Review of Jubilee

[Aisha Yakub]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jubilee" by Roxann Dehlin.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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We can create happiness even if everything around us tries to make us sad. Jubilee: The Story of an Abused Girl and the Horse who Mended her Broken Brain by Roxann Dehlin is a book that details the life of the author. Roxann was mostly considered a "dirty linen" by her mother. She never got the love a biological mother should bestow upon her child. Roxann had always felt different. Was it a result of her seizures? Could it be because she never seemed to be good enough for her mother no matter how hard she tried?

Roxann faced discrimination at her workplace because she was epileptic. She was fired for "disrupting" a meeting because she had a seizure. In addition, she had a narcissistic mother and brother; they didn't make life easy for her. However, she encountered Ron, a man who showed her unconditional love. Her "new birth", which is marked by a life-changing surgery, happens when she is 42 years. The author has reflected on her life's journey so far and compiled her experiences into this masterpiece. In this book, the author shows readers how she was able to take control of the events of her life.

As I read this book, a lot of questions ran through my mind. One of these questions was how a person could be constantly treated this badly by her family. This book elicited different emotions from me. Firstly, I was angry, angry at all the things Roxann had to unnecessarily and painfully pass through. Initially, my focus was on the circumstances surrounding her birth and growth. As the book progressed and Roxann became the center of my focus, the anger I felt transitioned into pity. My heart went out to young Roxann as she tried to navigate through the storms of life. Soon, the pity was gone, and I was inspired by and in awe of the author's bravery and motivation. Even when it didn't seem like there was light at the end of the tunnel, Roxann pushed on.

One trait that was evident in the author's writing of her journey was her kind spirit. Roxann didn't speak badly about her family members who weren't kind to her. I liked how she objectively stated the things she went through without a bitter tone. She was deliberate about separating the unkind acts from the actors. The adjectives described the unkindness of the act, but she tried not to tarnish the image of her family members. I found this very admirable. The book is named after her horse, Jubilee. Through Jubilee's movement, the author noticed positive changes in her health. Roxann cared for Jubilee; she was dedicated to her horse.

I enjoyed reading about the personality and journey of the author. More importantly, I liked that this book was excellently written. I didn't just like the author's personality, but I enjoyed reading the book. The narration was commendable. I spotted a few errors, but it's safe to say that this book was professionally edited. I found no negative aspects. Because I liked everything about this book, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to readers who want to stay inspired and motivated. If you like memoirs and autobiographies, this is a book for you. Also, if you have ever faced a seemingly unsurmountable problem, this is a book for you.

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Jubilee
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

I'm glad Roxann eventually found love and was free from her epilepsy. I also hope her mother got help and mended things with her daughter. Great review.

[Aisha Yakub]

I'm glad Roxann eventually found love and was free from her epilepsy. I also hope her mother got help and mended things with her daughter. Great review.

Thank you so much. It's truly an interesting story, and you can check it out.