Book Review Journal Entry #2 - "The Life and the Death of Charlie St. Cloud"

"The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud" - Ben Sherwood

Upon reading last night I read a passage that struck chord with me, and thought it was worth reflecting upon. The passage goes as follows:

"...Did the dead grieve right alongside us? Did they feel our pain? She had always been taught that they were in a better place, that they were embraced by the light, that they were with the angels. But what if that really wasn't what happened? What if the loss was just as heart wrenching for the dead as for the living? What if the pain never went away?..."

I remember right after my grandmother died (whom I was so very close to and spoke with several times each day) wondering the same thing. But what if she misses me as much as I miss her, the pain seemed soo hard to bear? I was so confused about where she was and very concerned about how she was feeling? was she missing us as much as we were missing her, and I couldn't bear the thought. I missed her soo much it hurt and the urge to just hear her voice one more time was soo strong, and nothing seemed to satisfy it. I mourned for all the things she would miss and all the things I would miss about her.

Be prepared to get teary eyed at the end of the book, it really is a moving story about love transcending all boundaries and that need for reassurance that all is right in the world, both here and beyond. I was very entranced in reading this book and would highly recommend it to anyone but especially to anyone that has lost someone they love. It certainly causes you to reflect on things and ask yourself questions, and maybe makes you pay attention to the small things happening around you each and every day.

Hope you enjoyed my review of this book and stay tuned for the next one. I have just started reading "At First Sight" by Nicholas Sparks

Book Review Journal Entry #1 - "The Life and the Death of Charlie St. Cloud"

I am currently reading "The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud" by Ben Sherwood, I promised myself I would read the book before I watched the movie because I almost always like the book so much better, but find it hard to read after I've watched the movie, and so far it is a great book. I loved the beginning where it's from the perspective of a volunteer fireman(although I'm sure that just hits close to home for me as my hubby is one and I always wonder what they are thinking). They are responding to a tragic accident that will play itself out throughout the course of this novel. It has been a great read so far, focusing a lot on the enduring relationship between siblings, and it also deals a lot with death, but not in a dark and depressing way, it's a refreshing perspective on death. It asks the question what happens to our loved ones after they die, are the really gone or just waiting for us to see them.

This book also deals with the struggles Charlie goes through to maintain the relationships that he cherishes the most, something all of us can relate to on one level or another. I think we all do certain things a certain way and maybe even at a certain time in order to achieve the balance we so cherish. I certainly know how important that balance is to me, and how important it is to hold onto that balancing act, even though at times it may not be convenient, the stability it provides is soo rewarding.

Thus far I am only about 65% done reading the book, and it is really starting to get interesting, so I look forward to what happens next as Charlie's relationships start to evolve and boundaries start to be pushed. Charlie is at a point in the book where he has to distinguish the difference between what is real and what feels real, and I am so interested to see how the author plays that out.

So look forward to reading my further reviews of this book soon!! Thanks for checking in

Amy