Official Review: A Fractured Life
Posted: 26 May 2018, 20:41
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Fractured Life" by Clare Malcolm & Julie Metaxotos.]
4 out of 4 stars
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A Fractured Life: How Determination Overcame Trauma by Julie Metaxotos and Clare Malcolm is a non-fictional medical book which is written to educate both its adult and young audience on how to cope with arduous life situations. It is a true story which occurs in Australia in the year 2013, and which highlights Julie Metaxotos’s miraculous and inspiring journey from a near-death experience.
All of this turbulence begins after Julie postpones her shopping spree at the mall and heads on home along the highway. She suddenly becomes involved in a calamitous vehicular accident, and sustains immense fractures and bleeding to most of her body. She is subsequently brought to the Alfred Hospital for emergency treatment and is admitted for surgery. A number of injuries are observed which range from internal bleeding, wounds to the face and lungs, a broken sternum, and both legs seriously broken, amongst others.
Over the next thirty-six (36) months, Julie is taken through a series of intensive operations, which see her becoming so delirious from such severely nerve-racking pain during and after these surgeries. She is surrounded by family and friends but how will they cope with this heart-wrenching situation that Julie is undergoing? She is taken to a rehabilitation center but how will Julie be able to survive this relentless storm that batters her heart, her soul, and her tattered body?
Composed to target persons who have undergone extremely traumatic experiences, as well as to give support to individuals on a whole, this true story will undoubtedly provide the inspiration to assist them in healing on their spiritual, emotional and physical levels. Persons such as myself who have not experienced this kind of trauma will also be encouraged to have the inner strength such as Julie, and her family, and friends to overcome life’s perils and be triumphant in the end.
This captivating and touching story which is narrated in the first person is co-authored by both Julie and Clare. Clare Malcolm is a trained writer and also Julie’s doctor. The entire story is told using different memoirs which highlight the different perspectives of Julie’s family and friends, from the time they are told of the accident to her full recovery. What I enjoy most about this book, is the fact that Julie, in spite of her many excruciatingly painful surgical operations and other daily trials, has indeed displayed admirable character development. She is able to find the inner strength to reset her mind to accept that they are only temporary storms and she always has the faith that soon the sun will appear to brighten her life once again. She is also very concerned about the well-being of her son James and her husband Zach and this also inspires her to be courageous enough to fight for normalcy to return to her life.
The authors have combined together to capture brilliantly, with the use of pictures and words, many true life form and imaginative images of Julie’s moments of resilience and hope, as well as the gut-wrenchingly painful scenes of destruction, despair, and disappointment she experiences over the three (3) years of her great tribulations. The determination of Julie to regain control of her world is the mood that is felt throughout the book. This determination is also seen in the efforts of her family and friends to have her life restored to their loving embrace and goodwill. I find that because there are several memoirs giving each person’s account of the accident, it tends to become somewhat repetitive in some area. I have also noted a few grammatical errors throughout the passages but overall, I will give this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating, as it such a touching and inspiring story which contains all the elements that will develop the characteristics of courage and determination in any individual.
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A Fractured Life
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
A Fractured Life: How Determination Overcame Trauma by Julie Metaxotos and Clare Malcolm is a non-fictional medical book which is written to educate both its adult and young audience on how to cope with arduous life situations. It is a true story which occurs in Australia in the year 2013, and which highlights Julie Metaxotos’s miraculous and inspiring journey from a near-death experience.
All of this turbulence begins after Julie postpones her shopping spree at the mall and heads on home along the highway. She suddenly becomes involved in a calamitous vehicular accident, and sustains immense fractures and bleeding to most of her body. She is subsequently brought to the Alfred Hospital for emergency treatment and is admitted for surgery. A number of injuries are observed which range from internal bleeding, wounds to the face and lungs, a broken sternum, and both legs seriously broken, amongst others.
Over the next thirty-six (36) months, Julie is taken through a series of intensive operations, which see her becoming so delirious from such severely nerve-racking pain during and after these surgeries. She is surrounded by family and friends but how will they cope with this heart-wrenching situation that Julie is undergoing? She is taken to a rehabilitation center but how will Julie be able to survive this relentless storm that batters her heart, her soul, and her tattered body?
Composed to target persons who have undergone extremely traumatic experiences, as well as to give support to individuals on a whole, this true story will undoubtedly provide the inspiration to assist them in healing on their spiritual, emotional and physical levels. Persons such as myself who have not experienced this kind of trauma will also be encouraged to have the inner strength such as Julie, and her family, and friends to overcome life’s perils and be triumphant in the end.
This captivating and touching story which is narrated in the first person is co-authored by both Julie and Clare. Clare Malcolm is a trained writer and also Julie’s doctor. The entire story is told using different memoirs which highlight the different perspectives of Julie’s family and friends, from the time they are told of the accident to her full recovery. What I enjoy most about this book, is the fact that Julie, in spite of her many excruciatingly painful surgical operations and other daily trials, has indeed displayed admirable character development. She is able to find the inner strength to reset her mind to accept that they are only temporary storms and she always has the faith that soon the sun will appear to brighten her life once again. She is also very concerned about the well-being of her son James and her husband Zach and this also inspires her to be courageous enough to fight for normalcy to return to her life.
The authors have combined together to capture brilliantly, with the use of pictures and words, many true life form and imaginative images of Julie’s moments of resilience and hope, as well as the gut-wrenchingly painful scenes of destruction, despair, and disappointment she experiences over the three (3) years of her great tribulations. The determination of Julie to regain control of her world is the mood that is felt throughout the book. This determination is also seen in the efforts of her family and friends to have her life restored to their loving embrace and goodwill. I find that because there are several memoirs giving each person’s account of the accident, it tends to become somewhat repetitive in some area. I have also noted a few grammatical errors throughout the passages but overall, I will give this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating, as it such a touching and inspiring story which contains all the elements that will develop the characteristics of courage and determination in any individual.
******
A Fractured Life
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like crediblereading2's review? Post a comment saying so!