Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and the author's family for the opportunity to read and review this book. 4.5 stars.
In her late 30s, Julie Yip-Williams, was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer. She was a successful attorney, happily married with two small children. But this wasn't the first time Julie had faced death. She was born in Vietnam to Chinese parents at a time of civil unrest. She was born blind with severe cataracts and her grandmother forced her parents to take her to a herb doctor who would put her in an eternal sleep so she would not be a burden to her family. Surviving that as well as an escape on a refugee boat would have seemed to use up her share of bad luck.
This book is Julie's diary of her diagnosis, treatment and acceptance of her death. She railed at the cultural view of cancer of it being a war and if you fight hard enough you can win it, as well as the sometimes cheerful denial of those facing death. Julie was angry and while she fought very hard to stay in this life for her family, she was also very much a realist.
This is definitely a book that urges everyone to live life while you have it and to live it fully. But also to embrace the eventual unwinding of the miracle that is life.
No comments:
Post a Comment