Marie shared some of the harsh treatment she was forced to endure by classmates and adults who thought she was faking her illness for attention. It was shocking to learn that priests and nuns at her school told her God was punishing her for being evil and that is the real reason she could not speak. It was heartbreaking to read how some people treated a young girl going through such a challenging time in her life. Marie’s parents wanted what was best for her, but with conflicting opinions from doctors, psychologists, and the school, they seemed overwhelmed with how to help her.
What I loved most about this book was the honesty with which the author told her story. At times, it was like reading a diary of Marie’s innermost thoughts and fears. At other times, it was an expose of the treatment of people with disabilities. She had help from honest people who saw her potential. She was always very smart and learned quickly. However, some people took advantage of the fact that she could not speak. They either treated her as less than them because she could not talk, or they saw ways to take advantage of her because she could not respond vocally. I lived that her parents gave her a whistle to always have with her when she moved away from home for work. Since she could not scream for help if she ran into trouble, this provided her with a way to combat that limitation.
There is nothing that I disliked about this book. It is an honest account of the author’s unique experiences living with a disability. People take for granted their ability to speak. The author’s experiences convey the unique challenges she faced. Marie was a very social person. She loved music and dancing. She loved spending time with her friends but had difficulty participating in conversations. She would write everything down but if the conversation moved too fast, then it would be too late to add to the conversation by the time she wrote down everything she wanted to say. It was an eye-opening book that puts the reader in Marie’s shoes to understand her challenges.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy nonfiction stories about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself. No matter how bad things got, Marie was a strong person. She learned to depend on herself to get through the challenging times. I saw only a few errors in the book, so I believe it was professionally edited. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would not rate it any less than 5 stars because it is beautifully written and provides an honest depiction of the challenges the author faced during her life.
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Voiceless
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Voiceless by Marie McCreadie is a nonfiction book that provides insight into the author’s life during an extremely challenging time. When Marie was a teenager, she became extremely ill with a sore throat. Although she eventually became well enough to resume school and other normal activities, she did not regain her voice. At first, it seemed temporary; however, as days and weeks went by it became obvious that she would have to learn to live with her new reality. She continued to attend her Catholic school but could not participate in class the way she once did. Instead of speaking in class, she had to write everything down. She always carried a tablet and pen with her so that she could communicate with teachers and classmates.
Marie shared some of the harsh treatment she was forced to endure by classmates and adults who thought she was faking her illness for attention. It was shocking to learn that priests and nuns at her school told her God was punishing her for being evil and that is the real reason she could not speak. It was heartbreaking to read how some people treated a young girl going through such a challenging time in her life. Marie’s parents wanted what was best for her, but with conflicting opinions from doctors, psychologists, and the school, they seemed overwhelmed with how to help her.
What I loved most about this book was the honesty with which the author told her story. At times, it was like reading a diary of Marie’s innermost thoughts and fears. At other times, it was an expose of the treatment of people with disabilities. She had help from honest people who saw her potential. She was always very smart and learned quickly. However, some people took advantage of the fact that she could not speak. They either treated her as less than them because she could not talk, or they saw ways to take advantage of her because she could not respond vocally. I lived that her parents gave her a whistle to always have with her when she moved away from home for work. Since she could not scream for help if she ran into trouble, this provided her with a way to combat that limitation.
There is nothing that I disliked about this book. It is an honest account of the author’s unique experiences living with a disability. People take for granted their ability to speak. The author’s experiences convey the unique challenges she faced. Marie was a very social person. She loved music and dancing. She loved spending time with her friends but had difficulty participating in conversations. She would write everything down but if the conversation moved too fast, then it would be too late to add to the conversation by the time she wrote down everything she wanted to say. It was an eye-opening book that puts the reader in Marie’s shoes to understand her challenges.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy nonfiction stories about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself. No matter how bad things got, Marie was a strong person. She learned to depend on herself to get through the challenging times. I saw only a few errors in the book, so I believe it was professionally edited. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would not rate it any less than 5 stars because it is beautifully written and provides an honest depiction of the challenges the author faced during her life.
******
Voiceless
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon