Review of "Shirley" Goodness & Mercy

LinaMueller · Post by **LinaMueller** » 18 Oct 2021, 06:39

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of ""Shirley" Goodness & Mercy" by Tanya L Holland.]

4 out of 4 stars

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"Shirley" Goodness & Mercy by Tanya L Holland is a biography focusing mainly on the author's relationship with her mother. The death of her mother from cancer had devastating effects on her life, and she was suffering for several years without being able to overcome the pain.

The writing style is unorthodox. It is mainly written in prose, but there are a few poems in several different chapters. The sad message of pain and suffering lives side by side with "fun facts" that demonstrate the author's particularities and sweet memories, such as the fact that her mother was terrible at cooking fish.

I don't mean to sound cocky, but the truth is that after reading thousands of books, you end up developing an analytical skill that the casual reader doesn't have. What do I mean by that? It's that you become able to perceive (or at least have the impression that you perceive) the true intention of whoever wrote the book. For a book to be a landmark work, not only do the authors need to be naturally talented, but they need to write with passion. And that's what you find in this book. In various parts of the book, you can feel what the author felt, and you can clearly see that she wrote this work from her heart. The climax of the book, in my view, was when the author finds out that her mother died and she was in the Bahamas. You can see in each letter how much she suffered for not being with her mother on her deathbed. All this passion converted into a book (although it's sad in some parts) was what I liked the most.

There is nothing negative worth mentioning. The only grammatical error found was a missing quotation mark. There is no sexual content nor swear words. The book has several religious references, and at the end of the book, there is Christian content. Still, I don't think the book is more suitable for people of a particular religion. The central theme is the love between mother and daughter and how to overcome the loss of a loved one. This message is universal, and individuals of all religions can appreciate it.

Although the book has an intrinsically sad message, I was left with a feeling of happiness when I finished reading it. Not just because I got the impression that the author's mother fulfilled her mission, but because Tanya seems to have finally overcome her grief through charity and the creation of a support group called "Motherless Daughters." I would say that catharsis may have been one of the reasons (even if unconsciously) for the author to write this book. Still, she ended up creating a real gem anyway. The book is very well written, and the sentences are overflow with emotion and passion. For that reason, I gladly rate it four out of four stars. I recommend this book to all those who have lost a loved one and cannot get over that loss.

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"Shirley" Goodness & Mercy
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collinsogw555 · Post by **collinsogw555** » 20 Oct 2021, 08:41

This seems to be an excellent book that discusses the relationship between a child and a mother. But I will not be picking this book as I am not a fan of poems. Thanks for an honest review.

Nonso Ok · Post by **Nonso Ok** » 20 Oct 2021, 09:47

Tanya symbolizes great strength and I am glad she finally overcame her grief. Your review of this book is top-notch.

Ivvie Ivanova · Post by **Ivvie Ivanova** » 20 Oct 2021, 14:37

Thank you for your review! This book sounds like it would be a bit hard to read since it deals with such horrible loss but also readingabout overcoming grief is a positive thing that people should be prepared for.

Nkgchidimma080 · Post by **Nkgchidimma080** » 20 Oct 2021, 23:50

Mother and child relationship,sounds like a very interesting topic,am picking this book because am a lover of poems,thanks for the beautiful review.

Post by **Mbali Qalinge** » 22 Jul 2022, 08:24

There are many ways to deal with grief, and it sounds like the author took her grief and transformed it into a beautiful book that I'm sure will be helpful to anyone else experiencing grief or those who enjoy biographies. Congrats on BOTD!

Ferdinand_Otieno · Post by **Ferdinand_Otieno** » 22 Jul 2022, 08:26

This is an interesting inspirational non-fiction book highlighting grief, loss, mental, emotional and spiritual breakdown, and growth. The book is temporarily free on Amazon Kindle and has a well-written OnlineBookClub review. Congrats @TLhollandwrites on the BOTD selection.

Ohna Martin · Post by **Ohna Martin** » 22 Jul 2022, 08:28

Great review thank you. I do not think this book is for me though. Losing a loved one is hard, when it is a parent it is even harder. I do think that sharing such a personal level of grief with the world is very brave.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 22 Jul 2022, 08:34

I lost my mom six years ago. I still miss her, but I pray that she has reached eternal glory and is now watching over us. I am so happy to get this book for free even though it will likely make me cry.

Post by **Chinazo Anozie** » 22 Jul 2022, 09:02

While this book seems like a good read, I'm not big on non-fiction, so I'll have to skip it.

Achiever Tandoh · Post by **Achiever Tandoh** » 22 Jul 2022, 09:06

Great review. I agree, when you have read a lot of books, you become better at analyzing and seeing things that an average reader may not see in a book. It does sound like a good book, however, I have to let it pass because I am not a fan of biographies. Thank you for the review.

Charlienmegan Wehner · Post by **Charlienmegan Wehner** » 22 Jul 2022, 09:08

This book definitely sounds like a tear-jerker when reading about the letters the author wrote about her mother’s passing. Thank you for your great review.

smolbird · Post by **smolbird** » 22 Jul 2022, 09:13

Losing a parent can be devastating, especially if you had a good relationship with them.

Loniya Chabili Mubanga · Post by **Loniya Chabili Mubanga** » 22 Jul 2022, 09:13

I'm always keen on reading non fiction that tackles loss of a loved one, especially to a terminal illness. Tanya sounds like she really grieved her mom in her own unique way and wrote her this book as a way of healing. I look forward to reading it.