Review of Dying Well
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Becca Olsson
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Review of Dying Well
[Following is a volunteer review of "Dying Well" by Susan Ducharme Hoben.]
Dying Well, by Susan Ducharme Hoben, is her true story of her husband’s last few months of life after being diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. This is a story about quality over quantity. Initially, her husband, Bruce, undergoes treatment and, although it takes a toll on his body, his prospects are looking up. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the cancer is back and Bruce and Susan make the impossible decision. Bruce refuses to spend his last few months attached to machines in a hospital and, instead, chooses to spend his time with his family and friends, repairing old rifts, and drinking wine for as long as he can.
I have only positives to say about this book. The ending is no secret, but the journey along the way makes it worth reading and is filled with highs and lows. The love that Susan and Bruce share is plain to see. The author states several times that she wasn’t an author and wouldn’t have thought to write a book about their experience if her friend hadn’t suggested it. I disagree with her writing assessment. She writes very well and I can picture the scenes as she describes them, even down to Bruce’s memories of his childhood and the crazy things he got up to.
The author’s point was to not dwell on the negatives or on what happens when Bruce is gone. Instead, they wanted to live in the moment and make the good-byes as easy on everyone as they could. I was glad, however, when she included some of the really touch moments that Bruce had, particularly when his frustration at not being able to eat with enjoyment got the better of him. These moments reminded the reader that, although they still seem happy with each other and their decision, it’s a tough and painful road for Bruce and brought respect for him and his decision into perspective.
My only negative note is not with the story itself. There were some odd paragraph breaks where the sentence could cut off and then it would either pick up in the next paragraph or on the next page. This can be easily fixed, though, and does not detract from the story.
I found no typos and believe this book to be professionally edited. Overall, I rate this book five out of five stars. It’s beautifully written and is very respectful towards those going through such difficult times as these.
The only inappropriate language was an expletive towards cancer that was written on t-shirts, which under the circumstances, is not entirely inappropriate. I would recommend this book to mature readers only due to the nature of the story and the difficult storyline. However, to mature readers, I say that this is a great story that really points out both how fragile life can be, but also how much it’s worth living each day to the fullest.
******
Dying Well
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Dying Well, by Susan Ducharme Hoben, is her true story of her husband’s last few months of life after being diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. This is a story about quality over quantity. Initially, her husband, Bruce, undergoes treatment and, although it takes a toll on his body, his prospects are looking up. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the cancer is back and Bruce and Susan make the impossible decision. Bruce refuses to spend his last few months attached to machines in a hospital and, instead, chooses to spend his time with his family and friends, repairing old rifts, and drinking wine for as long as he can.
I have only positives to say about this book. The ending is no secret, but the journey along the way makes it worth reading and is filled with highs and lows. The love that Susan and Bruce share is plain to see. The author states several times that she wasn’t an author and wouldn’t have thought to write a book about their experience if her friend hadn’t suggested it. I disagree with her writing assessment. She writes very well and I can picture the scenes as she describes them, even down to Bruce’s memories of his childhood and the crazy things he got up to.
The author’s point was to not dwell on the negatives or on what happens when Bruce is gone. Instead, they wanted to live in the moment and make the good-byes as easy on everyone as they could. I was glad, however, when she included some of the really touch moments that Bruce had, particularly when his frustration at not being able to eat with enjoyment got the better of him. These moments reminded the reader that, although they still seem happy with each other and their decision, it’s a tough and painful road for Bruce and brought respect for him and his decision into perspective.
My only negative note is not with the story itself. There were some odd paragraph breaks where the sentence could cut off and then it would either pick up in the next paragraph or on the next page. This can be easily fixed, though, and does not detract from the story.
I found no typos and believe this book to be professionally edited. Overall, I rate this book five out of five stars. It’s beautifully written and is very respectful towards those going through such difficult times as these.
The only inappropriate language was an expletive towards cancer that was written on t-shirts, which under the circumstances, is not entirely inappropriate. I would recommend this book to mature readers only due to the nature of the story and the difficult storyline. However, to mature readers, I say that this is a great story that really points out both how fragile life can be, but also how much it’s worth living each day to the fullest.
******
Dying Well
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Elizabeth's Garden by Phillip Leighton-Daly
