Review of The Last Stop

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Stop" by Patricia Street.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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At the tender age of 15 years, Patricia Streets’ son, David, had an accident that led to him having one of his toes cut off. The hospital administered morphine to relieve the physical pain of the amputation, and that was how he was introduced to opiates. He began experimenting with other drugs and settled on heroin as his drug of choice in his twenties.

David loved writing and desired to become a published author. Throughout the years, he wrote short stories and journaled regularly. His journal entries are featured in the first part of this book alongside Streets’ experiences. The second and final part of the book comprises David’s short stories. Patricia wrote this book to share the day-to-day struggles that she, David, and the rest of the family went through because of David’s addiction. She used this book as her grieving outlet. She wrote it to find closure and honor his late beloved son, David.

The impact of substance abuse is not limited to the abuser only. Substance abuse affects family members, communities, and nations. This book offers a glimpse into the life of an addict and their immediate family. Imagine your child being expelled at school for almost killing another pupil or being called by your child in the middle of the night, begging you to pick them up after being kicked out. How about having to attend court cases so much that you lose count? This was Patricia Streets’ reality. In the book titled The Last Stop, she shares her and her son’s story.

The book has many positive aspects; it is authentic and unfiltered. The author shared the good, the bad, and the ugly. She laid it all bare for readers to learn from her successes and shortcomings as a parent of a child who abused drugs. Readers are exposed to the innermost thoughts and struggles of an addict through his own words. This vulnerability drew me closer and caused me to reflect. There was nothing to dislike about this insightful book, and I am delighted to award it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.

The editing of the book was impeccable, and I was thoroughly impressed as I only found one typographical error in this 494-page offering. The book contains sexual and violent scenes. However, they are not graphic or overly detailed. The language used is mostly clean, with a few profane words.

This book is written from interesting viewpoints and shares real people’s experiences. It is relatable, informative, and offers guidance and pointers to parents, guardians, and addicted individuals. I strongly recommend it to parents of addicts, as they will find comfort and hopefully learn how to overcome their predicaments. Individuals who are currently battling with addictions will also find this book beneficial.

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The Last Stop
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Tebogo Eugene M]

Yha come to think about it a drug addict is affecting his/her own life. But at the end we are all affected family, friends, community and the national. Because loosing your love one's is not easy. Even when we are not related, but we are still brothers and sisters.
To the family thinks for sharing the story.

[Sarah Sonbol]

Reading this review filled me with sympathy for Patricia. Stories of addiction are full of grieves and sadness. Thank you for the informative and touching review.

[NancyDrew12]

David is going down a slippery slope. I hope he finds a way to stop his addiction and becomes his former self again. Fantastic review!

[Lucy Vera]

It must be seemingly difficult to be a parent to a child who abused drugs. I am impressed by the author's courage. Thank you for your awesome review!

[Lucy Vera]

Reading this review filled me with sympathy for Patricia. Stories of addiction are full of grieves and sadness. Thank you for the informative and touching review.

I felt she showed courage and great strenght. It must have taken a lot of courage to soldier on.

[Mmaduabuchi Eze]

It is surprising how a single event or occurrence can change a person's life forever. The story of David's fate is just a reflection of what happens to people on a daily basis. Many people are held hostage in some dangerous lifestyles. I hope humanity draws strength and hope from this book.

[PeterRabitt20]

This opiate epidemic is just a tragedy. I hope the message of this story reaches many people in a good way. Thanks for your review. I'll be picking this book up.

[Jeremia Mkhwanazi]

I really believe that drug addiction is and really is infectable and can be really dangerous to our families,
really must've cost Patricia a lot of a courage to handle or try balance the situation in her family because seriously from knowledge and from what I've seen in other families lifes around me , some really give up in situations like Patricias.
I really like and admire these preview.

[Rayah Raouf]

Fantastic review. This sounds like it might be difficult to read in terms of emotions, but I am sure you can learn so much.

[Ellylion]

Addictions of any kind are a plague of our times. I believe, the book is really worth reading! Thank you so much for this amazing review!

[Hana_Fabro]

David's memoir offers a lot of life lessons that will inspire every reader. Thanks for sharing this great review.

[kandscreeley]

I can't tell you how many stories I've heard like this. Opiates aren't at all what the pharmaceutical companies claimed them to be. It's sad how many lives it's ruined. Thanks for the review.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

The book is certainly very helpful for people struggling with addiction and their loved ones. Great review!

[MsH2k]

An accident at 15—what an unexpected introduction to the world of drugs and addiction. I hope David’s family is continuing to heal.
Thank you for your thoughtful review.