Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly: Reader Review

Title: The Poison Tree

Rating: 3 out of 5 (OK)

Review: In 1997, Karen is a straight laced university student. After meeting the bohemian Biba and becoming romantically involved with her brother, Rex, Karen spends the summer in the sibling's crumbling mansion fueled by sex and drugs. Her party comes to a shocking end when a complicated family history collides with violence. Ten years later, when Rex is released from prison, he comes home to live with Karen and their nine year old daughter. Their life is beginning to fall into place when old secrets come back to haunt Karen and threaten to destroy her family. Good story-semi cheesy application.

Reviewed by: Jessica O.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly: Reader Review

No comments:

Post a Comment