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A review by random_spider
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: A Memoir of Learning to Believe You're Gonna Be Okay by Sean Dietrich
5.0
I usually don't tear up from reading books. I can connect and understand the characters written, but even though how tragic their lives went my brain knew they were 'fictional'. This wasn't the case with Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: A Memoir of Learning to Believe You’re Gonna Be Okay
What I love most about these types of literature were the Sonder they gave to readers. I've only read 3 memoirs since I started reading seriously last 2022, which means you are free to consider this as a weak/invalid review if you'd like. All I know is that I could identify which books were good...and which were the best of best. And this book, I believe, couldn't get any better being a memoir as is.
This was a book of healing, especially of oneself. Will the Circle Be Unbroken? tells a story of life after tragedy about its author, Sean Dietrich . After the unfortunate incident of his father's suicide, he felt conflicted and confused about the man he once called his superhero. Bereaved of a father figure, he was ceaselessly haunted and unable to thoroughly enjoy every moment. As life since dragged him and his family down without pity, he countlessly tried to make amends with his 'demons' (even burying it within distant memory) without permanent success. Sean's childhood figure cursed him for eternity, yet little does he know that he did it to himself. And this autobiography was the physical evidence of his growth.
The book unveiled how a single event could bring so much irreparable consequences. The book, surprisingly, had a good sense of lighthearted humor, which was paced well (not too overstayed yet also not limited) and gave the book phenomenal juxtaposition with its heavier traumas. It contained some of the most heart-wrenching profoundness that are possible only in down-to-earth stories. The narrative also reverberated some sense of mystery, but it won't truly be answered full --- just a slow, incomplete revelation --- from Sean's perspective.
It presented some of the most valuable lessons and wisdoms I encountered this year (so far.) An example would be Glorified anticipations were often dulled by moment's reality. Sometimes, life presents itself in a certain way whether you'd like it or not. Like it's ok when there's no big sense of accomplishment but a mere 'wholeness' when you've achieve something monumental; It's normal if goodbyes doesn't have a sense of grand finality on them, only a mundane acknowledgement; And there's nothing wrong if you didn't felt any triumph upon conquering your past --- you just moved on instead.
I would consider myself as a pessimistic person, and this trait does transfer to the way I criticize my books. This means I'm more likely to give a lower rating to a flawed book when qualified (regardless of my personal enjoyment.) With that in mind, I didn't expect this book to be my first 5 ⭐ (10/10 rating). I was visualizing my first to be this universally loved book and was the top for its genre/readers (Ex. The Poppy War, All the Light We Cannot See, Slaughter-House Five, etc. Yes! I haven't read them...yet.) But like Sean, I realized that it doesn't have to be this 'BIG', critically acclaimed and successful novels that is ubiquitously adored. Maybe it's ok for it to be a personal healing story of someone in real-life.
What I love most about these types of literature were the Sonder they gave to readers. I've only read 3 memoirs since I started reading seriously last 2022, which means you are free to consider this as a weak/invalid review if you'd like. All I know is that I could identify which books were good...and which were the best of best. And this book, I believe, couldn't get any better being a memoir as is.
This was a book of healing, especially of oneself. Will the Circle Be Unbroken? tells a story of life after tragedy about its author, Sean Dietrich . After the unfortunate incident of his father's suicide, he felt conflicted and confused about the man he once called his superhero. Bereaved of a father figure, he was ceaselessly haunted and unable to thoroughly enjoy every moment. As life since dragged him and his family down without pity, he countlessly tried to make amends with his 'demons' (even burying it within distant memory) without permanent success. Sean's childhood figure cursed him for eternity, yet little does he know that he did it to himself. And this autobiography was the physical evidence of his growth.
The book unveiled how a single event could bring so much irreparable consequences. The book, surprisingly, had a good sense of lighthearted humor, which was paced well (not too overstayed yet also not limited) and gave the book phenomenal juxtaposition with its heavier traumas. It contained some of the most heart-wrenching profoundness that are possible only in down-to-earth stories. The narrative also reverberated some sense of mystery, but it won't truly be answered full --- just a slow, incomplete revelation --- from Sean's perspective.
It presented some of the most valuable lessons and wisdoms I encountered this year (so far.) An example would be Glorified anticipations were often dulled by moment's reality. Sometimes, life presents itself in a certain way whether you'd like it or not. Like it's ok when there's no big sense of accomplishment but a mere 'wholeness' when you've achieve something monumental; It's normal if goodbyes doesn't have a sense of grand finality on them, only a mundane acknowledgement; And there's nothing wrong if you didn't felt any triumph upon conquering your past --- you just moved on instead.
I would consider myself as a pessimistic person, and this trait does transfer to the way I criticize my books. This means I'm more likely to give a lower rating to a flawed book when qualified (regardless of my personal enjoyment.) With that in mind, I didn't expect this book to be my first 5 ⭐ (10/10 rating). I was visualizing my first to be this universally loved book and was the top for its genre/readers (Ex. The Poppy War, All the Light We Cannot See, Slaughter-House Five, etc. Yes! I haven't read them...yet.) But like Sean, I realized that it doesn't have to be this 'BIG', critically acclaimed and successful novels that is ubiquitously adored. Maybe it's ok for it to be a personal healing story of someone in real-life.