4 out of 5 stars
The author provided a copy of this, free of charge, in return for an honest review.
Miscarriage is one of the big taboos in this country. Almost no one talks about it, and even though it is a fairly common occurrence, you rarely get to hear about those who have suffered. I know of one or two couples where it had sadly happened, but I am sure there are others.
As people are reluctant to talk about it, you will probably never know who in your friendship circles has suffered. If you do come to know it is probably going to be from the bereaved mother-to-be. Rarely do we hear from the father’s perspective.
In this book, Moreton takes us on his journey through the heady days of early pregnancy and the anticipation of welcoming a new individual into the world. It is also a reflective book, he delights in tracing back through various family members in the hope of understanding just what sort of person you might have been.
Even though this is a book about a tragedy, it isn’t a sad book. To me, it felt like a love letter to the child they never knew. It is the story of how they came to be and were made by the generations before. It is also a discovery for him, he learns of family secrets that were unknown until now.
For those who have gone through the grief and trauma of an event like this, this might not be the book they need, but for others, there will be some resonance in the words and art.
Gosh, a hard book to read, so many people have gone through this and it’s one of the last taboos, isn’t it (along with failed IVF which I have never seen a book about, but probably for good reason!).
It really was. The other that I have read recently on this is Elowen. I haven’t seen a book on failed IVF, but neither have I looked