Review by Mvictoria -- In Hindsight

[Mvictoria]

[Following is a volunteer review of "In Hindsight" by Sharon Bonanno and Lisa Scott.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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In Hindsight by Sharon Bonanno and Lisa Scott is the true story of two sisters and their journey across life. The story begins with Sharon, her husband, and her three children watching football on a Sunday. Lisa interrupts the game with a call telling Sharon she’s at the emergency room and can’t breathe. Sharon worries when she gets this call because she knows her sister usually calls their mother, and when Lisa calls Sharon, it often means she’s in trouble. Sharon rushes across her town to her sister’s aid, only to find Lisa is not in the emergency room. Finding Lisa in her car, Sharon decides to follow her. They take a winding path and end up back at Lisa’s house. With Lisa seemingly safe, Sharon returns home.

Soon after this incident, Lisa calls her mother in the middle of the night. Lisa is crying and in a deep depression. She says she wants to die. Sharon and their mother stage an intervention. Lisa is addicted to cocaine, and Sharon and their mother want to help her. Will Lisa finally get the help she needs? Will she continue to uproot everyone’s lives on the downward spiral of addiction? Find out in In Hindsight!

This book was a very eye-opening look at addiction. Lisa and her sister, Sharon, talk openly and honestly about the trouble of Lisa’s addiction and other life choices. The sisters evaluate their lives with the insight of a trained psychologist. They jump back to their childhood and talk about Lisa learning to lie at a young age about both trivial and life-or-death scenarios. Their non-fiction autobiography notes that their perceptions shape how they write their story and how they live their lives.

I enjoyed reading this book, which shared both the ups and the downs of Lisa and Sharon’s lives. This book gives readers another perspective of addiction. As we see the world through the sisters’ eyes, we can see that both were struggling with their decisions, and both had faced their own hardships and challenges. I especially loved how they evaluate how their relationships with their father shaped who they are and how they give and receive love and acceptance.

I think any reader who has been affected by addiction should read this book. It is profoundly personal and sheds new light on addiction. More than that, it is also a story of overcoming challenges and reaching for and achieving personal goals. I think readers will be surprised by Lisa’s journey and share commonalities with Sharon’s struggles and strengths. Both authors have clearly taken a hard look at their choices throughout life and decided to share what they learned in this endeavor with others.

I feel like this book has a wide audience because the subject of addiction can apply to many people. While Lisa chose cocaine, others choose food, alcohol, and other addictions. Even though the main message is overcoming addiction, other heavy topics like eating disorders and family issues affecting children are discussed. I think most readers would be able to relate in some way to Sharon and/or Lisa.

Overall, I rate this book four out of four stars, and I found nothing to dislike about it. It is written almost conversationally, and I felt as though I was there with the authors as they recount their journey. The sisters share their very personal thoughts in a way that made me feel like I was their therapist or close friend. I feel a bond with these sisters through their writing. Their writing was edited well, and I found no errors. There is some foul language, but it is not overdone. That said, I would recommend this book for mature readers.

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In Hindsight
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[markodim721]

I like that the narrative of the book is quite realistic and that the book is charged with emotion. Thanks for the good review.