Title: The Language of Sisters
Author: Amy Hatvany
Review: I had several thoughts while reading
this beautiful little book. It is said
you love most those you serve (thus explaining how Mothers seem to love their
children through thick and thin), how you don’t know what you have until it is
gone, and how family members of the severely disabled usually say the person’s
influence in their lives made them who they are today (i.e. they have been
blessed by their presence). Amy Hatvany
has managed to capture these emotions perfectly in the story of two sisters. For anyone who has known a disabled person,
this book will open your eyes to the power of their spirits on the lives of
others.
Nicole was
burned out. A severely disabled sister,
a distant mother, and an absent father; she desperately needed her own life;
she needed to get away and be free. SO
she started over and found a power career and yuppie boyfriend who didn’t want
anything to do with family and their inherent problems. Her life was just as she imagined it but yet
she was not happy. Her career already
breaking down she got the phone call came pulling her back into her past. Her sister had been raped by a caregiver and
now she was pregnant.
The Language
of Sisters is a story of a woman who loses her dreams only to find her
happiness. It demonstrates with
compassion how frustratingly hard it is to take care of a special needs
person. Through the daily rituals of
trying to listen to her sister she finds she is finally able to listen to her
heart. The white noise of her
superficial life had been drowning her conscious out, while the purity of her
sister’s needs was able to finally cut through.
The language they shared was one of love. Not the passion most of us confuse as true
feelings, but the deep well of love that resonates through better and
worse. The love that will be there through the worst life has to offer. The
love that will support us when we cannot support ourselves.
An honest,
sweet little book that understands forgetting yourself is the best way to find
yourself. The most accurate description of what unconditional love for others
can do for you.
Publisher: Washington Square Press
ISBN: 978-1-4516-8813-9
Copyright: 2002
Pages: 275
Quick Review: 4 stars out of 5
Why I Read It: Synopsis looked interesting
Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me by the publisher for
review
Synopsis: Ten years
ago, Nicole Hunter left her troubled home behind her, unable to cope with the
demands of a life with her disabled sister, Jenny. But when a shattering event
turns her world upside down, she finds herself back in her hometown, caring for
her pregnant sister and trying to heal her embattled relationship with her
mother. And when she is faced with the most difficult choice of her life,
Nicole rediscovers the beauty of sisterhood-and receives a special gift that
will change her life forever..
Author Biography: Amy Hatvany
was born in Seattle, WA in 1972, the youngest of three children. She graduated
from Western Washington University in 1994 with a degree in Sociology only to
discover most sociologists are unemployed. Soon followed a variety of jobs –
some of which she loved, like decorating wedding cakes; others which she merely
tolerated, like receptionist. In 1998, Amy finally decided to sell her car,
quit her job, and take a chance on writing books.
The literary
gods took kindly to her aspirations and THE KIND OF LOVE THAT SAVES YOU was
published in 2000 by Bantam Doubleday. THE LANGUAGE OF SISTERS was picked up by
NAL in 2002. (Both titles published under "Yurk.")
Amy spends
most of her time today with her second and final husband, Stephan. (Seriously,
if this one doesn’t work out, she’s done.) She stays busy with her two
children, Scarlett and Miles, and her “bonus child,” Anna. Their blended family
also includes two four-legged hairy children, commonly known as Black Lab
mutts, Kenda and DolcĂ©. When Amy’s not with friends or family, she is most
likely reading, cooking or zoning out on certain reality television shows. Top
Chef is a current favorite. She eagerly awaits auditions for the cast of “Top
Author.” (“Quick Edit” instead of “Quick Fire” Challenge? C’mon, producers!
That’s gripping television!)
Other Reviews:
How about linking this in to Books You Loved: September? Have a great week.
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