Review of Shooting Out the Lights
Kim Fairley is happily married to Vernon Fairley. The over-two-decades difference in their ages doesn't seem to perturb her. Business is going well, and life cannot be any better, or so she thinks. Vernon gets a phone call from an unexplained woman called Ruthann to help take care of her son, Stanislaus. Kim has to juggle bringing a child into the world with raising another woman's child like her own. Will she cope with the struggles that come with motherhood, or will she succumb to the pressure?
Shooting Out the Lights by Kim Fairley chronicles her struggles as a young wife to a much older man who has yet to deal with his dark demons. The storyline reads like an individual's life story spread out over the period of their life. It details the day-to-day episodes through which Kim passes. This non-fiction work speaks to the reader on so many levels. The challenges of motherhood and the process of bringing a new life into this world are so expertly combined in this book that one will think it's a movie script.
There is so much to like about this book. We see the intricate details Kim discusses as she takes us through her pregnancy. Her attempt to show us the different sides to her husband is very impressive. She talks of his past in detail and links it to the reasons behind his actions concerning Stanislaus. She takes her time to humanize Vernon such that one cannot help sympathizing with her predicament. It is also lovely to see that she goes out of her way to find out what becomes of Stanislaus beyond her experiences with him. Her efforts to dig deeper into his background are also laudable.
I wouldn't say I liked that so much of the family's day-to-day activities were laid out in the book. It made for some very dreary reading for me. However, it could pass for a trivial concern.
I would encourage nursing mothers and students to learn a thing or two from the travails of Kim Fairley. This book ought to be on the reading list for literature students. Analyzing the various classic poetry works extolled by Vernon could create another book in itself.
Shooting Out the Lights is a lovely book. It may not appeal to everyone, but it has just the right mix of drama and humor to keep the interest of readers who love family-centered stories. The editing is exceptional, and I cannot put the finger on any severe reason to fault it. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
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Shooting Out the Lights
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