Review by HopeW -- Chasing A Flawed Sun by Daniel McGhee

[HopeW]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Chasing A Flawed Sun" by Daniel McGhee.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Chasing a Flawed Sun by Daniel McGhee is an intense and beautifully raw read that will leave you in a whirlwind of emotions. McGhee shares the most personal and intimate moments of his life when he battled alcoholism and heroin addiction from teenagerhood into his young adult years. His uncensored (and somewhat unreliable) experiences get to the heart of the pressures and difficulties of getting clean in the murder capital of the world.

The best part of this read is the openness McGhees shares with his readers. Nothing is left off the table. Despite being ashamed or disgusted by himself all of his ‘rock bottom’ moments are shared. It takes a strong person to overcome the struggles he faced but it’s even stronger to share them with the world. Personally, I couldn’t believe some of actions he took to continue supporting his habit. Which included stealing or using unsanitary methods to shoot his choice of drug. His ability to admit what he had done wrong, learn from his mistakes, and acknowledge his own weaknesses makes the story all the more vulnerable, real, and powerful.

This book was not overly flawed in a story-telling perspective; however, there were a lack of transitions between events collected in the same chapter. Events and thoughts seemed to jump from one to the other with little transition and often had me wondering how the two were connected. Some of these thoughts also seemed misplaced and lacked a finished outcome. While this wasn’t overly distracting is was the element I disliked most while reading. It made the story somewhat choppy and incoherent.

I would give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. While the story itself is great and I have little negative to say about it, there is still much to be desired in the editing. There are multiple grammatical and punctuational errors that are noticeable and reflect an unprofessional editor. The biggest issue I noticed was the misuse of commas. They were scattered throughout nearly every sentence and were not always properly placed. Often times commas were placed where one wasn’t needed and other times necessary commas were overlooked. There was also minor wordiness and excessive use of the word ‘and’ that wasn’t essential. Keeping these issues in mind the book is unable to be given a perfect score.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered an addiction or knows someone who has. The challenges he faced and the feelings he shared (both by him and those affected by it) are relatable and emotional. Even if you haven’t been in a similar position before his hardships are a message on the power of patience, humility, and perseverance. I feel that most people can interpret his experience and benefit from the morals presented.

If you do not like foul language, sexual themes, or mild graphic violence you should avoid reading this book. I would still recommend this book if you are against drinking and drug use since the message at the end is still very positive and serves as a warning against this type of behavior. However, if you absolutely can’t stand the mention of drinking and drug related activity it is best to skip this one.

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Chasing A Flawed Sun
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[sharon titus]

I enjoyed reading your review, so I am sure I'll enjoy the book as well. Thank you for your hard work