This
isn't the book you think it is. :) This book is a good lesson about life. It is
about Devon Pearse's life....a life filled with sorrow and regret and a mother
who began to develop mental illness when Devon was around twelve, but also a
life with a loving father. Devon constantly was concerned about developing the
same illness her mother suffered from.
The
book takes you through her childhood - through love and tragedy - and moves to
the present with Devon as an adult and with her continuing problems and
problems of friends with secrets.
The
author is quite clever in her writing style and insinuations...she aligns the
"shades of gray" with how a mental illness fades a person just as a
photo fades. She used colors as the comparison of moods and stages of reality
to explain how colors indicated where Devon's mother was in terms of reality.
Pearse is an outstanding writer...very eloquent and interesting. She makes very
profound statements about life and about the choices we make about our life's
dreams….dreams that we either "murder" or fulfill. She does this in a
very interesting way and with very appealing characters.
It
takes a while to get to the gist of the story, but once you arrive, you will
enjoy the book's purpose and plot. Ms. Pearse takes you on an emotional ride
that includes love, lies, mystery, secrets, murder, and dealing with mental
illness. You will become attached to Devon and to her emotions as she deals
with and reacts to them in the right or wrong way but in a way only she knows
how to deal with.
The
beginning of the book gave background information on her family, and it was all
weaved into the very absorbing tale that unfolded. Some of the book isn't
pleasant, but you will learn about mental illness and also about life in
general...you may even learn some things that could help you in your personal life.
A LIGHTER SHADE OF GRAY is about family, friendship, and decision-making along
with a creative murder plot. It is a book that I would deem thought provoking.
I
enjoyed the book even though it took a few pages to become intriguing....but it
is definitely worth the wait....it is a captivating, unique novel. My rating is
4/5.
I totally agree- I felt like the first half of the book was SO hard to get into, but then once I got there I couldn't put it down.
ReplyDeleteI saw this book somewhere before and decided it was my kind of read. I'm adding it to my tbr list.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like a powerful book. There are so many people out there that struggle with mental illness, so it is great to see people sharing their experiences and putting it out there to let everyone know that it is not the end of the world, that mental illness does NOT have to ruin your life. Thanks for the recommendation :)
Anyway! I am your newest follower. Feel free to stop by blog and follow as well!
Best Wishes,
Mia @ The Muses Circle
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one once you got into it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour.