Review by AntonelaMaria -- A Portrait of Mommy by JL Coston

[AntonelaMaria]

[Following is a volunteer review of "A Portrait of Mommy" by JL Coston.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

A Portrait of Mommy: Expressions of Love, Faith, and Perseverance by JL Coston is a short non-fiction book, about the author’s mother, told in the first person. This is a book about perseverance and hope.

Ellawese Darden, also known as Mommy, was born in 1929 in Georgia. This book chronologically tells us a story about her growing up as a single child in a small town. Her parents have dealt with some marriage issues. When she was 18, her mother left her and her father. We follow her coming of age story until marrying and starting a family. This is a book filled with headaches, troubles, bullying, and abuse, but also love, forgiveness, and hope.

The plotline may not be all that unique, but it is very engaging. It is easy to understand why the author would write this book. All of us who are inspired by our mothers can relate. What I loved about this book is how it made me invested in the protagonist's life. I was happy and sad about Ellawese. I wanted her to have a happy ending. This book also made me angry. Until she had her children and found solace in her faith, Mommy was very much alone. Neither one of her parents truly loved her or put her first. For example, when Ellawese got married, her mother didn't attend her wedding. Ellawese is a very selfless person, who even in times of heartache, looks for positivity. She sacrificed everything for her loved ones.

This book had some formatting errors and mistakes in the marking of the pages. I couldn’t find any grammar errors in this book. I can't rate it a perfect score because everything else should be exceptional too. Also, the choices the author made in how she told the story could be better. All the chapters could have a better flow between them. There are also a lot of unanswered questions because the storyline in them ends abruptly. Overall, it is a solid read. I would rate it with three out of four stars.

There is no profanity or explicit scenes in this story. It is a perfect read for all the readers who are looking for a short book filled with real-life characters. I wouldn’t recommend this book to cynics, atheists, or younger readers. I think this book is best suited for Christians or very religious people. Furthermore, female readers will enjoy this book more.

******
A Portrait of Mommy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Julius_]

I've also read this book and I agree that it would please people who like real life characters. Thanks for the review

[AntonelaMaria]

I've also read this book and I agree that it would please people who like real life characters. Thanks for the review

Thank you for commenting!!