Review of First Survivor

[Trisana Hardin]

[Following is a volunteer review of "First Survivor" by Mark Unger.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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First Survivor tells the story of Louis, a two-year-old boy, who is diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that means almost certain death. It is written from the perspective of his mother and father, who tried everything they could to make their son well again. First Survivor does a wonderful job of following Louis' story while also giving the spotlight to the struggles of his parents and his brother, Henry. The three of them understood the situation and made Louis their priority, but the book does them justice by acknowledging the truly horrific nature of the situation their loved one was put in and how it affected them.

Firstly, I will say I don't read nonfiction very often, but First Survivor was something I still thoroughly enjoyed. It has even made me more willing to read more nonfiction books. Being a real situation, it's destined to be at least somewhat realistic, but the writing and expression within First Survivor makes you feel as though you are talking to each involved person on their own. It includes conversations, private thoughts, written notes, data graphs, and numerous other unique forms of writing that certainly stood out in comparison to other books.

Additionally, the writing was clearly professionally edited. Regardless, the author did a wonderful job of mixing the different styles of writing and the visuals without having it be awkward or abrupt. Each picture was formatted in such a way as to add to the written experience, rather than distract from it.

Ultimately, I would rate First Survivor a solid 5/5. It is touching and, while sometimes heart-wrenching, it gives perspective to a horrific situation that grips you to its characters. The writing was phenomenal, from both a stylistic and editing standpoint, and I would definitely consider it a smooth read that I would recommend to anyone.

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First Survivor
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[Honey M]

First Survivor tells the story of Louis, a two-year-old boy, who is diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that means almost certain death. I love it this book

[Enjani Matendeko]

I don't know the best word to use to describe Louis. But he's a child worth writing a story about. He survived very serious cancer attacks that could have easily cost him his life. However, he survived. That was really amazing.