The Language of Sisters

Rating:
Summary: I'm Buying it for Christmas Gifts!
Review: I sure hope Amy Yurk is working on her third novel, because I loved this one. I think The Language of Sisters is the perfect gift for anyone with family issues because of a sibling who took an inordinate amount of family energy because of illness, disability, substance abuse or behavior problems. It really provides food for thought in an entertaining and yet heart-wrenching way. Whew. What a story!

Rating:
Summary: A worthy effort
Review: This book is about two sisters and it appears to have been written by two authors. The first, who begins the story and sucks in the reader with good, descriptive writing, tells the complicated tale of the older sister, Nicole, facing the rape and ensuing pregnancy of her severely handicapped and institutionalized sister, Jenny.

Returning home after ten years and choosing to stay and care for Jenny during the last four months of her pregancy, has Nicole facing her dysfunctional past and an uncertain and frightening future. And during this stage of the story I feel the writing loses its grasp. The dialog is pat and once full characters become flat and predictible.

Nevertheless, I was interested in the characters and hoped for a writing rebound. So, I stayed with it for the story rather than the writing. Happy to reach a satisfying conclusion, I deemed the reading experience worth my time.

I think this book may find its strongest audience with those who have lived with a retarded sibling (in this case a MUST read) or have in some way been attached to someone suffering from extreme disabilities where unspoken communication comes into play.

I intend to read Amy Yurk's first novel, The Kind of Love That Saves You, because I believe she has talent and am interested in her work.

Thank you for the opportunity to review The Language of Sisters.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful novel
Review: This book touched me in so many ways that I almost find it hard to put it into words. Ms. Yurk illustrated the relationship between the two sisters so eloquently, when I was reading I almost felt like I was intruding on the bond that they shared. But at the same time I felt such warmth at being given the gift of being a part of something so special. Read this novel, and you will be rushed with feelings of sadness and grief, yet happiness and excitement all at the same time.