Friday, July 5, 2013

"Love Anthony," by Lisa Genova

"Love Anthony," by Lisa Genova

I’m always hearing about how my brain doesn’t work right…But it doesn’t feel broken to me.

Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, Anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. He didn’t speak. He hated to be touched. He almost never made eye contact. And just as Olivia was starting to realize that happiness and autism could coexist, Anthony was gone.
Now she’s alone on Nantucket, desperate to find meaning in her son’s short life, when a chance encounter with another woman brings Anthony alive again in a most unexpected way.

In a warm, deeply human story reminiscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Daniel Isn’t Talking, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova offers us two unforgettable women on the verge of change and the irrepressible young boy with autism whose unique wisdom helps them both find the courage to move on.

I stumbled upon this book by accident.  I was a member of a site where you got points for certain things and when you had accumulated so many points you got to pick prizes.  One day I decided to cash in my points and I chose some books, including this one.

I have never read a book written by Lisa Genova, I will definitely but ordering her other two books, "Still Alice," and "Left Neglected," from the Library.  I will say you are not initially sucked right into this book, but the more you read the more you need to know what happens next.  The way Lisa writes and thinks what is going on in the young boy's autistic mind, just blows you away.  You honestly feel she is standing in the boys brain just listening to what he is thinking.

With Olivia's faith being in question throughout this book, and the priest telling her to "listen with your heart, with your spirit.  His answers are there, within you;" doesn't make sense to her at the time, but it all ends up coming together in a very good way.

This book also makes you question fidelity in a marriage.  What would you do if your spouse cheated on you?  All these points makes for a book that is easy to read but does make you think.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  It took me a while to get used to Lisa's way of writing but there is one thing for sure it was a worth while read and I will be reading her other two books as soon as I can.

1 comment:

  1. I read this book this summer and enjoyed it. I have also read the other two books by the author so knew what to expect. I did skip through the story she wrote within the book just to finish it.

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