A review by laszlocravensworth
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

CW: cancer, death, mental health, suicide ideation


I am in tears as I write this review. I just finished The Heart Principle and I can absolutely say it is a book that will stick with me for years and years. I really enjoy Helen’s writing and really liked the other two books in this series but this one hit really close to home and that’s why it’s a 5-star read for me. In February 2021 my grandmother came home on hospice and my family dropped everything to take care of her in her last months with us. We wanted to do it, but like shown throughout the book, caregiver burnout is REAL. I’ve carried this extreme guilt over how I felt during that time. I loved my grandmother so much and I would drop everything again to take care of her but the sadness you feel while taking care of someone who is declining is overwhelming. I was constantly exhausted, angry, frustrated and sad. It is HARD taking care of sick loved ones. After her passing, I fell into a deep depression, just like Anna did. Those really really bad thoughts pop up in your head, even if you don’t mean for them to. I didn’t really come out of that depression until a few weeks ago. I’m still extremely sad and angry and frustrated and I feel so alone. But to see this played out for me in a book really showed me that so many people who care for someone go through these same emotions and I was not a bad person for feeling overwhelmed while it was happening. It is really hard to pick yourself up when you are that low, and I love that Anna was able to reconnect with her mother after. I’m so glad she had Quan there for her. It really does help when you have someone by your side.
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