3.5 stars. I had a hard time putting this book down, but I did not really like the author. I am sure that I would feel many of the same feelings if I had lost my three sons: that ultimately I didn't protect them, and that would also devastate me (even though not true). I would also want to keep them with me all the time. But I do wonder how that will affect the author's youngest child--she may never get out from under a shadow of her siblings. I agree with this (page 444): "He talked about his own losses and said that while he had never experienced anything to compare with burying three daughters, 'people's pain is people's pain.' What had helped him cope during bad times was knowing that he wasn't alone, and others were going through similar situations...My past...was a part of me...I worried that 'moving on' meant abandoning the memories and moments that had been the core of my life. But now I understood that I didn't have to close one book to begin a new one...would forever have the beautiful story we had begun with our girls, and what was written could last forever. But the book wasn't finished. We could begin a new chapter." "I'll See You Soon" is a memoir by Jackie Hance, whose family became a news headline after her sister-in-law, Diane, drove the wrong way on a highway in New York and got into a car accident, which killed Diane as well as one of her children and all three of Ms. Hance's children. It was definitely a tragedy and was one that outraged many. Hance seeks to show how she coped with this tragedy in this book.This was definitely a hard read for me for a couple reasons. First off, the subject matter is difficult. I'm not a parent but I can only imagine how horrible it would be to lose all of your children due to someone else's negligence. Second off, the book is supposed to be about how Hance copes with the loss of her children but she never really seems to cope fully with moving on with her life. I think we all realize that grieving is not a linear process at all. Hance has much of her identity tied up with being a parent and I realize that she must feel lost but she never seems to get over that hump of how to move forward without holding yourself back in some way.This book seems to be much more about the process of grieving (healthy or unhealthy) than the solution to how you grieve. This book really left me with many more questions than answers. On the other hand, it is hard to say that there should be answers in these sorts of books- they are memoirs of course and sometimes we don't get full answers in life. I was more interested in how Hance related to her brother-in-law (Diane's husband). We get a taste of it but we really don't get the full story. How could Diane's husband deny what the toxicology reports showed? Why was she drinking and taking drugs? Was this a random event or had something like this happened before? So many questions and not many answers!Overall, I enjoyed this memoir but wanted more!
Do You like book I'll See You Again (2013)?
Horrific and very accurate look at a mother's profound grief.
—Arley
I refuse to rate or review this book.
—Butterfly_01
