4 out of 4 stars
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The loss of a loved one can often be a trying time for a family. Everybody grieves differently and families often have different reactions. While some pull together and manage to appreciate those loved one who remain, others become consumed in their grief, pushing away anybody who cares about them. When that family member is a child, it can be even more difficult for loved ones to process the death.
Laura Prince’s Sibling Loss: A Sister’s Journey from Despair to Celebration is a memoir that tells the author’s own story. Her brother, Mathew, was killed in an accident at thirteen years old. This event left the family broken in a way from which they never fully recovered. In Sibling Loss we learn about Prince’s early life, her parents’ courtship and the lives that her remaining two brothers led after the tragedy.
This book is told through the lens of an adult who has taken years to process the traumatic events from her childhood. When she looks back upon the actions of her parents and siblings, she is able to recount the events with the clarity of an adult who has had the opportunity to reflect upon the reasoning for the family members’ reactions. I felt as though this clarity allowed the reader to understand the family more. We see that Laura’s mother has shut down, unable to console her other children because of her own grief. Her father, who was never particularly an overly affectionate man, depends on his wife for comfort, also taking her attention away from the other children. As a result, the three remaining siblings must cope with their brother’s death in their own way.
Sibling Loss follows Prince throughout her adulthood, as she continues to struggle with her grief. We see the mistakes that she makes in her life, and the lessons that she learns. The reader struggles with her as she continues to make mistakes in her personal relationships, mistakes that she can later attribute to her own failure to cope with the loss of her brother.
This book deals with a serious topic very well. Although the chapters jump a bit through time, it is easy to keep up with what is going on. Throughout each chapter, Prince also reminds the reader of not only where she is, but also where her other family members are at the time. I think readers who have lost somebody close to them at a young age can relate to Prince and appreciate the message of her story. It is one of love, loss, and hope. Prince’s journey is one worth reading. If you enjoy reading memoirs and biographies, I think this is a book that you would really like. I give this book 4 out of 4 stars.
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Sibling Loss; a sister's journey from despair to celebration
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