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shea_proulx's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
mastersal's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this up based on David Schaafsma’s review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2821781945?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1) and I am glad I did.
This was amazing ... and sad ... and I think it broke my tiny little heart which is why this took so long for me to review.
This is a graphic memoir of a family dealing with a terminal illness (ALS) in their midst - in this case, of the author’s husband. This is an honest and brutal story which avoids the Hallmark narrative of grace in death and illness bringing family together for a last hurrah. The illness here is selfish and almost breaks the family and the author in particular who is left behind.
The most heartbreaking parts for me were how the couple’s children were impacted and how they lost their father even though he hadn’t technically passed away. There are a few panels where real photographs are used instead of drawn panels which made me cry.
It was a tad overlong because I felt battered by portion but I think that was the intent. And this line just put it over the edge for me:
”I let go of the rope the tethering me to Harvey ... but it isn’t Harvey who has lost. It’s me.
Worth checking out for an unflinching look at loss and courage despite some horrific circumstances.
PS. Side note: David picks up some really interesting graphic works so worth checking out his shelves.
This was amazing ... and sad ... and I think it broke my tiny little heart which is why this took so long for me to review.
This is a graphic memoir of a family dealing with a terminal illness (ALS) in their midst - in this case, of the author’s husband. This is an honest and brutal story which avoids the Hallmark narrative of grace in death and illness bringing family together for a last hurrah. The illness here is selfish and almost breaks the family and the author in particular who is left behind.
The most heartbreaking parts for me were how the couple’s children were impacted and how they lost their father even though he hadn’t technically passed away. There are a few panels where real photographs are used instead of drawn panels which made me cry.
It was a tad overlong because I felt battered by portion but I think that was the intent. And this line just put it over the edge for me:
”I let go of the rope the tethering me to Harvey ... but it isn’t Harvey who has lost. It’s me.
Worth checking out for an unflinching look at loss and courage despite some horrific circumstances.
PS. Side note: David picks up some really interesting graphic works so worth checking out his shelves.
erine's review against another edition
5.0
Doubly heartbreaking, because Moss is not only dealing with the sudden decline of her husband. Part of his response to his ALS diagnosis, indeed, part of how the illness affects him, is loss of empathy and certain cognitive functioning. He becomes unable to make rational choices for himself and unable to recognize feelings in others. This disconnect very clearly exacerbated what was already a raw and messy process.
The story underlines that everyone deals with a fatal diagnosis differently, and not just because people approach tragedy differently, but also because each illness manifests in a unique way. Much like childbirth, death has common patterns and it's comforting to know you are not alone. At the same time, it is also heartening to see the wide variety in experiences, which hammers the point home that just because your experience *isn't* like everyone else's doesn't make it bad or wrong. It's hard to hold both of those things in your head: both the universality and the uniqueness of this kind of experience. But this incredibly personal story manages to convey those complicated truths.
A hard story to read, and I'm sure it was difficult and painful to write. But a great gift of a story all the same.
The story underlines that everyone deals with a fatal diagnosis differently, and not just because people approach tragedy differently, but also because each illness manifests in a unique way. Much like childbirth, death has common patterns and it's comforting to know you are not alone. At the same time, it is also heartening to see the wide variety in experiences, which hammers the point home that just because your experience *isn't* like everyone else's doesn't make it bad or wrong. It's hard to hold both of those things in your head: both the universality and the uniqueness of this kind of experience. But this incredibly personal story manages to convey those complicated truths.
A hard story to read, and I'm sure it was difficult and painful to write. But a great gift of a story all the same.
eweaver1028's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this graphic memoir. The drawings brought Moss's story to life and emphasized the feelings of isolation she felt while her husband was sick. I loved how she included some family photos as well. I think this story resonated so much with me because it did not have a hopeful tone that books about loss often do. Her honesty was extremely powerful, and highlighted how grief does not always bring people together.
theoisnotalive's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
3.5
autismandniamh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
The world needs more books like this and Roz Chast's Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? So many books about death and dying paint a rosy picture of redemption and courage. Very few of them face the starker reality of terminal illness and advanced age: bedsores and feeding tubes, bankruptcy and caregiver burnout. This isn't a book about how a terrible thing can unexpectedly become a wonderful thing; it's about how a terrible thing keeps being terrible but you find ways to go on anyway.
Marissa and Harvey's constant insistence that they "have to" do everything on their own, even as people are constantly offering to help them, made me want to pull out my hair. Otherwise, a solid and solidly heartbreaking book about death and dying.
Marissa and Harvey's constant insistence that they "have to" do everything on their own, even as people are constantly offering to help them, made me want to pull out my hair. Otherwise, a solid and solidly heartbreaking book about death and dying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
carolpk's review against another edition
With sincere thanks to Red Wheel Weiser Conari / Hampton Roads, Edelweiss and the author Marcia Moss, who provided this e-galley to be published May, 1, 2017.
Highly Recommended
Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is an emotionally raw memoir made all the more powerful in graphic design. It would be nice to think that everyone that has a terminal illness dies with bravery, dignity, and understanding, losing the battle after a courageous fight while their loving family is by their side.
I don’t believe it was Marcia Moss’ intent to lessen the severity of her husband Harvey’s illness (ALS) his death or to dishonor his memory, but more her wish through her writing and images to heal herself and her children. Her book was many years in the making and is published with the permission of her three sons, now adults. We visualize Harvey’s anger at his fate, one that seems to keep those closest to him at arm’s length, shutting them out instead of allowing their love to comfort him. Perhaps this is his way of protecting them and himself. He never seems to move beyond this. I did now walk in his shoes and I just don’t know. I’m not certain Moss ever truly understands this either.
You cannot read without Last Things feeling sad. However, Moss shares an important story with us, one of her resilience as she struggles to be the glue that keeps her family together during extremely hard times.
You cannot walk away with taking something from her story. The title alone sheds insight that through the loss of much, including many last things, this author held on to her love of the man she married while nurturing her sons, maintaining a family unit. Don’t hesitate to pick this up but do pick your time.
Highly Recommended
Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love is an emotionally raw memoir made all the more powerful in graphic design. It would be nice to think that everyone that has a terminal illness dies with bravery, dignity, and understanding, losing the battle after a courageous fight while their loving family is by their side.
I don’t believe it was Marcia Moss’ intent to lessen the severity of her husband Harvey’s illness (ALS) his death or to dishonor his memory, but more her wish through her writing and images to heal herself and her children. Her book was many years in the making and is published with the permission of her three sons, now adults. We visualize Harvey’s anger at his fate, one that seems to keep those closest to him at arm’s length, shutting them out instead of allowing their love to comfort him. Perhaps this is his way of protecting them and himself. He never seems to move beyond this. I did now walk in his shoes and I just don’t know. I’m not certain Moss ever truly understands this either.
You cannot read without Last Things feeling sad. However, Moss shares an important story with us, one of her resilience as she struggles to be the glue that keeps her family together during extremely hard times.
You cannot walk away with taking something from her story. The title alone sheds insight that through the loss of much, including many last things, this author held on to her love of the man she married while nurturing her sons, maintaining a family unit. Don’t hesitate to pick this up but do pick your time.