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A review by portybelle
Rules of the Road by Ciara Geraghty
4.0
Terry's week takes a very unexpected turn when first she has to take on the care of her elderly father Eugene when his nursing home has to close temporarily, and then she discovers that her best friend Iris has disappeared, which is completely out of character for her. Naturally worried for Iris, she starts to try to find out what has happened to her and comes across a note which soon has her and her father taking an impromptu road trip from Ireland to Great Britain and on into Europe.
This book is one of these which poses an ethical dilemma. I won't say what this particular dilemma is as I don't want to give away anything from the plot but as is often the case in fiction, I do not know what I would have done faced with the same circumstances. Terry is a character who I could very much identify with. She has always been there for her husband and their two girls (both now grown up but both still quite reliant on their mum). In some ways she's quite obsessive and controlling, but not in a bad way. She knows where everything is, knows what needs to be done when, knows everyone's routines and knows just exactly how everything can be cleaned. This makes her spontaneous decision to try to find Iris and to take her father with her seem even more surprising.
Eugene has dementia and is at the stage of the disease where he needs a lot of help but still has flashes of the person he used to be. It was touching to read about how tender Terry was with him and how kind other people were to him when realising his situation. It was also rather sad to read about his flickers of memory and his childlike confusion.
Sadness was an emotion I experienced a lot when reading this book. I wouldn't normally give a so-called trigger warning about a book but I feel I should mention that if you are coping with or know someone with a terminal condition or dementia you may find this a difficult read. On the other hand, you may find it comforting and reassuring. Because what comes out of the different situations is Terry's courage and the strength of friendship between herself and Iris. She also begins to learn that she can live for herself and not just for her friends and family, however important they are and continue to be in her life.
Rules of the Road is an emotional, beautifully written book. Although there are without doubt, some very poignant moments, there is also a lot of warmth and humour. This is a powerful and moving novel about friendship and courage and living life to the full.
This book is one of these which poses an ethical dilemma. I won't say what this particular dilemma is as I don't want to give away anything from the plot but as is often the case in fiction, I do not know what I would have done faced with the same circumstances. Terry is a character who I could very much identify with. She has always been there for her husband and their two girls (both now grown up but both still quite reliant on their mum). In some ways she's quite obsessive and controlling, but not in a bad way. She knows where everything is, knows what needs to be done when, knows everyone's routines and knows just exactly how everything can be cleaned. This makes her spontaneous decision to try to find Iris and to take her father with her seem even more surprising.
Eugene has dementia and is at the stage of the disease where he needs a lot of help but still has flashes of the person he used to be. It was touching to read about how tender Terry was with him and how kind other people were to him when realising his situation. It was also rather sad to read about his flickers of memory and his childlike confusion.
Sadness was an emotion I experienced a lot when reading this book. I wouldn't normally give a so-called trigger warning about a book but I feel I should mention that if you are coping with or know someone with a terminal condition or dementia you may find this a difficult read. On the other hand, you may find it comforting and reassuring. Because what comes out of the different situations is Terry's courage and the strength of friendship between herself and Iris. She also begins to learn that she can live for herself and not just for her friends and family, however important they are and continue to be in her life.
Rules of the Road is an emotional, beautifully written book. Although there are without doubt, some very poignant moments, there is also a lot of warmth and humour. This is a powerful and moving novel about friendship and courage and living life to the full.