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thegrimtidings 's review for:
The Coward
by Jarred McGinnis
A touching read about self-forgiveness. McGinnis writes with an authenticity that comes with having lived through the content of his half-memoir, half-not, while drawing attention to the moments that count. At the same time as the narrator deals with accepting his own flaws and mistakes (of which there are many), he learns to understand those of his family, and why they have behaved the way they have during his difficult childhood. These realisations mirror his transition into accepting his new disability, the ultimate reminder of his past self and how in life, you can't undo your mistakes, but you can (and have to) adapt to them.
A really refreshing read with its fair share of bittersweet/emotional moments. There's something at the heart of the book and its subject matter that ties intrinsically to the human experience - self-loathing, regret, grief, etc. - which makes its characters easy to relate to. The topic is never too grim to make The Coward a difficult read; there's enough humour and glimpses of hope to remind you the narrator ultimately finds his happy ending.
And plenty of words of wisdom too:
Over the years the stories we tell ourselves change. They have to. Who wants to live as a foil or a minor character to their own life's story? We choose the scenes and chapters to tell a story where we are the hero. It's the only way to survive the gashes, nicks and scratches life carves out of us. And yet, here we are still with knife in hand.
A really refreshing read with its fair share of bittersweet/emotional moments. There's something at the heart of the book and its subject matter that ties intrinsically to the human experience - self-loathing, regret, grief, etc. - which makes its characters easy to relate to. The topic is never too grim to make The Coward a difficult read; there's enough humour and glimpses of hope to remind you the narrator ultimately finds his happy ending.
And plenty of words of wisdom too:
Over the years the stories we tell ourselves change. They have to. Who wants to live as a foil or a minor character to their own life's story? We choose the scenes and chapters to tell a story where we are the hero. It's the only way to survive the gashes, nicks and scratches life carves out of us. And yet, here we are still with knife in hand.