Official Review: Keeper of the Aged by Robin C Harville

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Saint Bruno
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Official Review: Keeper of the Aged by Robin C Harville

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Keeper of the Aged" by Robin C Harville.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Keeper of the Aged by Robin C. Harville comprises over 50 poems and musings about love, growing old, hope, and life. The author, a Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR), has worked in the health care sector for over 40 years. Hence, the poems and musings in this book reflect her work and life experience.

The author divides the book into two parts, 'Imperceptible Threads' and 'Resplendent Light of Day.' In the first part, we get to enjoy poems like 'We are the Same,' which informs young folks that the old were once young and implores them to show compassion. And the second part features poems like 'Emancipation,' which refers to death as a liberation of the soul. One of my favorite poems in the book, 'Bird Woman,' gives us a glimpse into the author's experiences while working with the elderly. This poem tells us about an aged resident with dementia who refers to the author as "Bird." This resident wonders why he or she is in a retirement home and where his or her family is.

I am glad to have come across this book. The musings and poems in the book are inspiring, thought-provoking, and touching. They also don't follow any rhyming pattern or meter. What I enjoyed most about the book was how it helped me to self-reflect on how I have been living my youthful life. The author intends to help readers understand that the life we have is not permanent. Reading about how delicate we become when we age brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes, dementia sets in and makes us forget our loved ones and even who we are. However, I enjoyed the author's message of hope because life is worth enjoying regardless.

Furthermore, I appreciate the author's message to those of us who are young at the moment. In the poem, 'Beware of Karma,' the author warns young readers about not showing empathy and regarding the aged with compassion. This book will also inspire readers to spend their time wisely and with people who love and cherish them.

The author's tone is deep, colorful, and touching. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and liked how some of the poems stayed on my mind long after reading them. Reading the book took my emotions on a wild ride. My mood changed from happy to sad, sad to hopeful, and back to happy again as I read through. In fact, the book touched my soul!

In conclusion, the only negative I found in this book is the alignment of the texts in it. A uniform alignment, either centrally or to the left, would have been more pleasing to the eyes. Nevertheless, this issue is easy to forgive, considering the overall unforgettable reading experience. And I didn't find a single error throughout my read due to the book's exceptional editing. Therefore, it gladdens my heart to award Keeper of the Aged four out of four stars. I highly recommend it to readers who wish to enjoy a thrilling poetry book about aging and see life through the lenses of the elderly. I also think elderly readers would find the book both thrilling and comforting.

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Keeper of the Aged
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Becca Olsson
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Post by Becca Olsson »

This sounds like the poems are written from a genuine place. I’m glad the author draws from her personal experiences no matter how difficult that may have been. Thanks for your great review
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Khushboo Barwar
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Post by Khushboo Barwar »

I like how the author clearly states that the older were too once young. I’ve always wondered what advice would the elderly people give to the young generation and also how they perceive life. I’m looking forward to the liberation of the soul part of the book. Thanks for your review.
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