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There are currently 38 member reviews
for Mercies in Disguise
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Susan B. (Rutledge, MO)
heartbreaking, interesting
This was a compelling read that definitely kept me turning pages. It was also heartbreaking in many ways, due to the nature of the disease it portrays and the lack of a cure. I was surprised at how strong my opinions were about the choices the different people in the book made: about getting tested or not, and having children or not. So I learned something about myself as well. Recommended to folks interested in genetics, health and medicine, and ethics.
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Amy M. (Southlake, TX)
Mercies in Disguise
When the Baxley family realizes they have a genetic disorder, GSS, that results in the death of many family members, the younger Baxley's decide not to wait and see if they have the mutation that could be passed on to their children. What would you do? Would you live your life not knowing if you would die from this disease and maybe pass it on to your children, or be tested and plan the rest of your life? This book tells about Amanda's decision to plan her life, coupled with the personal family touch, gave the reader much to contemplate. Medical studies were written in such a way as to give the reader information they could understand. I enjoyed this book a lot.
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Kate G. (Bronx, NY)
Decisions, decisions....
Medical science has advanced so rapidly over the past 40 years, that patients are being placed in situations which place the burden of their healthcare squarely on them. Some members of the Baxley family have died due to a neurological disorder which resembled a combination of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Several of them had become physicians and studied and researched while several scientists were also describing and discovering what this disorder could be. Science and family intersect through Amanda Baxley who has lost her grandfather to the disease and is watching her father and uncle succumb. She must decide whether she wants to know her future and if so, will she risk passing on the disorder to her hypothetical unborn children? The story is compelling as Amanda's story unfolds. Most of the scientific information was very familiar to me, except for the disease itself and I found it a satisfactory, though not an enjoyable read. Gina Kolata is a gifted science writer and storyteller and while I think it provides much for book groups to talk about, the subject matter may be difficult for some to handle.
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Carm D. (Omaha, NE)
Mercies in Disguise by Gina Kolata
I was not sure that I was going to like this book. It started out kind of clinical like a medical research book.
After that part was done it moved into a family with devastating genetic illness. It described how different family members coped with the knowledge once it was discovered.
It was a good book, it kept my attention and I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a sort of medical detective story.
I have not read any other stories like this, nor have I ever heard of the disease GSS.
My prayers to the family!
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Deborah C. (Seattle, WA)
Would You Want to Know?
What if you carried a gene that meant that, when you reached middle age, you would develop a degenerative disease for which there is no cure. Would you want to find out whether you carried that gene? This book explores that question through the eyes of one extended family that has suffered from this disease for generations.
The author does a wonderful job of telling the stories of various family members at risk of or suffering from the disease. She also delves into the research that helped identify the disease and the gene that causes it. The book is both fascinating and heartbreaking to read.
This would be a great book for book clubs. The family members who have the option of genetic testing reach different decisions about whether to undergo that testing, and the reasons underlying these decisions provide really interesting topics for discussion. Plus, the book is very readable; I had a hard time putting it down!
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Caryl L. (Richmond, VA)
Mercies in disguise
This is not a happy book; However, it is a hopeful book about a very serious subject. The author has written in language that the average non-scientific reader can follow and understand. Further, she has included the lives of a family (Baxley) affected, giving the reader people to identify with making the book more like reading a novel. But don't forget - these people are real.
The disease caused by a mutated brain cell is passed genetically from generation to generation with no cure. It leaves the victim totally incapacitated. The effects on the families are devastating. While research has found no cure, a procedure has been developed to fertilize eggs in the womb, remove them and discard the ones with the infected gene and re-implant the others. What a decision! To some. the decision would be in a sin. To others, a chance to stop this disease in its tracks. What would you do?
Additional notes: Robin Williams chose suicide. His wife has written a book about this mutated brain cell disease.
Several young people in Washington State have contracted a disease that leaves their limbs weakened and useless somewhat like polio; caused, researchers believe, by a mutated cell.
Alzheimer research has recently made some very promising discoveries in brain cell mutations.
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Ruth H
Science vs. Religion
I really enjoyed this medical/ethics story. This family was full of surprises, especially about the decisions they would or didn't want to make. At times I laughed, sometimes I cried. The science side of this book taught me a lot about IVF/PGD; but also the religious ethic associated with the genetic disorder. Gina Kolata made me really think, "What would I have done if in this family's shoes?" Such a terrific ending, made me smile and cheer! Also appreciated the "Notes" section in back of book, makes me want to know more from medical reports and studies. All-in-all an easy read that is inspiring and educational.
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