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A review by midwifereading
Faithful by Alice Hoffman
3.0
I liked it. I almost put it down, because the beginning chapters are so very depressing and heavy. The focus is on Shelby Richmond, who was driving with her best friend at 17, and got into an accident that put her friend into a somewhat vegetative state, never to recover. At the beginning of the book, she's a walking ball of despair and trauma 2 years after the accident.
By the end, she has come into some cautious hope again, slowly, imperfectly, and with the kind of help we all know -- community. People who accept her and walk with her even through some pretty major mistakes. She learns, grows, changes, and moves forward. I only wish there were illustrations of the postcards...(read it and find out)
It's a solid character-centered story, rather than being plot-driven. It's not particularly deep, but it feels close and familiar. Shelby's growth feels natural, not forced, and is much closer to reality than many similar stories.
NOTES: There is more language than I would have liked, but it's realistic, not gratuitous, and is used well in context. It's not there just to be there. There is also sexual assault in the early chapters. Again -- not gratuitous, and is treated like the horrendous act that it is. But you need to know if you pick it up.
By the end, she has come into some cautious hope again, slowly, imperfectly, and with the kind of help we all know -- community. People who accept her and walk with her even through some pretty major mistakes. She learns, grows, changes, and moves forward. I only wish there were illustrations of the postcards...(read it and find out)
It's a solid character-centered story, rather than being plot-driven. It's not particularly deep, but it feels close and familiar. Shelby's growth feels natural, not forced, and is much closer to reality than many similar stories.
NOTES: There is more language than I would have liked, but it's realistic, not gratuitous, and is used well in context. It's not there just to be there. There is also sexual assault in the early chapters. Again -- not gratuitous, and is treated like the horrendous act that it is. But you need to know if you pick it up.