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Karen L. (Wilton, IA)
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
The book starts off slow but after I was almost half way through the book, I couldn't put it down. The characters are flawed but very human, very real and none of them are all good or all bad which is very true to life. This book would be good for book clubs because I think there are many discussion points. I think it would be good for those who have a disabled child or for friends and family of disabled children. It's a good reminder that life isn't perfect but it can be good anyway. I would recommend the book to just about everyone. The book surprised me because I thought I knew how things would turn out but I
…more was wrong. I was happy I was wrong in my predictions of how things would turn out. (less)
Suzanne G. (Tucson, AZ)
A story of love
This is a love story. A story that can make you cry, can make you laugh and above all, can make you appreciate life. The experiences of each character in the book will stay with the reader for a long while. It is beautifully written. I did think the ending, including all the characters, seemed too good and sweet and fluffy. There needed to be more "real life" at the closing. Yet, I couldn't put the book down. I loved it.
Jeanette L. (Marietta, GA)
The Mouse Proof Kitchen
What a wonderfully human book, it pulls at the heartstrings. This book is about Anna, Tobias and Freya, their new born daughter. Her brain didn't develop properly; she'll be physically and mentally handicapped. It's their journey of coping, learning the everyday requirements of feeding, bathing, nurturing and loving this child against their better judgment with no hope of Freya's improvement through the years. It is as Anna says "Love is the earth that holds our roots in place. Without it, there's nothing to keep us from falling over".
It is the triumph of love over the unexpected difficulties of life.
Mark B. (Jackson, MI)
Mouse Proof Kitchen
Being a special needs person, this book spoke to me as it gave a glimmer of memory to what my parents went through in raising me. I found the book easy to read and could relate to the struggles of the parents in raising a special needs child. The book will tug at your heart-strings as well as cause you to look at your own prejudices when encountering special needs people. I highly recommend the book for those who live with a special needs child or for those looking for a heart-tugging read.
Beverly J. (Huntersville, NC)
Unexpected Love
This heart-tugging emotional story told in a memoir-like format is intimately introspective, brutally honest yet deliciously warm with dollops of life-affirming humor. The narrator is Anna, a chef who loves order and this is accomplished by planning out her life dreams. Her partner is Tobias, a charming musician who is more carefree in his approach to life. But they are soon in a spot that stops them in their tracks – daughter Freya is born with profound disabilities. Anna worries what if she does not love Freya enough; Tobias worries what if we do, while an impulse buy of run-down animal infested farmhouse
…more further challenges the couple's past and future commitments. A glimpse into the healthcare systems of Britain and France and alternatives for disabled children was enlightening. This touching story of love, family, and loyalty is enhanced by a cast of eccentric secondary characters. (less)This was much harder to read than I thought it would be. Very tough subject matter, especially if you know someone in a similar situation. I would recommend, but be prepared to shed a few tears...
Anna S. (Auburn, AL)
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
Anna is a super-organized, trained chef who has her and her husband's perfect life all planned: they will live in Provence, she will have a restaurant, and he will be a successful musician. Then real life interferes when she gives birth to a severely disabled child. What ensues is the story of their coming to grips with their less-than-perfect life in the form of a rundown farmhouse far from Provence, a series of quirky neighbors, and a child requiring far more care than either parent feels equipped to give. My only quibbles are that some of the situations seem a bit contrived, and a couple of Anna's actions
…more seem out of character. All in all, a good read. (less)I received this as an Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) from Bookbrowse.com, and when I started reading it, I questioned my sanity in requesting it in the first place. Not because it's a terrible book--it's not. Rather, because a woman in her late 30s, six months pregnant for the first time with a much-anticipated daughter should probably not read a story about a woman in her late 30s who just gave birth for the first time to Freya, an unexpectedly severely handicapped baby girl. Anna's despair, frustration, and need to control something - anything - in her out-of-control life rang out so strongly, I had a hard time
…more disengaging my own emotions from hers.
Anna's husband shirks responsibility and provides virtually no support - emotionally, financially, or practically. I kept wondering why she stayed with him. She supposedly loved him very much, but I really didn't see why. He ignores her for most of the book and spends most of his time shutting out the world while he works on composing movie music and flirting with Lizzy, the flibbertigibbet teenager they pay to help take care of Freya...which she never actually does.
Anna becomes increasingly short-tempered and shrewish as the book progresses and her exhaustion (mental and physical) mounts, which is certainly a realistic reaction to her situation. I didn't always like Anna, but I also could empathize with how she was feeling, and I certainly don't claim I'd react any better were I in her shoes. How does one cope with the collapse of one's dreams of parenthood? How do you face a lifetime caring for a child whose brain never fully developed and who has constant seizures, a lack of muscle control, and will only ever be, in essence, a gigantic infant, no matter how long she lives, never capable of caring for her own most basic needs.
For readers' advisers: character doorway is primary, setting (they move from England to a village in France) is secondary. To me the tone of the book was...heavy and frequently depressing. The secondary characters are quite well-developed, and the mystery of their neighbor's mother's death during WWII was intriguing. I think this would make an excellent choice for an adult book discussion group. (less)
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