Jo Austin writes not only as a mother, a woman, a daughter, but her story of ´life, love and loss´ is a testimony of a woman building her own path. Despite all odds, and chronical illness and challenging mental health issues.
As Jo Austin mentioned at the beginnig of the book, ´having a mental illness is not a choice´ and the same goes with any kind of illness. Definitely, in the case of the mental illness the signs are not clearly visible and therefore more difficult to explain and understand. Austin takes her time to share her story slowly, on a very simple yet empathic tone. Her life journey, like everyone´s is a journey of pain, struggle, misunderstanding, heartbreak but also love and finding herself. Indeed, one may think what exactly is the reason to share such a story, not necessarily heroic and exceptional, with the rest of the world. The reason is its normality and the way in which everyday people can find themselves reflected into the story.
Personally, I was very interested in her account on her life with OCD, as I haven´t seen too many memoir-like testimonies in this respect but the book is not about this specific aspect of her life therefore I may understand.
The book is kindly written, with an empathic way of connecting and remembering people, with many personal details. Reading it, gives strength to many readers, particularly women and mothers of children with special needs and themselves in a delicate mental situation.
Rating: 3 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
No comments:
Post a Comment