Review of Life Shattered

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Life Shattered" by Sandy Graham.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Reluctant to reveal his intelligence, Delbert Pillage barely passes each grade. Yet, the skinny farm boy continues to be bullied by his peers despite his attempts to remain invisible. The gorgeous Sylvia Cairns secretly admires her tormented classmate but is too shy to stand up for him.

As Delbert and Sylvia begin their high school years, they finally have a chance to reveal their feelings for each other. But just as their relationship has a chance to blossom, a dedicated and well-respected math teacher discovers Delbert's intelligence. Delbert's unique way of thinking and his exceptional memory have the potential to take him far when he is offered an early start in the engineering program at the University of British Columbia. However, the further he's pulled into his studies, the less time he has for Sylvia. When an unthinkable tragedy occurs, Sylvia turns to a Sisterhood of nuns who protect her right to privacy and refuse to share her location. Despite his attempts to reach out to her, Delbert's letters remain unanswered. As his own life takes a tragic turn, will Delbert ever have a chance to reunite with the woman he loves?

Take the plunge into the emotional tale of Delbert and Sylvia in Life Shattered by Sandy Graham. While the book had a bit of a slow start, I appreciated how the author detailed the years of torment endured by Delbert. I found myself wanting to defend him from his vicious peers, and like his mother, I eagerly believed in his ability to succeed. It was easy to cheer for him as he began to step out and pursue his dreams at the university, and I loved the intriguing projects he worked on with his professors and colleagues. The author explained the technical details in an easy-to-understand manner, keeping Delbert's contributions interesting and exciting. Watching his transformation into a mature young man was fascinating. I also enjoyed his dedication to solving several intricate calculations for engineering problems that had stumped other professors and students.

The ending was my favorite part of the novel. I loved how the story came full circle, and I adored how much Delbert's status had changed in the end. There were some heart-wrenching moments in the final chapters, but Delbert remained a calm and admirable hero. I even shed a few tears as I watched the final scenes play out.

Sylvia's character was the only part of the story that I didn't particularly like. I felt she lacked any personality, and her descriptions focused only on her beauty. Characters described her as "angelic" and referred to her as a "goddess." Even the Catholic priests couldn't refrain from making remarks about how desirable she was. The number of times men lusted after her or made cat-calls got a bit old even though few chapters featured Sylvia because the story's main focus remained on Delbert.

In addition to this minor complaint, I also found more than ten errors in the book. Therefore, I reduced the rating of Life Shattered to three out of four. This young adult novel featured mild sexual content and occasional mild swearing. I would recommend this story to those who enjoy tales of overcoming adversity, romance, and aircraft technology. Delbert's education involved projects with experimental aircraft that were interesting and exciting. While this book is the first one in three-book series about Delbert, readers can enjoy this novel as a stand-alone story.

******
Life Shattered
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Cocobutta]

I love books that force you to root for the character. Despite the errors highlighted it sounds like a pleasant book to read.

[Frank Mutuma]

The suspense will definitely make me read this book. Great review