Arlena Has Read and Reviewed What Novels?

Title:  Our Short History

Author:  Lauren Grodstein 

Publisher:  Algonquin Books

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Our Short History" by Lauren Grodstein

My Thoughts....

"Our Short History" really deals with a subject that is somewhat hard to talk about...dying.  This author does a very good job in presenting this mesmerizing, hear wrenching told story. What will a mother do when she finds out that she doesn't have long to live [fighting stage IV ovarian cancer] and she has a son who was just six year old.  Karen writes a book for her son who was just six year old to be read by his older self.   This was definitely one of those 'tearjerker' reads.

What will happen when Jake ask hims mother to find his dad?  Now Jake wants to meet his father which presents problems for the mother,  Karen.  What will she do because there is a history that did not turn out well between Karen and Jake's father?  Will her sister still be able to take care of Jake as it had been planned now that the father has come into the picture.  This is a very emotional read that will give the reader quite one complicated relationships with all of these characters: from Karen, Jake, Jake's father [Dave] and Karen's sister. Now, I did say that this is sad story however, do be ready for a little humor at times, very absorbing and so memorable and even thought provoking in this mother-son relationship.

This author really gives the reader one beautifully well written story that is so very raw as her son 'resonates and Karen's bravery in facing her illness is so very admirable.  With that all I can say is that this story "Our Short History" was one story that I will not forget anytime soon.   I will say after all that had gone with between Karen and her ex boyfriend [Dave], her illness and her life she had not chosen for herself I could definitely  understand why she felt the way she did about this whole situation.  In the end we see that this wasn't about the 'life Karen had given her son but the live he had given her.'