Review of I Did Not Kill My Husband : But I Almost Killed Myself

[Sam Ibeh]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I Did Not Kill My Husband : But I Almost Killed Myself" by AM Parker.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The world around Annie is like a crown made of thorns. Like the thorny crown of the biblical Jesus, it is adorned with blame and shame. Annie is a mom and teacher who fights with all her strength to get her marriages to work. Thus, the most significant dilemma: how long will Annie continue to die in silence because of her husbands' unhealthy behaviors? Will she find a solution to the life puzzles?

There are some things about this book that I find fascinating. One of them is the language. I know that writers play around with words a lot, but AM Parker's language here is original and outstanding. It is more about the form than it is about the grammar (the latter is a piece of work). Parker uses fitting words to make her expressions. The language here is simple, familiar, and informal. Here is an example from page 93: "Speaking of viruses, it's time for us to have a lil sidebar chatty chat. Alcoholism and heredity, come onnnn dowwwn." It is an everyday language that all and sundry can understand.

Another good thing about I Did Not Kill My Husband: But I Almost Killed Myself is the hooks. Almost all the topics here end with Annie keeping the reader anticipating the worst or the best to come. With this, she hooks the reader to the narrative from start to finish — a craft to commend.

But some literary lapses still reflect. First in my observations is the illogicality of the argument. Some of the conclusions made in the text do not agree with their premises. Not to give away a spoiler, the claim that Chris (one of her husbands) dies of alcoholism does not concur in logic with the facts presented in the book. Annie ends up giving evidence that, when scrutinized, shows a different cause of death. To make this more evident, she continues to accept guilt over Chris's death. Additionally, the claim that alcohol is generational is a stereotypical conclusion.

One harmful effect of these types of arguments in literature is that they alter the subject of the text. Instead of the reader coming to see the need to avoid alcoholism, they end up struggling to judge who is right or wrong. I know this is not the intention of Parker. So, literary arguments should be sound and syllogistic. In other words, a writer should balance the head and the heart in drawing literary conclusions.

The subject and manner of expression of this book are appealing. If not for some errors and the logical discord, the book is perfect. I will rate it 3 out of 4 stars. A 2-star rating will be harsh, considering that some of my concerns can be seen as trivial apart from the grammatical issues.

This book is best suited for people looking for a way out of spousal suppression and relationship turmoil, especially involving marriage. Though women are the primary targets, men who fall into the category mentioned above can find some aid in this book.

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I Did Not Kill My Husband : But I Almost Killed Myself
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[Kanchan Sharma]

Wonderful review for many people to understand the central line of the book. Many people go through unpleasant marriages and stuck in situations like the one mentioned in the review. I am eager to read it.

[Amy Luman]

I love this review! The use of ordinary language makes me really want to read the book. I also just finished a book where some of the facts given do not add up so it is nice to know what to look for.

[Tasha Simmons 1]

I am most definitely going to read this book! I can tell by this review alone that the character Annie in the story and I have led similar lives. I love the end of this review the most where you mention what audience it is best suited for. Thank you for realizing that there are people like me in situations that even a book could give them healing from.

[Uzo_Reviews]

Good to know that the author could profer help for his readers through the storyline whether married or unmarried. There's a lesson to learn. The review was a great one.

[Black Jewel]

This sounds like a fascinating read. Thank you for the review.

[Nujudee]

I've not read any of AM Parker's book, but your review makes it seems like a fascinating read.
I already want to know how Annie was able to scale through her horrible experiences.

[onyii_review]

Annie's character is one I could really relate with. Thanks for the review.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

The informal and easy-going writing style in this book will make people comfortable reading about a difficult topic like marital disintegration.
Thanks for this amazing review.

[Astral Magi]

I can relate to Annie because I too was married to an alcoholic once upon a time. Thank you for a lovely review.

[AntonelaMaria]

I hope this book helps people who find themselves in a similar situation in their marriage. It sounds like an interesting book as the theme of alcoholism is relevant to many people. Great job with the review. I understand your reasoning for rating it like this.

[Esthermanshop]

This book will be helpful for people looking for a way out of spousal relationship turmoil due to the disease of alcoholism. I commend the author for writing this book from her experiences which some of us can relate to. Its usually hard to believe what alcoholism does to persons/family.

[addicted reader]

I Did Not Kill My Husband: But I Almost Killed Myself sounds like an interesting book and fully packed with action. Annie seems to be a likeable character in the book. The cover of the book was well-designed by the author. It is attractive and can easily appeal to the eyes of any reader. Thanks for this insightful review. It really gave a glimpse of what the book is all about.

[Tars]

Quite intriguing title, at least I thought so until I started reading premise only to become disappointed, since instead of anticipated one of my favorite C/T/M/H mix-gen the book turns out non-fiction. Sorry, but subject matter is really not something to enjoy, in my opinion, and so I will have to pass it, but still congrats on BOTD!

[Berries 14]

This books language is simple and its theme is interesting. Nice review.