Official Review: The Army, Depression, Drugs and me

[Mune]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Army, Depression, Drugs and me" by Victoria Prendergast.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Everyone has a story to tell. Some are sad, some happy, some are nearly unbelievable to others, but everyone has one. The Army, Depression, Drugs and Me is the life story of a woman who has had hardships, difficulties, made bad and good decisions, and is able to stand at the end and still say "I've made it!" Her story has some harsh realities and baffling circumstances, but she persevered and came out in the end. It takes an immense amount of bravery and strength to tell such a story, much less make it through the tale in real life. For that and her strength in these pages, I admire her.

This book is the author, Victoria Prendergast, giving a narration of her life from her teens years to the present. The writing is casual, thorough, and yet it has a simplistic style that leaves no portion droning or carrying on too long. Though it is in English, it is European English with the slang of the U.K. This was wonderful to me. Too many times authors lose the personality in a nonfictional life story by editing out their own character in their writing. This author does not do that at all. The story flows with no hiccups or confusion.

The beginning of the book starts at a middle point and then the author goes back to her teens years and works forward. This technique is beautifully orchestrated here. The first hit to the gut is hard and immediately gripped my heart. Instantly I wanted to know what happened to put her at a point of such intense and utter despair. She admits to situations she faltered in or made worse, as hindsight often gives us the ability to do. At no time does she point her finger at one thing and blame that on her hardships. The acceptance of self-accountability along with the acknowledgment of having a difficult mentality to make certain decisions, allows you to really sympathize with the choices she makes.

As for grammar and spelling, the book is very well done. Honestly, you feel as if you are sitting across from the author and hearing her tale unfold from her own lips. The pauses, hesitations, frustrations, all of the emotion pours through the pages. When she was happy, I smiled. When she hit another hurdle, I felt my heart dip and my eyes water. The writing is beautiful and perfectly clear. The words are honest and strong. This was one of the best personal stories I have ever read.

In all, this book is nothing short of a perfect 4 out of 4 stars, a telling of a hard life and the path one takes to make it to the end. There are troublesome topics, disturbing situations the author found herself in, but there is nothing graphic or overboard. She is direct, honest, open, and revealing. The strength and determination radiates from her ability to do what she needed to do to better her life and be there for her children. This really is a fantastic read for anyone that has found themselves struggling again and again. When you find yourself facing one hurdle after another, even if you put that hurdle in your own path, it is so comforting to know others have found themselves in a similar situation. The book isn't necessarily inspirational, I don't think it is meant to be. This book was therapy for someone who needed to tell her story. I am honored to have read it and hope the author the best in the future for her and her lovely children.

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The Army, Depression, Drugs and me
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Like Mune's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

Sounds like a very interesting book. It might be good for others going through hardships just knowing you are not alone. Thanks for the review.

[Mune]

No problem! It was very inspiring for myself, as well. I had a very rough time in my life and had thought about writing a book on it but keep hesitating.

[Donnavila Marie01]

I agree that everyone has a story to tell. This book serves as a light to everyone and a reminder to everyone that at the end of the tunnel, there is light.I recommend this book.