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translator_monkey's review
5.0
Well, Doc, you knew when you opened this book that it was going to break your heart. You KNEW that, and you picked it off the shelf anyway, and you opened it.
I picked this book to read because I thought it would give me some insight into my mother's hard work caring for my father over the many years he suffered from Lewy Body Dementia, insight into what went through her mind with the first diagnosis, the ravages done to the body, the neurological devastation left in its wake, and the ultimate pain of watching the disease steal not only memory and motor skills, but your loved one's last breath. We lost Dad two years ago, and while I thought I understood the pain experienced by my mom, I know now that I was only seeing a projection of my own pain. Her experience was singular, obviously, and this book brought me far closer to living through her experience than I ever could have thought.
Leslie Davidson writes painfully and exquisitely, expressing the rawness of her loss in prose that is nothing short of breathtaking. This book travels her path along with her husband, Lincoln Ford, as they learn almost simultaneously that they are both struck by terrifying incurable diseases: he is sentenced to wandering his last years through the throes of dementia, while she faces a future with Parkinson's. Such are life's cruelties.
But while I was expecting a weepy travelogue down the backroads of grief and suffering, I was actually met with a love story full of courage and grace, both "characters" meeting their fates head-on - after all, what other choice is there? Surrounded by amazing friends and a loving family, they are able to call their own shots as best they can. Leslie's resilience throughout, providing primary care for her stricken husband, is not posted on a giant flag, waving in the breeze for all to see, but instead is the calm and constant heartbeat of the book. She writes with pain and humor in describing the many efforts she led to keep Lincoln feeling safe, loved, and as grounded as can be, accepting the disease and its unpleasant by-products with a resolve that might just force a smile and sob out of you at the same time.
So yes, this book did what I asked it to - it allowed me to find and maintain a connection into the minds of a strong and courageous woman and an equally strong and courageous man - not just Leslie and Lincoln, but more importantly (for me), my mother and father. This book was such a gift to be able to read and I highly recommend it.
I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to Edelweiss, the publisher, and the author for granting me a copy of the digital ARC. This in no way influenced my rating or review.
I picked this book to read because I thought it would give me some insight into my mother's hard work caring for my father over the many years he suffered from Lewy Body Dementia, insight into what went through her mind with the first diagnosis, the ravages done to the body, the neurological devastation left in its wake, and the ultimate pain of watching the disease steal not only memory and motor skills, but your loved one's last breath. We lost Dad two years ago, and while I thought I understood the pain experienced by my mom, I know now that I was only seeing a projection of my own pain. Her experience was singular, obviously, and this book brought me far closer to living through her experience than I ever could have thought.
Leslie Davidson writes painfully and exquisitely, expressing the rawness of her loss in prose that is nothing short of breathtaking. This book travels her path along with her husband, Lincoln Ford, as they learn almost simultaneously that they are both struck by terrifying incurable diseases: he is sentenced to wandering his last years through the throes of dementia, while she faces a future with Parkinson's. Such are life's cruelties.
But while I was expecting a weepy travelogue down the backroads of grief and suffering, I was actually met with a love story full of courage and grace, both "characters" meeting their fates head-on - after all, what other choice is there? Surrounded by amazing friends and a loving family, they are able to call their own shots as best they can. Leslie's resilience throughout, providing primary care for her stricken husband, is not posted on a giant flag, waving in the breeze for all to see, but instead is the calm and constant heartbeat of the book. She writes with pain and humor in describing the many efforts she led to keep Lincoln feeling safe, loved, and as grounded as can be, accepting the disease and its unpleasant by-products with a resolve that might just force a smile and sob out of you at the same time.
So yes, this book did what I asked it to - it allowed me to find and maintain a connection into the minds of a strong and courageous woman and an equally strong and courageous man - not just Leslie and Lincoln, but more importantly (for me), my mother and father. This book was such a gift to be able to read and I highly recommend it.
I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to Edelweiss, the publisher, and the author for granting me a copy of the digital ARC. This in no way influenced my rating or review.
joules03's review
4.0
Some of the writing was too flowery for me, but I still loved this book. It’s so honest and heartfelt, and you really see the love Lincoln and Leslie had for each other. Two terrible diseases, and it’s admirable how well she coped. I loved the little anecdotes, especially the ones that made me smile! Very sweet.